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Anell
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
0
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Posted - 2013.02.03 00:33:00 -
[1] - Quote
The real statistic of concern to console makers and developers is not how deep broadband penetration has achieved, but how many people who do not have broadband are buying new from stores consoles and console games (keep in mind used games and consoles result in no new sales to developers or console manufacturers).
Having absolutely not data to back up my assumptions other then my own personal experiences, I would think that people who buy new consoles and console games have a very high chance of also having broadband. Quite frankly broadband is not very expensive when compared to console games. If you only buy 1 game a month you are paying more then the cost of broadband, in some parts of the US you are paying twice as much as a month of broadband. In some other countries (like say Japan where 2 out of 3 consoles come from) the figure is closer to 3 or 4 times the cost of broadband.
Sony and Nintendo design their systems first for the Japanese market and second for everyone else. They have done this for the entire life of their companies.
I would not be surprised at all to learn that sony has made a download only console. They would love nothing better then to control the input of all games to their system and at the same time destroy the used game market which has plagued both console maker and developer since its creation. |
Anell
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
4
|
Posted - 2013.02.10 02:00:00 -
[2] - Quote
Henry Haphorn wrote:
That will practically put businesses like Gamestop and Play-N-Trade out of business along with others like them. That and the console companies will be alienating a lot of customers who don't have broadband connections and don't want to be forced into buying only new stuff when they only want used stuff.
Console makers and developers HATE Gamestop and Play-N-Trade. They make no money off of used games and as far as they are concerned are actively losing sales from used games. It has been there stated desire for years to put an end to used game sales.
As for customers who do not have broadband connections. Well like I said, how many people who buy consoles and console games do not actually have broadband. It is available pretty much everywhere now and it costs less then a single console game for a month of broadband in America. In places that have lots of broadband competition it costs less. And again, Sony and Nintendo care not at all for the American market except as an after-thought. They build their systems for the Japanese market where broadband has a MUCH higher penetration.
For that matter does anyone even know a person who actively buys console games and does not have broadband? |
Anell
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
4
|
Posted - 2013.02.10 06:34:00 -
[3] - Quote
Henry Haphorn wrote:
o/
By the way, all of my friends have consoles and the ones that do have broadband generally have a distaste towards companies that try to force players into doing something they normally otherwise wouldn't do.
Then I have to ask, why do you not have broadband? Is it really not available in your area? Or are you devoting less then say 50 dollars a month towards entertainment costs?
This is not a market where player's core moral beliefs are going to have any real affect on a companies decisions. For all intents and purposes there are three companies we are talking about, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. If all three go the same route (and it is possible they will and make it download only for the next generation onwards) then players will have to - as your signature puts it - adapt or die. |
Anell
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
4
|
Posted - 2013.02.12 00:36:00 -
[4] - Quote
It is possible another company will enter the console market. It is entirely possible that google will make a unit that will run Android on your TV (other then the TV's that already have it built in). And it is also possible that developers will begin making games regularly for such a unit and that there will be some hardware that will allow either keyboard and mouse or game controller or both to be played on such a new unit.
It is however unlikely (especially from Google that has an app store) that a new console will both be created and use physical media for games. The reason is that no matter what you want to say regarding the tyranny (imagined or real) of console makers, you have to admit that the number of people who regularly buy new (not used) games and do not have broadband is shrinking not growing.
From a console makers / developers prospective it is simple formula to figure out if it is a good idea to make a download only console.
Using demographic studies, you figure out how much used games cost you each year by taking away new sales, lets call that number "X."
On the other side you figure out how many people do not have broadband but do buy new games and how much they will spend in a given year on games, lets call this number "Y."
If X > Y then you make a console that is download only.
Developers HATE used games. One of the appeals of MMOs to developers is that it is much more difficult to get one used since there is a subscription involved. Just based on their reactions to the used game market I think X is going to be bigger then Y.
Just as a point of interest. It is likely CCP knows already whether the PS4 is download only. Developers are told way in advance of a console release or announcement about its capabilities so they can develop for it. Since CCP has said they will port Dust over to the PS4, it makes sense that they would be privileged to its specifications even at this early stage. |
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