Microsoft in GTA IV Panic? Options

[chronno]

Holy crap, where to start. Let's start here.

"Microsoft is shitting itself. The console war has been raging hard for over two years, and it is all set to come to a head on April 29th. The day GTA IV releases. At that moment Microsoft could lose the fight… and they know it!"

By the end of the first paragraph I knew this guy was an idiot. This is Microsoft we're talking about here. This is the company that convinced people to buy Windows 95 that didn't have a computer. This is the company that convinced people to buy Vista. I don't think Microsoft is worried about anything.

On a side note, has the PS3 been out for two years already?

"GTA and Sony helped each other become the biggest game series and biggest console in the world. "

Flaming sony fanboy. How can everyone forget that Nintendo is in the console war? Nintendo kicked the living crap out of both Sony and Microsoft. (Plus Microsoft has been doing well for themselves compared to the PS3 so far). If Halo3 didn't win the war for Microsoft already, GTAIV isn't going to do anything ether.

"They’ve got a much better way of ensuring that the millions of casual gamers that fell in love with their brand last generation remain true to their cause. Free online for everyone, and a deal where you get one of those new-fangled HD Sony Bravia TVs with your PS3."

On second thought I may get a PS3 for GTAIV. If I can get another HD TV by just buying a PS3... I know that's at best twisting the truth or at worst an out rite fabrication. And free online? That hasn't been winning too many gamers so far.

Most casual gamers already have their system. It's called the Wii.

On one file note:

" In fact, since the price-drop the console has been selling quite well we are told, with reports of a 40% increase in sales. There’s nothing like an opportunity to save a bit of cash to lure those in the cheap seats. "

First, I don't think xbox fans like to be called cheap and second, Sony could do the same thing. $400 + $60 for system and game or $280 +$60 for system and game (with a possible price drop)?

[Chancer]

Yes it is across the board

Only the ignorant and the stupidly rich shop at HMV online and instore, unless they're doing one of their voucher promotions...

Go check out a real website

http://www.play.com
http://www.game.co.uk
http://www.gameplay.co.uk

I purchase from HMV when I am in the white rose. Nothing wrong with it as a store and they sell as much in the way of games as everything else. Your comment could easily apply to the rip off place that Game is as well.
Only the ignorant say "It is across the board when it clearly is not. That was just one place I had in my favourites but it only needs to be one place, there will be others. So It is not across the board.
Oh and about your other lame comments. If you don't wish to read the full news post that is fine but don't count yourself as more qualified to comment than TS who actually did read the whole thing.

One thing I do agree with you on is, all this tit for tat war and who beats who shit. It is getting terminally boring.
the way GTA is being hyped you would think it was going to be the greatest thing ever. It won't be not on any console, unless you like to pretend to be a gangsta

This post has been edited by Chancer: Mar 21 2008, 07:00 PM

[grim_d]

It won't be not on any console, unless you like to pretend to be a gangsta

who doesnt? fo' sho!

[Chancer]

who doesnt? fo' sho!

I have pre ordered it (I am not a gangsta honest) but I don't count it as a must buy game. It's for the kids to play.......honestly

[grim_d]

but I don't count it as a must buy game.

me neither, but for some reason i am obsessed with spending excess amounts of money on special editions *sigh*

[HotKnife420]

me neither, but for some reason i am obsessed with spending excess amounts of money on special editions *sigh*

If it wasn't for special editions, I'd own only games I thought were great....

[spinr34]

i have talked to at least 5 people that have thought GTA4 was a PS3 exclusive. and moreover, they argued with me about it until i showed them numerous articles and other info to prove that it will indeed be on the 360 and released at the same time as the ps3. so, i'd say it's true when the average person thinks GTA, they think PlayStation.

[0794]

MS in panic? are you kidding me? what a completely sensationalistic marketing PR ploy that this game could decide the fate of anything. GTA, even across both consoles, won't sell more than H3 did and that was a 360 exclusive.

wow, what a completely ignorant author...

if ya need proof, this quote had me laughing so hard i was almost in tears..."Your casual gaming fan probably won’t even connect their console to the Net, and just as few will even have a basic understanding of the concept of DLC, or episodic content." really, won't connect to the internet, huh? amazing...

this is even better...

he goes on to bash MS's marketing attractions to the game with some free MS points and a console price drop and then praises Sony for attracting their customers with "Free online for everyone, and a deal where you get one of those new-fangled HD Sony Bravia TVs with your PS3." really, they are giving away HD TVs with PS3s now? this is the worst biased, illogical, and ridiculous claims i have heard in a long time. i don't like to use the term too often, but this author truly defines the word "idiot."

This post has been edited by 794: Mar 21 2008, 08:38 PM

[controller-guy]

SONY in HALO 3 Panic?



Here's a Hanky.

[eduardor2k]

This article has written PS Fanboy all over it.

People are going to buy the console that are in th shop, with the title that says "big GTA 4 bundle! for 199 €"

This post has been edited by eduardor2k: Mar 21 2008, 10:02 PM

[Flagg3]

Yes it is across the board

Only the ignorant and the stupidly rich shop at HMV online and instore, unless they're doing one of their voucher promotions...

Go check out a real website

That's sort of the point. The casual gamer is someone who doesn't know any better, like the people who would buy at stores such as HMV

[0794]

SONY in HALO 3 Panic?



Here's a Hanky.

exactly my point...that sounds just as ridiculous as this article's intended thoughts...and GTA will be a smaller blip on the gaming radar...

[Flagg3]

Holy crap, where to start. Let's start here.

"Microsoft is shitting itself. The console war has been raging hard for over two years, and it is all set to come to a head on April 29th. The day GTA IV releases. At that moment Microsoft could lose the fight… and they know it!"

By the end of the first paragraph I knew this guy was an idiot. This is Microsoft we're talking about here. This is the company that convinced people to buy Windows 95 that didn't have a computer. This is the company that convinced people to buy Vista. I don't think Microsoft is worried about anything.

Microsoft isn't what it used to be. The stock has been stagnant for years, which has the company VERY WORRIED, hence the huge push to try to compete in the console arena to begin with. Vista sales are FAR BELOW expectations, and it is considered such a failure by the company there is wide speculation that they will be releasing a successor as early as next year. Don't mistake sales number for Vista as a success story, almost all sales of Vista come from OEM installations - which they would have gotten with any OS - including XP. Retail sales have been pitiful - and those are the sales where Microsoft earns the most profit when they get people to pay them twice by upgrading to a new OS.

"GTA and Sony helped each other become the biggest game series and biggest console in the world. "

Flaming sony fanboy. How can everyone forget that Nintendo is in the console war? Nintendo kicked the living crap out of both Sony and Microsoft. (Plus Microsoft has been doing well for themselves compared to the PS3 so far). If Halo3 didn't win the war for Microsoft already, GTAIV isn't going to do anything ether.

Well, I'm no fanboy, but considering the fact that I own 4 Xbox's, 1 Dream-X 1480 - 3 Xbox 360 Premiums and 1 Elite - and only 1 PS3 and 1 Wii, I can hardly be considered as biased against Microsoft.

People don't consider Nintendo because it's a market unto itself, and it doesn't really compete directly with either console. The market for the PS3 and the Xbox is directly competitive - and the fact that Halo 3 DID NOT boost sales of the console very much is a huge problem for Microsoft.

Remember, Microsoft has always publicly stated that they felt that they lost the previous console war because Sony had a 1 year head start on them. Well, for this generation instead of starting out against a formidable opponent with a 1 year head start they launched with a year all to themselves. They had a great lineup with a ton of exclusives, not the least of which was Halo 3. What did that get them? At this point of it's life the original Xbox had sold roughly 14.5 million units. The Xbox 360 has only moved 17.5 million units in the same timeframe. That is EXTREMELY telling, considering the head start, the huge price advantage they have over the PS3 and the complete lack of quality titles that Sony had in the past. That's not fanboyism, that's reality.

"They’ve got a much better way of ensuring that the millions of casual gamers that fell in love with their brand last generation remain true to their cause. Free online for everyone, and a deal where you get one of those new-fangled HD Sony Bravia TVs with your PS3."

On second thought I may get a PS3 for GTAIV. If I can get another HD TV by just buying a PS3... I know that's at best twisting the truth or at worst an out rite fabrication. And free online? That hasn't been winning too many gamers so far.

Sony has moved a lot of consoles by bundling them with Bravia TVs, not the reverse.

Most casual gamers already have their system. It's called the Wii.

And the PS2, which continues to outsell all current gen systems, but they will all upgrade someday - including Wii owners. The fight is for which system those people upgrade to, and it will eventually be a PS3 or an Xbox 360.

On one file note:

" In fact, since the price-drop the console has been selling quite well we are told, with reports of a 40% increase in sales. There’s nothing like an opportunity to save a bit of cash to lure those in the cheap seats. "

First, I don't think xbox fans like to be called cheap and second, Sony could do the same thing. $400 + $60 for system and game or $280 +$60 for system and game (with a possible price drop)?

Don't get offended by the terminology, the 'Cheap Seats' are the most coveted market for all console makers - that's the mass market, and that's where the real money is, since no matter what you pay for your console - you will still be buying the high margin games which is where they all make their profit from.

The trend is not good for Microsoft. Trust me on this, there will be new bundles offering MUCH better value from Microsoft VERY SOON. They need to do it, and they know it. I just hope they don't wait too long - because momentum is very hard to reverse once it gets going.

[robo989]

That's sort of the point. The casual gamer is someone who doesn't know any better, like the people who would buy at stores such as HMV

Thats the thing though, casual gamers don't really exist! There's people who simply don't like any computer games - they won't buy it, you know the type that might have a quick go on the wii at a mates house after coming back from the pub...

Then there's the "gamer" - plays games all the time and could be a sony\ms biased goon (could be!)

Then there's the "jaded gamer" - people who have been going since the master system\nes or earlier and don't really care about "who wins" but they know whats going on and when a big titles is coming out...

There simply isn't such thing as "the casual gamer" anymore, I don't think there ever was!

[luther349]

i dont think very many people still think gta = sony the xbox only has had it for years now. now they might still think its still going to hit sony first then evently make its way to the 360 like all the xbox releases in the past. of course this time thats not the case.

agreed thow if m$ whants gta iv to sell like crazy on the 360 cut the price like today in the usa to increase your pickup rate and combine with gta 4 you have a huge seller.

on the side of sony gta 4 is pretty mutch weather the ps3 is gonna survive as a decent gaming console or just a cheap blueray player.

This post has been edited by luther349: Mar 22 2008, 10:00 AM