Some Bad Bad News For XBOX

[Rochey69r]

hey dudes,
my name is sean and i am a loyal xbox fan but when my friend told me this i got really worried bout the future of the xbox.

PLEASE READ


REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 28, 2001 - Ignoring strong economic headwinds, NINTENDO GAMECUBE has soared to record retail heights, becoming the fastest-selling home video game console of this generation. Through its first week of availability, NINTENDO GAMECUBE sold more than one-half million systems to consumers, at a rate nearly twice that of Microsoft's Xbox, and at least 25 percent faster than the launch of Sony's Playstation 2 last year.

In addition, the ghost-themed Luigi's Mansion for NINTENDO GAMECUBE has quickly become the most popular console launch game ever, with sales rates even eclipsing those of the unanimously acclaimed Super Mario 64(, which launched with the Nintendo( 64 console in 1996.

"To have outpaced any other video game console launch ever would be notable in its own right," says Peter Main, executive vice president for sales and marketing, Nintendo of America. "But to accomplish this under the current economic conditions is truly remarkable. There is a seemingly endless appetite for high quality, stay-at-home entertainment at an affordable price--which is a perfect definition of NINTENDO GAMECUBE."

Of initial North American shipments of some 740,000 hardware units, approximately 100,000 systems went to Canada and Latin America and another 75,000 to U.S. rental and other distribution channels. Of the approximately 80 percent destined for U.S. retail locations, virtually all are now sold out. However, the first of weekly replenishments of approximately 125,000 units are already arriving at stores.

With Luigi's Mansion and Lucas Arts' Star Wars Rogue SquadronII: Rogue Leader leading the way, consumers are buying about two games for every NINTENDO GAMECUBE purchased. In addition, two of the industry's most anticipated titles for the holidays, Nintendo exclusives Pikmin( and Super Smash Bros. Melee(, will be introduced next week. In all, a total of 22 NINTENDO GAMECUBE titles will be available by year-end, growing to some 35 by the end of March.

"At a suggested retail price of $199.95, consumers can purchase NINTENDO GAMECUBE and two games for the same cost as rival, current generation game consoles alone. It's like getting two games for free," Main adds.

A dedicated game play system, NINTENDO GAMECUBE delivers new forms of interactive fun for players and offers the easiest development environment for game creators. The system's embedded memory, proprietary optical disc and innovative controller were designed to optimize the game play experience.

taken from nintendo.com

reply your thoughts

[Haine]

Dont always believe what you read,What they meant to say was that the sold that many to dealers,Selling to dealers and selling to me and you is different.My local store still to this day has gamecubes on shelf's from the very first shipment.It really wouldnt bother me if they sold 5 million in first day,I know i have the better system(IMO) and i am verry happy with what i have.

[xboxman_1]

You also have to remember that Nintendo shipped more gamecubes, that's why they sold "at a rate of nearly 2 times Microsoft's Xbox." If Microsoft would have had that many consoles, I'm sure they would have sold just as many.

[DOOM]

TROLL!
:rolleyes:

[skoot182]

its from nintendo.com, whadda ya think itll say?

[sinizuh]

just think about it...

Launch: Gamecube great; Xbox good.
6 months after launch: Gamecube horrible; Xbox excellant.
12 months after launch: Gamecube super; Xbox great.

Gamecube might be the winner for 2001, but xbox will rule the markets in Q1, Q2 and Q3 of 2002 and then gamecube might come back in Q4 with their "Classics" (mario & link; maybe Metroid)

[Slider1981]

Sinizuh,
back up your opinion, mention what games the xbox has coming out. And like with a systems, the systems must sell to sell games, let's here all these games u think will be great.

[sinizuh]

well, since the Japanese launch of xbox is in Feb 2002, we will get all those great games. and don't forget about GTA3, THPS3 and MGSx (but MGSx wouldn't be out till like mid Q2; the rest mid-late Q1)

and then Q4 comes around, sega will be releasing Shenmue 2 and PSO 2 (Late Q3 or early Q4)

[GokuX]

Baah if the Gamecube game path follows the N64 path which is highly likely given Nintendo's ways then it'll be something like this. Now - Christmas - Great games U can't play anywhere else. Next year Q1 - 3 really great games U can't play anywhere else. Q4 - 1 really great game U can't play anywhere else. 2003 Q1 - Q4 : 1 Great game that sustains the system's life. 2004 Q1-Q4 System still being sustained by the 1 great game released in 2003. 2005 Q1 - Q4 System on life support, but still sutained by the 1 good game released in 2003 and a slew of Pokemon games. 2006 the system has one Teen + title, children's games take over, system is Dead for all intensive purposes. 2006 X-Box 2 rumors circulate while the X-Box continues to host hundreds of games and counting. 2007 X-Box 2 comes out and millions buy it. Just a guess.

[BigAl]

Well, as others have noted, these initial sales figures don't necessarily suggest much about the relative overall or future success of each platform. Here are some things to think about:

Initial sales of both consoles in the North American market likely were limited on the supply side (production and distribution), not on the demand side. Both manufacturers likely could have sold more, with greater availability of machines.

Differences in pricing. The Gamecube is priced $100 less than the Xbox. To the serious gamer suching pricing discrepancy probably does not mean all that much, however to non-gaming parents purchasing a holiday gift such pricing may be instrumental in the decision as to which platform to purchase. However, remember that, even taking the rumored actual unit sales of 500,000 Gamecubes and 370,000 Xbox's... the discrepancy in pricing means that Microsoft has generated $110 million in hardware sales revenue versus Nintendo's $99.5 million in hardware sales revenue. Technically, therefore, Microsoft would be outselling Nintendo in terms of sheer revenue.

Differences in target market demographics may suggest differences in purchasing patterns. Nintendo's historical target market of pre-teens (sorry but that is the plain factual truth of their past target market as even espoused by corporate management) may subject the Gamecube's sales to greater seasonal fluctuation as parents purchase the machine for their children for the holidays... the PS2 and perhaps the Xbox as well, while also greatly affected by seasonality, arguably do demonstrate slightly higher sell-through rates year-round due to their older target market.

Early sales volume not necessarily a good predictor of how successful a platform will be for a corporation. Remember, each system is likely being sold at a net loss to the corporation. The profit is in the "follow-through"... how many games and accessories are sold per console unit. According to rumors, the Xbox has had a good, solid early "follow-through"... some retailers appear to suggest an even higher follow-through than for the Gamecube. Part of this has to do with discrepancy in launch titles. The Gamecube has a relatively more limited launch line-up, and perhaps - at least initially - fewer desirable game titles per console unit. The PS2 has been rumored to have, according to some third party developers, a relatively weak follow-through. Some have even suggested that many PS2 units were used as relatively cheap DVD playback devices, that also offered the ability to play maybe the one or two good games that were being offered for the bulk of the console's first year. Such a situation, if true, would not be a financially good one for Sony, even if they did sell a large number of actual units.

Regional differences. It is quite ironic how much the Gamecube loyalists have so-often touted the Japanese consumer and developer market as the weak-point for the Xbox when the Gamecube itself had a very poorly received introduction in Japan. Sales were definitely on the low-side of estimates for Gamecube in Japan. Nintendo virtually had to have a strong North American introduction or they were in fairly serious trouble. It will be interesting to see how Xbox and Gamecube sell in their respective regional markets going forward once we are out of the Christmas season and once each machine is widely available in each contested region.

Differences in corporate balance sheet strength and corporate mission. Never underestimate the role a strong balance sheet can play in a loss-leader market like console gaming. Certainly a strong balance sheet can't make a public success out of a dud... but it can certainly mean the difference between a battle fought over a period of months versus a battle fought out over a couple of generations of machines and several years, if not decades. Likely no one at Microsoft is under the illusion of knocking Nintendo or Sony out of the console business after just 6 to 12 months of their entry into the marketplace. Rather, they clearly see the console market as of strategic importance to the future digital convergence in the home marketplace. Microsoft pumped $5 billion of cash into AT&T equity likely for the sole reason of generating good-will for their set-top ambitions. Microsoft is now sitting on over $30 billion of cash and short-term securities. You don't think that they are willing to invest some of that giant cash horde on a bet in the console marketplace? Contrast that with Nintendo, a company which is in a relatively very weak financial position, and Sony, a company which while a behemoth itself, is also very much weakened by the condition of the Japanese economy and the increasing competitiveness and weakness in their core consumer electronics business.
Just a few points to consider. ;)

[Rochey69r]

thankyou everyone for your replys.

ohh and bye the way someone said it was on nintendo.com so they think its bull****. but its also on consoledomain.com as well!

[FpS_PhReeK]

Yahoo! and Amazon Report Huge Increases in Online Sales

By L.J. Martinez, www.EcommerceTimes.com

Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO - news) and Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN -news) both reported that online sales over the Thanksgiving weekend showed a marked increase over last year.

Over the three-day weekend following Thanksgiving, Yahoo! Shopping posted a 75 percent increase in sales compared to the same period last year.

"Video games have risen to the top of our most searched-for and purchased items.That's the Xbox (news - web sites), the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in that order. Yahoo! Shopping spokesperson Stephanie Iwamasa told the E-Commerce Times.


PhReeK out!

[FpS_PhReeK]

Wednesday November 21, 1:02 pm Eastern Time

Programs:Microsoft Xbox shows importance of consoles.

By Gene Emery

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Nov 21 (Reuters) - Microsoft's entry into the console wars last week signified more than an attempt to tap into
a lucrative market. It also reflects the realization by Microsoft that, when it comes to games, consoles are often a better way to play.

It's not that console games are necessarily better. In fact, the quality and versatility of console games have often lagged behind products available on the personal computer.

But when you plug in a console product, it usually works. You don't have to wonder whether your video card has enough memory, your hard drive has enough space, there's enough RAM, or whether some other application is going to create a software conflict and give you the dreaded Windows blue screen. In addition, you don't need more than one copy of the software for a multi-player game.

In many areas, PC games still offer a significant edge. You can upgrade them. And if the software has a glitch, developers can post a downloadable patch'' on the Internet. But patches are a mixed blessing because casual players don't know to look for them and the ability to patch encourages software companies to get sloppy and ship poorly-tested products, with the rationalization that they can always develop a fix later.

So now there are three key contenders in the console wars.

How does Xbox shape up?

Essentially, everything about Microsoft's black Xbox is bigger. The unit is larger than Sony's PS-2 or Nintendo's GameCube. The cord to the Xbox controller is two feet longer than the PS-2 game pad, and three feet longer than Nintendo's controller.

The Xbox controller has more buttons and a lot more heft -- about 45 percent more weight than the GameCube controller and nearly double the weight of the PS-2 controller. GameCubes's controller feels more comfortable in the hands and the placement of the buttons for the right thumb has a better ergonomic design. The Xbox controller is made for the largest hands, the PS-2 controller for the smallest.

The Xbox power switch is on the front of the unit, a big improvement over the PS-2, where the button is inconveniently located at the back. Like GameCube, Xbox has slots for four controllers. With the PS-2, you need a special adapter to have four people play the same game.

Unlike GameCube, Xbox and the PS-2 are made to play DVD movies. But while the $300 PS-2 was designed to play movies right out of the box, the Xbox won't perform that task unless you spend another $30 for a DVD kit. However, with its built-in hard drive, Xboxers don't have to buy a memory card.

Xbox has 64 megabytes of total memory, double the PS-2 for instance, and the speed of its processing units are also dramatically faster. But at this stage, it's not clear how significant that is. It's like the Pentium 4 chip. It's amazingly fast, but most consumers don't need it -- at least not yet.

Consider ``DOA-3,'' an Xbox title that is the best-looking fighting game on the planet. The backgrounds are gloriously detailed. Huge fish swim around, birds soar in the background, spectators jump wildly, fall leaves flitter down from the trees. It's all made possible by the extra processing power of the Xbox.

But so what? The fighters who were rendered so well in the PS-2 version, ``DOA-2 Hardcore,'' don't look significantly better in the X-box version. And the fighters are the elements that truly count.

Xbox, with its extra processing power, may give programmers the ability to do more. But there are limits to the amount of computer code a human can write and debug each day, to the number of hours a game developer is willing to invest to get a product on the market, and to the number of elements you want to pack into a single video
image. As a result, Xbox's graphics, at least to a layperson, may not look dramatically better than GameCube or even the PS-2.

So now it becomes interesting to see whether game developers will use this newfound processing power wisely.

In ``DOA3,'' it's nice to see that the once-empty Octagon is filled with screaming fans. But it's also infuriating to realize that Tecmo, the developer, has squandered one of the opportunities posed by Xbox by playing the same 2.4-second-long sound clip of the crowd in an endless, annoying loop. (Tecmo also erred by eliminating the Battle
Record Mode.)

``Fuzion Frenzy,'' another Xbox title, has 45 mini-games designed to let players run inside a rolling ball, ride ice cars or jet boats, zip around in pods or tanks, or toss around explosives. But in too many games, things move so quickly and your icon is so small, it's hard to keep track of who or where you are.

So let the Xbox, GameCube and PS-2 partisans squabble over which system is superior. Console lovers should be celebrating. Blue screens have been banished.

Hardware incompatibilities are history. And, in the end, the real issue is simply the quality of the software.


Thought it was a nice article..... XBOX rules,,,, sorry but I have to speak my mind... mmmmm pizza.

PhReeK out!

[EliGC]

This piece of news is completely false because its originated from Ninitendo.com in REDMOND, Wash.?? If you just taken your time and made some research you would know that REDMOND is home for MS and not Nintendo.

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by EliGC
This piece of news is completely false because its originated from Ninitendo.com in REDMOND, Wash.?? If you just taken your time and made some research you would know that REDMOND is home for MS and not Nintendo.

Eligc...LOL, dude...I live in Seattle, which is a 15 minute drive to Redmond, WA...and I can tell you that, like Microsoft, Redmond is ALSO the home of NINTENDO OF AMERICA. lol...so, try doing your homework, too :rolleyes:

[ShannonX]

i feel that if anything, nintendo should have one of the best launches. Lets see, it was delayed how long? Over a year to "improve subpar performance" or something to that affect. I was planning on getting one of those a year or so ago, then read that and it beeing pushed back a year and said screw it. :D

[scarecrow kfj]

not to mention the holiday season... 299 - 199 I think parents will go with the 199 in most cases. BUT that dosnt mean the kids want it.. But if a parent gets you one than its not like you will return it.

[l Maximus l]

Excellent point, Scarecrow. Many parents will just see the price tag and buy a LameCube. Oh well, nobody is perfect :D

[vash the stampede]

Look at this (http://www.teamxbox.com/news.php?id=2296)

This made me happy, cause it is forshadowing the gc future, man i hate the gamecube...

[Satch]

hey motha f*ckas!!! wasssup!!! hey, go to videogames.com and click on news. check out what it says about xbox sales. the news is as of today!! go!!

[Rochey69r]

ahhh im now relived to find this on the home page of xboxaddict:



RETAIL DATA SHOW MICROSOFT XBOX IS BEST-SELLING VIDEO GAME CONSOLE AFTER FIRST TWO WEEKS

Attach Rate for Xbox Launch Is Highest Ever; Weekly Shipments of Xbox Systems Ensures Strong Sales Through Holiday Season

REDMOND, Wash. - Dec. 4, 2001 - The Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft Corp. had the best-selling video game console launch on record after two weeks of sales, according to The NPD Group Inc., the definitive source for sales and market data on the video game industry.

"The data clearly show that Xbox is off to a torrid start," said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer at Microsoft. "Xbox sold out as soon as we launched, and we’re selling systems as fast as we can produce them. More than 100,000 units a week are being delivered to retailers, so game players are likely to find Xbox systems throughout the holiday season. With one of the best launch lineups ever, I understand why Xbox is the most sought-after gift for the holiday."

Most importantly, Xbox purchasers can’t get enough of the Xbox launch games. According to The NPD Group, gamers are buying 2.4 Xbox games with every Xbox, resulting in the highest game attach rate ever recorded for a console at launch. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. sold 1.9 games with every PlayStation 2 during the first two weeks of its launch last year, and Nintendo Company Ltd. has sold 1.9 games with every GameCube to date.

Microsoft’s "Halo™" was the best-selling launch title according to actual NPD data, beating "Luigi’s Mansion," the top-selling GameCube game. "Halo," the critically acclaimed sci-fi action game, also recently received a 10 out of 10 rating from the editors at Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine. Sales are also very strong for Microsoft "Project Gotham Racing™," "NFL™ Fever 2002," and third-party games such as "Dead or Alive 3™" from Tecmo, "Madden NFL™ 2002" from Electronic Arts and "Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater™ 2x" from Activision Inc.

"There’s no doubt that Xbox has some of the most popular games for the holiday," said Ed Fries, vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. "Whether you crave action, sports, racing or fighting games, Xbox has killer games in every category."


thanx again for all your opinions,
Rochey (only 99 more days till xbox for me)(i live in australia)

[Haine]

And all the gamer sites i have read they say X-box also beat out gamecube.But let them have fun sheesh.....