Six to watch: The Best of E3

[Evil Avatar]

The Best of E3 lists are about to start rolling out, but CNN/Money (http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/20/commentary/game_over/e3_sixtowatch/index.htm) has a slightly different take on the sometimes questionable awards. "Six to Watch" lists six games from the show that had buzz or are likely to be hits this holiday season, stopping short of naming them best of show. (As it points out: "naming one -- or several -- titles as "the best" a fool's mission. What looks good here can be a muddled mess when it finally ships.") The six games mentioned span the range from PC to PSP.

Funny, other than Madden I don't expect any of those titles to be "hits".

[Tia]

really? so you want to say you don't expect a GTA title to be a hit? If not, that will be a first. You also don't expect Zelda to be a hit? Or Civilization IV? What is your definition of a hit?

[AspectVoid]

I think FEAR and GTA will both end up being big sellers. Almost everyone who owns a gamecube will buy Zelda. With Turn-based strategy making a comeback thanks to games like Advance Wars and the Nipon Ichi games, I think Civ4 has a great chance of selling big.

[MFAC]

If you don't think Zelda will be a hit, then what in gods name will?

[jeffool]

Um, yeah. I'm definitely agreeing with Tia here, man. Zelda, man. Zelda. (And Civ shall rock. Period. Let's not forget that Civ III spawned two expansions.)

[AgtFox]

Really Evil...Madden the only hit? The only one in there that won't be a hit is Nintendogs, but people may be surprised and it may be the hottest selling DS game.

But Zelda, GTA (on PSP), F.E.A.R. (FPS) and Civilization IV aren't going to be hits? All 4 will be.

[automaton]

I'm not sure why, but some of the shit that you say around here Evil still amazes me. I expect Twilight Princess to sell at least as well as Wind Waker (which moved well over a million units). And if Liberty Stories sells 1/5 the number of units the console versions sell it will still break 1 million.

[Evil Avatar]

If I remember correctly, the last Zelda was no big record breaker. Why would the new one be some smash success?

For some reason, I just don't see the portable version of GTA as having the popularity of the PS2 versions. It might have something to do with the PSP still being a new system.

[Jiguryo]

Evil, maybe because this new game is all that 100% of Nintendo fan / fanboys have been nagging the company to make since that "realistic" Zelda trailer on SpaceWorld 2000.

[AgtFox]

Well, GTA is one of those things we call "system sellers"...chances are many people want the next GTA game and will buy a PSP for it.

As for Zelda, Wind Waker sold over 1 million...Madden 2005 sold just over 2 million over all systems (if I remember correctly...it was about half the sales from the year before thanks to ESPN 2K5). Selling over 1 million is nothing to cough at in the video game industry.

And sorry to hear about your hospital stay...hope whatever was wrong is better.

[jeffool]

Actually, I'll agree about GTA:LS on the PSP. Reportedly the PSP didn't sell as much as they'd hoped, for one. And I'm of the mind that a noticable portion people bought it thinking of it as a cool gadget, and not really a gaming console. Y'know, "Wow, I don't need an iPod anymore and it plays movies too!" GTA: Liberty Stories just looks like it'll be a typical game with a big name. At least I'm not familiar with anything new that this game has.

And not being huge in itself will be a blow to the GTA franchise.

[AgtFox]

Yeah, I don't have a PSP or plan on getting one ($249? No thank you). However if any game would generate sales of PSPs it would probably be a GTA game. What's better than a GTA game that you can take with you wherever you go?

[MosBen]

I'll try to salvage Evil's comment and say that Madden's sales will out do the rest of the games on the list by a mile, even if the others sell a lot of copies.

[Tia]

If I remember correctly, the last Zelda was no big record breaker. Why would the new one be some smash success?


Not breaking records does not mean the game wasn't a hit. A game can be a hit and still not sell the most ever, just sell a lot. And don't forget that the new Zelda is a more mature game. The reason the one before didn't cell is because people resented the new comics/childish/cell shaded look. (which I personally loved, but then I am a Cell Shading whore :D ). So the new Zelda will probably sell alot more. And even if it will not break records, it will still most likely be a hit.

As for GTA for PSP. So how many people that own psp do you think won't buy GTA?

[Foe]

Q4 and COD 2 not being there makes me not even interested in the list or reasoning at all.

[automaton]

The new Zelda game will be a bigger seller than Wind Waker, because it eschews all the problems some people had with WW. I was able to overlook the cell shading and purchased Wind Waker. Jonny Little Dick loves Zelda games, but couldn't get past the kiddie look. It made him feel like less of a man/boy. I, and most likely all the other million+ peole who purchased Wind Waker, will purchase Twilight Princess. Johnny Little Dick and his ilk will also purchase TP because they can enjoy Zelda and not suffer any testicle shrinkage.

[AgtFox]

I'll try to salvage Evil's comment and say that Madden's sales will out do the rest of the games on the list by a mile, even if the others sell a lot of copies.
True...but he said Madden would be the only "hit"...which is a false statement.

Also, people may be surprised by Madden sales this year. They could be as low as last year even though they are the only NFL game in town. I think there is a lot of animosity toward EA and their buying of the NFL license (which really wasn't their fault...the NFL was looking for a single license, EA just gave them the largest deal) and many may not even buy a football game this year and will end up sticking with last year's iteration. This is only my analysis though...last year was not a good one for Madden and EA in terms of sales.

[Rommel]

I expect Twilight Princess to sell at least as well as Wind Waker (which moved well over a million units).

I expect it to sell many, many more. The last Zelda sold relatively poorly (And slowly) compared to previous editions, and I think that unit number includes all the free copies the GCN came with. This new version looks fantastic, and if Soul Caliber Camel Toe is any indication - this is what the fans want from LoZ.

As for the other games, I see GTA as a huge system seller for PSP and would suspect the buy-through ratio to be extremely tight. As the PSP's life span goes on I highly expect people will still be buying it for years to come.

Nintendogs is the one I cannot put my finger on. Games like that do better in the Japanese market than the American market traditionally. For every Pokemon, there are a dozen Japanese releases that people would never buy here. As for the line at E3, I would expect no less. It was one of the marketed highlights of the NINTENDO booth, and I would be in folly if I did not recognize the name value there. Combine that with the curiousity element of "It's a what type of game? That sounds terrible! I have got to see this to believe it," people who will probably not actually get the title unless they were wowed by the display, and to think the line to be shorter is foolhardy. This title will either sell poorly or be a huge success, no middle ground.

Oh yeah - and picking a Madden title to be a success is about as difficult as picking the Yankees and Braves to go to the post season.

[Zawath]

Madden is only going to be hit in the USA, all those other games will sell a lot in all over the world.

[Savok]

I don't think Evil actually believes that, he's just trying to generate "hits" of his own.

[drk421]

Nintendogs was very popular among the girls/women at E3. It has the second longest line after Zelda.

[Grimgrock]

As for GTA for PSP. So how many people that own psp do you think won't buy GTA?

I own a PSP. Bought it on launch day. I have absolutely no interest at all in GTA.

As for this list. I really don't know what CNN's track record on their gaming software reporting is, so I have no opinion one way or the other. Do they have credibility?

[VirgoBlu]

As for GTA for PSP. So how many people that own psp do you think won't buy GTA?
I own one and I won't be buying GTA actually, I'll be buying Madden! :D

As for being upset with EA about the whole football thing...I'm over it. I love my NFL 2K5 but esentially all football games are the same and I must have my football. :cool:

[Tia]

It was a rethorical question.

It was my clever way of pointing out that most people that own PSP will buy GTA. Even if you two don't. Evil Avatar (as the site, not the op) users are no a good representation of the general public. No offence meant, it just isn't.

[Borys]

Zelda won Game of the Show on 1UP.com by the way.

Take that pre-rendered crap from Sony/ MS!

[cppcrusader]

I think Evil's still all doped up on happy pills from the hospital and its clouding his judgement.

[Blue]

As for GTA for PSP. So how many people that own psp do you think won't buy GTA?

I wonder how many cases of people killing hookers while actually killing hookers are now going to start cropping up. This could turn into a vicious cycle.

Anyhow, I'm most curious about the perspective in this new GTA and how it will play out. I know I'll still by it, but if it's old-school top-down GTA, I may be a bit more hesitant. Dunno why.

And I need Zelda.

[Tia]

I wonder how many cases of people killing hookers while actually killing hookers are now going to start cropping up. This could turn into a vicious cycle.


How about killing them with their PSP? :p

[trip1eX]

I think they forgot about Battlefield 2.

[Scull]

So Zelda, GTA and Civilization won't be hits? Have you been gaming long?

[mister_slim]

How are we defining hits anyway?

Nevermind, I don't care.

[TrainwreckX]

Some of the games you people are recommending are really not "games to watch for". Quake 4 looked sub-par, a lot of people were like "OMG THE GRAPHIX OWNZ MY MIND!" and I for one am a gamer that cares much more about gameplay then flashy.

COD 2 looked amazing though, especially after I got to see it behind some closed doors. Where are the interesting games that twist gameplay? Okami, Odama, did anyone see these or were you all far too interested in staying in the 4 hour line to see PS3 pictures?

[Vorphalack]

Zelda is a sure hit.....despite peoples' gripes about Windwaker it still sold like crazy. And it was on the freakin gamecube too, which many also pan as being a dead system.

I also think F.E.A.R. will do awesome. Just because its a new franchise doesn't mean it wont be a hit. In fact I would say its about damn time a new franchise comes out that has the potential to be a hit...now that Doom 3 and Halflife 2 are over and done with, there needs to be new kings to take the crowns. I think F.E.A.R. definitely has the potential from what I have seen. It looks great, seems to have a great story, and the combat and particle effects are jawdropping. If people don't buy this and *MAKE* it a hit, then I seriously have to question what FPS fans find as fun anymore....

-V