Many game studios are being dropped following a bit of an economic downturn in the United States and globally. Activision has to deal with being agile enough to survive the economic times like anyone else and has dropped a few games that had great potential.
Gamers continue to ask the question, “why?” when some of their highest potential games were dropped to the floor. Ghostbusters and Brütal Legend are a couple examples of games with eager fans already salivating prior to its launch. Some of these fans are a bit ticked off that Activision named them as dropped franchise opportunities.
People ask why a company holds one “mediocre” title while getting rid of other potentially awesome ones. Don’t forget, this is a business and a good studio/publisher is going to make good business decisions without emotional attachments – those that bring emotions into play may end up with a highly valued product (to them) with no additional potential and lower revenue. This isn’t to say developers cannot be passionate about their games and their industry, they just have to build games gamers will buy and continue to fall in love with release after release.
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is one of these business savvy individuals who knows where investors will find profits for the future, and he also know how to manage employees, with the use of software like this sample pay stub for payments and more.
“[Those games] don’t have the potential to be exploited every year on every platform with clear sequel potential and have the potential to become $100 million dollar franchises. … I think, generally, our strategy has been to focus… on the products that have those attributes and characteristics, the products that we know [that] if we release them today, we’ll be working on them 10 years from now.” (1up)
Ghostbusters is a great example of a title which could be well received and fun to play but probably wouldn’t be an exploitable franchise. The game, based on a popular movie, has limited potential for yearly releases and huge franchise success. Ghostbusters fans would probably disagree, but that’s when emotion comes into play. Think dollars and cents, not awesome fun gaming.
Oddly enough many of these business decisions from Activision, Electronic Arts and other big publishers arrive when the economy is in free fall and investors are eying your revenue potential. People make their most important and, usually, unfriendly business decisions when their company is at risk.
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It’s sad to think money comes first and entertainment value comes second but we’re not the ones trying to make a profitable living in the industry. Put yourself in Kotick’s shoes as he walks into a board meeting to discuss future plans, road maps and profitability – you’d do what you have to do to keep your job, right?
The obvious answer is no, Sony don’t NEED theese 2 games to drop in the 2009 calendar year.
If you take a look at the games that are CONFIRMED to hit before 2010:
Killzone 2
White Knight Chronicles (US and EU release)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Yakuza 3 (Japan)
Infamous
Final Fantasy XIII (Japan)
Heavy Rain
New Ratchet & Clank
Gran Turismo 5 (Possibly)
That’s more than enough to offset anything that Microsoft/Nintendo can conjure up. Even if Microsoft were to shock everyone by releasing Halo 4 and Gears Of War 3 (Har har) Sony would still outshine them without the two games you mentioned.
Personally, i probably won’t even be picking up MAG and God Of War 3 is an afterthought for me. The game i’m most looking forward to is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
The obvious answer is no, Sony don’t NEED theese 2 games to drop in the 2009 calendar year.
If you take a look at the games that are CONFIRMED to hit before 2010:
Killzone 2
White Knight Chronicles (US and EU release)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Yakuza 3 (Japan)
Infamous
Final Fantasy XIII (Japan)
Heavy Rain
New Ratchet & Clank
Gran Turismo 5 (Possibly)
That’s more than enough to offset anything that Microsoft/Nintendo can conjure up. Even if Microsoft were to shock everyone by releasing Halo 4 and Gears Of War 3 (Har har) Sony would still outshine them without the two games you mentioned.
Personally, i probably won’t even be picking up MAG and God Of War 3 is an afterthought for me. The game i’m most looking forward to is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
With the inevitable price cut supposedly sometime this year, i think sony can hold off GOW 3 and MAG at least till next year.
The PS3 seem to be coming alive and starting to gain some real momentum and i think a $100 price drop might just seal the deal and save them from utter failure and embarrassment.
Microsoft has already got their install base sewn up hence only need to worry about selling software. Sony on the other hand have the harder task of marketing what seems like a luxury brand (to most people) in a recession. Many people simple can’t justify spending that much on what is primary a game console. (blue-ray simply doesn’t cut it Sony)
At the end of the day it comes down to Two words, PRICE CUT, and they better do it quick.
With the inevitable price cut supposedly sometime this year, i think sony can hold off GOW 3 and MAG at least till next year.
The PS3 seem to be coming alive and starting to gain some real momentum and i think a $100 price drop might just seal the deal and save them from utter failure and embarrassment.
Microsoft has already got their install base sewn up hence only need to worry about selling software. Sony on the other hand have the harder task of marketing what seems like a luxury brand (to most people) in a recession. Many people simple can’t justify spending that much on what is primary a game console. (blue-ray simply doesn’t cut it Sony)
At the end of the day it comes down to Two words, PRICE CUT, and they better do it quick.
The price cut would have been announced today had there been one. Sony’s losing too much per unit still.
The price cut would have been announced today had there been one. Sony’s losing too much per unit still.
The “Rumoured” PS3 price cut isn’t supposed to take effect until April………so why would they have announced it in March??? LOL………….
The “Rumoured” PS3 price cut isn’t supposed to take effect until April………so why would they have announced it in March??? LOL………….
The rumored price drop was March.
http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/11/25/playstation-3-march-2009-price-drop-rumor/
The rumored price drop was March.
http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/11/25/playstation-3-march-2009-price-drop-rumor/
Another rumor:
http://www.gamestooge.com/2009/03/07/more-ps3-price-drop-predictions-by-analysts/
This one was shot down by Sony as well.
Another rumor:
http://www.gamestooge.com/2009/03/07/more-ps3-price-drop-predictions-by-analysts/
This one was shot down by Sony as well.
LOL…..as the link you just provided proves, the price cut isn’t expected to take place until April at the EARLIEST.
Better learn how Sony’s FISCAL year works……..it runs from April through to March of the following year. It makes far more sense for Sony to cut the price at the start of a new fiscal year rather than at the very end of one.
LOL…..as the link you just provided proves, the price cut isn’t expected to take place until April at the EARLIEST.
Better learn how Sony’s FISCAL year works……..it runs from April through to March of the following year. It makes far more sense for Sony to cut the price at the start of a new fiscal year rather than at the very end of one.