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[Birgitte2004]

I really hate the "pre-season" BS, because that implies Jan-Oct don't count. Newflash for people who talk about the pre-season, Jan-Oct DO count. If they didn't Xbox One would be handily winning in the US.

Wow so now we have got twitch as our gauge for a games popularity. All this from 2 days of sales data. I hope it does well in the long run

Mock it all you want but as trends go popular on twitch generally means popular with the general public.

You can't use a snapshot (because all it takes is one super popular twitch streamer to stream a game and it will shoot way way up), but trends over time twitch isn't that different from general game popularity.

It's meaningful that Destiny and GTAV are regularly way up on the popularity list on twitch after all this time, and it's meaningful when a new game doesn't do anything special on twitch.

 

[SomTervo]

So he talks the moves other people make. I don't think he has any real power.

He's probably still a powerhouse of project management and a great marketing idea generator. He just won't be in control of the actual output plans.

O when i said 2016 looks better i meant Microsofts lineup not tr releasing.

Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

How much power does Aaron Greenburg have anyways? He always seemed like just a PR person, like Reggie.

I think he plays a big role in this, even then so. The guy is clueless, really anything he says or promotes he just ends up looking incompetent. I'm surprised he has kept the position for a bit.

Now I'm sure he is a good guy, but honestly he is not what Xbox maybe needs right now especially in terms of PR.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I actually don't have a problem with them releasing tomb raider now.unless you release it in Juky or August, there's always gonna be competition for it. I would've done the same thing. my thought process is that it's not about selling copies of the game as much as essentially having another bullet point as to why you want to buy an Xbox during the holidays. I just don't think they've been pushing it enough to emphasize that point. Also having the bundle only be at Best Buy was a weird move. TR should've gotten the assassins creed treatment and been a $350 500gb bundle, reduced to $299 on Black Friday.

This is what made no sense. I know many are questioning the FO4 release period, and that's certainly a reasonable question. But how did anyone think it made sense to make the bundle exclusive to one retailer? For a game that already had a not so great release period, it was made worse with that bundle.

 

[Chirotera]

Release in January and you're competing with all the games people got for Christmas, all the games they're picking up in January sales, and then people are feeling the pinch a bit because of all the pre-Christmas spending and are being more careful with money. Maybe you sell more than 60k copies, maybe you don't, it's impossible to ever know but I don't think releasing pre-Christmas was a bad decision to make just because hindsight tells us it was.

Like, it's pretty easy to sit here and say how stupid they were, but I don't think many people on GAF saw a 60k figure for UK sales coming before it happened, even if they could see that releasing a few days after Fallout 4 wasn't necessarily the best move and sales would suffer a bit. It still easily could have done okay.

Fair enough. I didn't really consider January as all that viable either but it seems like it could do well February, even March. It seems like companies are compelled to release games as soon as they're done when it seems like saving it for a less busy release window would increase profit. If anyone had the time it'd be really interesting to see the sales of games that try to release against such juggernauts as GTAV, Skyrim, FO4, etc.

I know there are huge marketing factors to consider too. Makes me wish I could work at these places just to see the discussion there, or even if there is one.

As for the game itself I really want to check it out as I enjoyed the first one, but I don't have an Xbox One so I'm sol until the exclusivity runs out. More than the release window going up against FO4, I think that that deal really killed its chances of stronger sales.

As good as that first TR game was it never screamed out to me in a way that would make me want to plop down for a new console just to play it's sequel. I suppose it's good for people that already own system, but then if that's the case you're not really swaying in anyone new. It's just a giant head-scratcher all around.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Maybe most retailers didn't want a RoTR bundle. If preorders were low across the board, they probably aren't going to want to stock too much and get left with a bunch of stock they then have to take a hit on to shift.

I mean look at how long the Titanfall and ACU bundles were around, and those games were far more popular out the gate.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

He's probably still a powerhouse of project management and a great marketing idea generator. He just won't be in control of the actual output plans.



Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

Slow down there bub lets not go that far(i love rpgs so i may be alil biased here 2016 is ps4 rpg heaven)

 

[SomTervo]

Slow down there bub lets not go that far(i love rpgs so i may be alil biased here 2016 is ps4 rpg heaven)

Oh yeah, I'm not saying anything concrete. I still think PS4 will have a better year, personally. I was simply saying that 2016 looks like MS's best opportunity to bring the ball back to their court.

 

[Steroyd]

Tomb Raider will do ok in the long run

I don't know, PC sales is going to have to pick up a shit ton of slack because I'm only seeing a 1 year old port flop as hard this time next year, on a console that is supposed to be more receptive to the brand.

Unless the contract isn't a strict 12 months and they'll release in what I assume is a slight breathing room period in late September early October.

 

[KORNdoggy]

Oh yeah, I'm not saying anything concrete. I still think PS4 will have a better year, personally. I was simply saying that 2016 looks like MS's best opportunity to bring the ball back to their court.

how?

 

[level1]

Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

In terms of sales or games lineup? Because if it's the latter, that would be extremely debatable

 

[Stone Ocean]

Oh yeah, I'm not saying anything concrete. I still think PS4 will have a better year, personally. I was simply saying that 2016 looks like MS's best opportunity to bring the ball back to their court.

With what, exactly? Forza and Gears?

 

[LegendofDragoonLives]

He's probably still a powerhouse of project management and a great marketing idea generator. He just won't be in control of the actual output plans.



Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

Nahh, Sony will give a beating to MS next year. MS is better than this year but still is not on not near Sony assuming all 2016 titles actually release that year. I'm talking about NA here, worldwide is not worth a discussion nowadays.

 

[Bits N Pieces]

how?

By releasing good games?

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

O crap i think i just started a 2016 game war lol

 

[Stone Ocean]

By releasing good games?

Good games don't necessarily sell.

O crap i think i just started a 2016 game war lol

One two three four I declare a list war

 

[ShogunDarius]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Aaron Greenberg, to me, comes off as very incompetent and incapable of performing his duties. He is almost a badged fanboy based on his Twitter account.

Although I'm not one to make people jobless, I believe this guy needs to be replaced. I truly believe their release schedule and vision of seasons is flawed and this guy is the catalyst of this.

The problem with Greenberg and to an extent Spencer is the pandering to fanboys, fanboys should be ignored whatever system they fangasm over. I still remember one fanboy was invited to E3 or something, that made me cringe, the fact they looked in their late 30s or even 40's just made me feel sad. They should, and I emphasize should be mature adults at that point.
The problem with Greenberg in particular is he has a history of spouting bullshit, as long as any company has someone like that it's hard to respect them.
I don't trust any one the 3 companies tbh, but I have a lot more respect for Nintendo and to a smaller degree Sony in part because they don't have there own versions of Greenberg, thank god.

 

[SomTervo]

In terms of sales or games lineup? Because if it's the latter, that would be extremely debatable

Both for me. Not much for me on XBO this year. But see below:

With what, exactly? Forza and Gears?

Nahh, Sony will give a beating to MS next year. MS is better than this year but still is not on not near Sony assuming all 2016 titles actually release that year. I'm talking about NA here, worldwide is not worth a discussion nowadays.

how?

Woah, I'm just spitballing here. I don't own an XBO and I don't follow it closely, I'm no specialist. But a couple of things stand out for me in the year - Quantum Break, Crackdown 3 and potentially Scalebound. The first alone is enough to prompt me to buy the console. (And I think they'll all shift a lot of units.)

However based on Wiki's list here, PS4 is already absolutely smashing XBO in terms of exclusives for 2016.

 

[J_Viper]

I think he plays a big role in this, even then so. The guy is clueless, really anything he says or promotes he just ends up looking incompetent. I'm surprised he has kept the position for a bit.

Now I'm sure he is a good guy, but honestly he is not what Xbox maybe needs right now especially in terms of PR.

I had to shut off that Giant Bomb interview with him after he started going off about how deep Halo 5's story was. I could feel Jeff screaming internally.

 

[Bits N Pieces]

Good games don't necessarily sell.

One two three four I declare a list war

That's true (sometimes) but they do give the consumer more confidence in a product if they see a steady stream of titles being released for the platform. That's what 2016 looks like to me for the Xbox anyway.

Sony are obviously bringing there A game too and Nintendo are revealing a new platform.

Lots for us to discuss / argue over

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Good games don't necessarily sell.

One two three four I declare a list war

I mean it's not a war if the first battle is lost within minutes *ducks

 

[Primethius]

Good games don't necessarily sell.

Funny that and which thread we're in.

 

[Ricky_R]

Oh yeah, I'm not saying anything concrete. I still think PS4 will have a better year, personally. I was simply saying that 2016 looks like MS's best opportunity to bring the ball back to their court.

I believe their best opportunity was this year tbh. Next year will be tough.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Woah, I'm just spitballing here. I don't own an XBO and I don't follow it closely, I'm no specialist. But a couple of things stand out for me in the year - Quantum Break, Crackdown 3 and potentially Scalebound. The first alone is enough to prompt me to buy the console. (And I think they'll all shift a lot of units.)

However based on Wiki's list here, PS4 is already absolutely smashing XBO in terms of exclusives for 2016.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing the Xbox exclusives nor trying to start a list war or anything, I fully believe in Remedy and Platinum to deliver stellar games, I just don't see them really helping push console sales.

 

[Primethius]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing the Xbox exclusives nor trying to start a list war or anything, I fully believe in Remedy and Platinum to deliver stellar games, I just don't see them really helping push console sales.

And nor will they. All you have to do is look at Halo this year.

 

[Ninja Sharingan]

I really hate the "pre-season" BS, because that implies Jan-Oct don't count. Newflash for people who talk about the pre-season, Jan-Oct DO count. If they didn't Xbox One would be handily winning in the US.



Mock it all you want but as trends go popular on twitch generally means popular with the general public.

You can't use a snapshot (because all it takes is one super popular twitch streamer to stream a game and it will shoot way way up), but trends over time twitch isn't that different from general game popularity.

It's meaningful that Destiny and GTAV are regularly way up on the popularity list on twitch after all this time, and it's meaningful when a new game doesn't do anything special on twitch.

I would want to watch a multiplayer focused game on twitch but I can't understand someone watching something like tomb raiders or any narrative single player component. That's just me tho

 

[KooopaKid]

Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

It's going to be worse and worse for XBO. Halo 5 and Tomb Raider were some of its biggest games.
Uncharted 4 in March alone is going to do a lot of damage (If it's actually good)

 

[toythatkills]

Rise of the Tomb Raider releases exclusively on consoles on PS4 next year, so PS4 will definitely win.

 

[rawd]

Yeah, I fucking loathe this attitude, both as a consumer with limited funds at any given time, and as someone who is interested in the business side of the industry.

It's his job. Can't really expect anything else.

 

[Tobor]

Oh yeah, I'm not saying anything concrete. I still think PS4 will have a better year, personally. I was simply saying that 2016 looks like MS's best opportunity to bring the ball back to their court.

Dude, this gen is over. It's been over. MS isn't coming back. They are way too far behind. Sony would have to shut down production of the PS4 for MS to catch up.

 

[Conduit]

It'll probably have decent legs with Steam since it'll launch in a relatively calm part of the year. The console versions are fucked though.

Well, Deus Ex, Street Fighter V scheduled for that period.

 

[StrongBlackVine]

Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

I think this Fall is it for Xbox One. If it doesn't make a dent now it never will. If Halo and Tomb Raider can't get it done next year's releases definitely won't.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Well, Deus Ex, Street Fighter V scheduled for that period.

January or March would be perfect considering what they have to work with. Specially March, not many major PC releases there considering The Division has bomba written all over it.

 

[notaskwid]

January or March would be perfect considering what they have to work with.

It's so obviously the best time to release this game that I just cannot see that it was released now just to make 'the best holyday line up ever' as asinine as that sounds.
Edit: thought you were talking about the xbox one version. And I mean january.

 

[gundamkyoukai]

The beginning of next is pack so TR would still have to go up vs some good games.
Plus SE has games coming out then also .
Still UC4 will eat everything coming in march .

Side note i will buy more games the beginning of next year than i did during this season .

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

January or March would be perfect considering what they have to work with. Specially March, not many major PC releases there considering The Division has bomba written all over it.

God i forgot that game existed. Dont forget hitmam is march too

 

[SomTervo]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing the Xbox exclusives nor trying to start a list war or anything, I fully believe in Remedy and Platinum to deliver stellar games, I just don't see them really helping push console sales.

I was just talking about shifting games (games as units) not consoles. However I do think QB and Crackdown might shift quite a lot of consoles. Hopefully there are a lot of hidden Remedy fans like me waiting in the wings to pounce

I believe their best opportunity was this year tbh. Next year will be tough.

Having looked at that list, I think I agree with you. I can't see any standouts for XBO to challenge PS4 next year. They don't even have anything to come near Uncharted 4.

 

[Stone Ocean]

It's so obviously the best time to release this game that I just cannot see that it was released now just to make 'the best holyday line up ever' as asinine as that sounds.
Edit: thought you were talking about the xbox one version. And I mean january.

Xbox version should have released in January as well. There's fucking nothing in January that the game would have to compete with, it would have been literally TR month.

 

[SomTervo]

Yeah, I mean they've only got to get a better exclusive line up than Uncharted 4, Street Fighter V, The Last Guardian, The Tomorrow Children, No Mans Sky, Ratchet and Clank, Gravity Rush HD, Gravity Rush 2, Gran Turismo Sport, Horizon Zero Dawn, Persona 5, Star Ocean 5, Dragon Quest Heroes 2, PlayStation VR, the PSVR titles like Until Dawn, RIGS etc.

Mate that's barely everything coming to PlayStation 4 in 2016. Microsoft have a huge challenge on their hands to get stuck in against Sony. There is so much exclusive content coming to PlayStation next year, it's unreal. If SquareEnix drop the bomb that Final Fantasy VII remake launches early 2017 or fall 2016 (which I doubt) then it's going to be incredibly difficult for Microsoft.

It's going to be worse and worse for XBO. Halo 5 and Tomb Raider were some of its biggest games.
Uncharted 4 in March alone is going to do a lot of damage (If it's actually good)

Dude, this gen is over. It's been over. MS isn't coming back. They are way too far behind. Sony would have to shut down production of the PS4 for MS to catch up.

I think this Fall is it for Xbox One. If it doesn't make a dent now it never will. If Halo and Tomb Raider can't get it done next year's releases definitely won't.

As I say above - I agree with you all, having looked into it more. Next year looks deserted for XBO in comparison. Really sad, tbh. I don't even own one and it's a sad state for them. My perspective was skewed by my pretty high hype for Quantum Break (and general excitement to get an XBO and play the older games surrounding that.)

MS are still making money on it right, though? We're all talking about it as a race to the top, but the Xbox One still sold well. I mean, it's not like Sony-win, MS-lose; it's like MS-win, Sony-super-insane-win-to-the-nth-degree

And back on topic - hopefully Rot Tomb Raider on PC and subsequently PS4 will shoot up in sales.

 

[Conduit]

January or March would be perfect considering what they have to work with. Specially March, not many major PC releases there considering The Division has bomba written all over it.

January - March is really packed for PC:

XCOM 2, SFV, The Witness, Far Cry - Primal, Deus Ex, PvsZ 2, The Division, Hitman...

I don't see the place for Lara in that.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Fuck I forgot about XCOM and Far Cry

Uhh I got nothing

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Lets see we have recore,quantum break,halo wars 2,crackdown 3,sea of thieves,scalebound and gears of war 4 mixed in with indies nd whatever else they announce, its not bad at all buy when you compare it to sony's..weeeellll

 

[Bits N Pieces]

Eh?

ReCore, Quantum Break, Scalebound, Sea of Thieves, Crackdown 3, Gears 4, Cuphead, Inside, Ashen, Halo Wars 2 is what we know of so far.

Each to there own but as far as tent pole games go, I think that stands against Sony's release schedule pretty well.

 

[SomTervo]

January - March is really packed for PC:

XCOM 2, SFV, The Witness, Far Cry - Primal, Deus Ex, PvsZ 2, The Division, Hitman...

I don't see the place for Lara in that.

This is true :/

Great time to be a PC owner

 

[Xando]

So TR charted at 9 in the german chart this week
http://www.mediabiz.de/games/news/charts-im-zweiten-anlauf-spitze/401642

 

[Rosur]

January - March is really packed for PC:

XCOM 2, SFV, The Witness, Far Cry - Primal, Deus Ex, PvsZ 2, The Division, Hitman...

I don't see the place for Lara in that.

I'm hoping March as feel it will be good for people not getting The Division (though should be before Uncharted 4) and if it was Jan it should be announced soon.

 

[CyberChulo]

 

[Freeman]

Yeah, I think Sony beat out MS in 2015 but MS could very well take the cake next year.

That ain't happening.

 

[SomTervo]

That ain't happening.

... If you'd read maybe 10 posts on you'd see me about-face on the opinion.

That is morbid.

 

[Jeremy]

If this had been on PS4 as well I would have bought it instead of Fallout 4.

You hear me, SE/Crystal Dynamics!? I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT YOUR DAMN GAME INSTEAD!!!

I would have bought it along with FO4. I understand that one time exclusivity agreement money was nice to have upfront but them's the breaks. Just imagine when it launches on PS4 without any of the marketing and they wonder what happened.