Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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The combined sales of SA are unfair to compare to Halo 2, when you are using that statistic to make predictions about ONLY the 360 version of GTA:IV. That was my point there.

As for combined sales for GTA:IV vs. Halo 3, that will be close, GTA:IV will probably win it if people start to buy PS3s.

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If history repeats itself GTA4 is going to KILL Halo 3.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ng_video_games

GTA occupies 3 of the top 4 spots on the PS2 with the 2 of the GTA games selling over 12 million copies. That's no freaking joke. Only Super Mario Bros. can hang with thos enumbers. Halo 2 is only listed as selling 8 million.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

The thing here is the demographic. Who is Microsoft trying to appeal to when this over the top advertising of Halo 3? If somebody wasn't particularly interested in Halo 2, why would they be rushing out to buy a 360 for Halo 3? On the other hand, if somebody did enjoy Halo 2 - there's about a 100% chance they'll be getting a 360, advertising or not - and that just applies to the few don't already own a 360!

Sure, Halo 3 will definitely convince some of the undecided market - but not even remotely as much as GTA IV has the potential to. I mean it seems like so many people are waiting on Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy and GTA IV to go buy a PS3. Microsoft doesn't even seem to be bothering to try to work this audience. They're the system GTA IV is being developed IV and will be the only one with exclusive content, they have Sakaguchi and the majority of talent behind Final Fantasy making new exclusives while any PS3 Final Fantasies will only be Final Fantasy, and they also have a whole hoard of other enticing exclusives.

Instead of going head first after this huge undecided market - they just keep spamming Halo 3 to a demographic that, for the most part, they already 'have'. This is what I really don't understand.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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The combined sales of SA are unfair to compare to Halo 2, when you are using that statistic to make predictions about ONLY the 360 version of GTA:IV. That was my point there.

As for combined sales for GTA:IV vs. Halo 3, that will be close, GTA:IV will probably win it if people start to buy PS3s.

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If history repeats itself GTA4 is going to KILL Halo 3.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ng_video_games

GTA occupies 3 of the top 4 spots on the PS2 with the 2 of the GTA games selling over 12 million copies. That's no freaking joke. Only Super Mario Bros. can hang with thos enumbers. Halo 2 is only listed as selling 8 million.

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While this is definitely important to keep in mind, and a big reason for my confusion regarding Microsoft's decision to focus so heavily on Halo 3 while seemingly disregarding some of their other titles - such as GTA IV, you need to keep things in context. Last generation, the PS2 had 5:1 the installed userbase of the XBox. GTA only outsold Halo 2 by a 1.5:1 margin. This generation, the roles have nearly reversed.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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This is what I really don't understand.

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Marketing is what you don't understand.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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This is what I really don't understand.

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Marketing is what you don't understand.

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Wow, thanks for clearing that up!

Now in all of your wisdom, please enlighten me. Why is it a smart idea to target a demographic that already has a high adapatation rate while [relatively] ignoring another very fluid demographic that has virtually no adaptation rate?

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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This is what I really don't understand.

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Marketing is what you don't understand.

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Wow, thanks for clearing that up!

Now in all of your wisdom, please enlighten me. Why is it a smart idea to target a demographic that already has a high adapatation rate while [relatively] ignoring another very fluid demographic that has virtually no adaptation rate?

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Sorry, I typed out many, many different answers and deleted them all. I thought I was getting too complex or whatever. I work in advertising at a company that has a video game account. I know this stuff. Let's see if I can keep this simple:

Marketing Halo 3 has nothing to do with marketing other games. Microsoft wants Halo 3 to be the most popular FPS of all time. They want to keep feeding the hype machine to make sure that happens. And thusly, XBox 360 will remain the premier FPS console. They'll find other games to hype the hell out of to get that other audience you are talking about.

In addition, assuming you have a consumer base that is a lock is the most retarded thing you can do in marketing. Think Coca Cola. They spend out the ass, but it's not wasted money. You need to remain top of mind. You may have loyal customers, but if you can convince them to take action quicker, you improving your bottom line ("Oooh, I am running low on Coke. I should go to the store."). Microsoft doesn't want their audience to think, "Ah, I'll get it someday." They want "I'm going to get it on launch day and tell all my friends to get it so we can play on Live."

Bad idea #2 is assuming there is no other audience out there than your regular audience. Not everyone jumps into a series from edition 1. There are plenty of people that will start on Halo 3 because of the hype they've heard. Plus, this will be the first Halo for XBox 360. Not everyone with a 360 owned an original XBox. There still are many, many people that haven't played Halo that will love Halo 3 if you let them know it's there.

Sorry for the short answer earlier, none of my other answers were as concise as this one.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

I've never owned, nor really played any of the Halo games. I have watched a friend play once, but I have always been a computer fps guy, and hated console fps, until I got my 360. When H3 comes out I'll be buying it to play as I now appreciate fps games on consoles. I am looking more forward to GTA and RE5 more though.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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I know this stuff. Let's see if I can keep this simple:

Marketing Halo 3 has nothing...

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Thanks, much more informative. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Now it definitely makes alot of sense why they'd be pumping Halo 3, and hard especially with it being tried and true - but there's still the other part of the question. Why in the world AREN'T they pumping GTA IV, particularly with the exclusive content? It almost seems like an aside - Halo 3, Halo 3, Halo 3, Halo 3, we'll also have GTA IV.. with some extra content or something, Halo 3, Halo 3, Halo 3.

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

Microsoft makes Halo 3, only available on X360...Rockstar makes GTA IV, it is available on both PS3 and X360...

Re: Speculation on X360 price cut
 

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Microsoft makes Halo 3, only available on X360...Rockstar makes GTA IV, it is available on both PS3 and X360...

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Exactly. It's Rockstar's advertising budget to spend. Microsoft needs to sell consoles and their games and hope their 3rd parties hype their stuff, too. Microsoft's efforts toward marketing GTA on the 360 was likely to push them to include exclusive content to make the 360 version more desirable.

Also, wait till closer to release of GTA. Ads will be everywhere. The last 2 games had a ton of ads.