EA not so Optimistic on the XBox 360, PS3 issues

[bapenguin]

According to Electronic Arts CFO Warren Jenson via Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7582), EA doesn't expect Microsoft to reach its target numbers on the XBox 360.Jenson then specifically cited the Xbox 360 launch, although commenting that "it's gone extremely well: in North America and Europe", he indicated that he and his colleagues "don't see [the Xbox 360] getting to the installed base numbers we expected."

He also commented on the PS3 launch hinting that Sony may be rushing things too fast leaving a lack of titles available from numerous developers/publishers at or near launch.In addition, he mentioned the consumer belief that the PlayStation 3 may be launching in Spring 2006, noting that it's "causing some people to stay on the sidelines", even though EA believes that a second-half 2006 launch is much more likely for the console in America.

I really think it's hard to accurately judge how well the 360 is going to do, demand is ridiculous right now for such a short supply, once that initial demand is filled we'll begin to see more accurately how Microsoft is doing.

[Kamalot]

You know, it is fairly obvious that the PS3 launch is very, very rushed. Developers are being forced onto a brand new, very complex processor with last-moment development tools. Even in recent interviews, the folks from Sony have been giving signs that they aren't sure what's going on. In one recent Playstation magazine article, the Sony rep was quoted as saying they may delay the launch if there weren't any games ready. Excuse me? Your launch is around 4 months away and there is a possibility there won't be any games ready? The biggest indicator is the lack of any news about any upcoming titles. We all know that for a year before the 360 launch we were hearing from developers about the dev kits, the games and we actually saw lots of screen shots. Where is this type of inevitible developer buzz for the PS3?

[Vandenh]

The heading is a bit out of context. This guy is saying I doesn't expect MS to deliver the number of consoles they promised. He is not saying the 360 will not sell well.

[Morratut]

Its hard to say how well the 360 is going to do. Hopefully shops will have them on shelves, then we we'll be able to get a feel how well it's doing. At this moment in time people are just buying them as soon as they are available.

[Emabulator]

I'd expect both consoles to sell fairly well among the usual early adopter crowd regardless of factors such as tech issues and launch titles. In the past initial shipments have sold out before they launch via pre-orders.

The real war won't start until we see the first round of price drops signaling the fight for mass market share. At that point tech issues should be resolved leaving word of mouth, marketing and game titles as the primary driving factors.

[Th3 MonK3H!]

This is beautiful: http://www.gametrailers.com/viewnews.php?id=2773

[Vandenh]

The PSP being outsold 4-1 is more interesting.

[bapenguin]

This is beautiful: http://www.gametrailers.com/viewnews.php?id=2773

In other news apples taste better than oranges.

[MrMeatshake]

He also commented on the PS3 launch hinting that Sony may be rushing things too fast leaving a lack of titles available from numerous developers/publishers at or near launch.

that doesn't sound at all like the 360 launch. the main impetous of which being in order to beat sony 2 market, and which ended up with NO decent launch titles (ignoring ***'s interesting decision to instead bend the word 'launch' to mean any time before they start release the xbox 1024 or whatever the fuck they'll call it - which reminds me how annyoed i am about that stupid name, giving something a bigger number does NOT (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A7W5DI/102-8311979-1053726?v=glance) just make it better, u'd have thought u'd learn that in marketing school! - i apologise for my lengthy aside, there)

[Vandenh]

Oops.. I lost you after that $ AGAIN mate.

[Roc Ingersol]

$ony?
Son¥?
Nint¥do?
Nint€ndo?

[bapenguin]

that doesn't sound at all like the 360 launch. the main impetous of which being in order to beat sony 2 market, and which ended up with NO decent launch titles (ignoring ***'s interesting decision to instead bend the word 'launch' to mean any time before they start release the xbox 1024 or whatever the fuck they'll call it - which reminds me how annyoed i am about that stupid name, giving something a bigger number does NOT (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A7W5DI/102-8311979-1053726?v=glance) just make it better, u'd have thought u'd learn that in marketing school! - i apologise for my lengthy aside, there)

Common meat, you are beter than this drivel you just posted.

[bean19]

that doesn't sound at all like the 360 launch. the main impetous of which being in order to beat sony 2 market, and which ended up with NO decent launch titles (ignoring ***'s interesting decision to instead bend the word 'launch' to mean any time before they start release the xbox 1024 or whatever the fuck they'll call it - which reminds me how annyoed i am about that stupid name, giving something a bigger number does NOT (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A7W5DI/102-8311979-1053726?v=glance) just make it better, u'd have thought u'd learn that in marketing school! - i apologise for my lengthy aside, there)

Yeah. . . okay. The X360 launched with at least ten titles that were scored in the high 8's to 9's, even by hardass reviewers like Gamespot. Every genre was represented at launch except an RPG. As far as software goes, it is one of the strongest launches ever.

Now, the severity of their shortage is just fucking inexcusable and will cost them major market share as it tends to negate what advantage they had gained from being the first to the market.

Feel free to hate on MS, but at least read a little bit so that you don't spread misinformation.

[gzsfrk]

that doesn't sound at all like the 360 launch. the main impetous of which being in order to beat sony 2 market, and which ended up with NO decent launch titles (ignoring ***'s interesting decision to instead bend the word 'launch' to mean any time before they start release the xbox 1024 or whatever the fuck they'll call it - which reminds me how annyoed i am about that stupid name, giving something a bigger number does NOT (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A7W5DI/102-8311979-1053726?v=glance) just make it better, u'd have thought u'd learn that in marketing school! - i apologise for my lengthy aside, there)

People who spout off stuff like this just blow my mind. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at memory-deficient displays of fanboyism, but seriously--what recent console with what games has had a significantly better quality of launch titles? What PS2 launch title, in your mind, set the gaming world on fire? Gamecube? N64 arugably had the greatest launch title of recent memory with Super Mario 64, but then that system launched in NA with only 2 games (Pilotwings 64 being the other).

Personally, I think it's stupidly premature to judge a system immediately based on its launch lineup. I remember when I first saw a PS2 kiosk set up running Dynasty Warriors, I thought "What the crap? Look at all the jaggies--that doesn't look or play much better than my current PS." Of course as we know, the early PS2 games barely scratched the surface of the system's potential, what with games such as RE4 (graphics wise) and the EyeToy games (gameplay wise) far down the road. Of course, that principle was less true with Xbox since we had Halo from the beginning, which is still a fairly impressive looking and playing game.

So my question is, barring your barely lucid fanboy mentality, on what are your basing your expectations such that they are so ridiculously high as to think that the 360 launch lineup is garbage? Compared to WHAT?

[baz]

Yeah. . . okay. The X360 launched with at least ten titles that were scored in the high 8's to 9's, even by hardass reviewers like Gamespot. Every genre was represented at launch except an RPG. As far as software goes, it is one of the strongest launches ever.

Now, the severity of their shortage is just fucking inexcusable and will cost them major market share as it tends to negate what advantage they had gained from being the first to the market.

Feel free to hate on MS, but at least read a little bit so that you don't spread misinformation.

I own a 360 and I'm completely happy with it, but it wasn't an amazing launch lineup.

On gamerankings there are two titles that scored above 85% on average, one of which is CoD which you can already got on PC. There are only 4 360 exclusives on the 360 top 10.

I reckon by about March next year there will be a really solid lineup for the 360.

[Mason]

he mentioned the consumer belief that the PlayStation 3 may be launching in Spring 2006

Consumer belief? The promotional videos Sony put up at E3 all promised "Spring 2006". If it misses that, it's an official fuck-up on Sony's part, and not to be blamed on gamers or game journalists. There've been lots of false rumors about the PS3's launch, but Sony themselves provided Spring 2006 and never retracted it. They've in fact confirmed it numerous times.

Countering earlier statements made by Larry Probst, CEO of Electronic Arts, that the PS3 would not be available, the PR machinery of Sony has insisted that the PS3 is on target for a spring launch.

End of story. Sony thinks they're launching in the spring, and that isn't a rumor. This concerns me too, as the lack of PS3 info doesn't mesh well with a launch less than 5 months away. Remember, MS had games in people's hands in May.

As I've said before, I think Sony is pulling a Valve. They aren't evil or intentionally deceptive about this, but they just are remaining willfully ignorant of the many signs that they aren't going to pull off the launch, because no one wants to validate such a huge and public fuck-up when there's still a glimmer of hope in saving the situation.

The only other alternative is that they're trying to let their PS2 stuff sell through Christmas without meme-competition with PS3 announcements, and they're going to go apeshit on Dec 26th with pricing, launch date, launch titles, and playable demos for journalists. But given how nobody on the inside seems to think that the PS3 is on track, I'm not sure I'd put good odds on this possibility.

[mister_slim]

According to Electronic Arts CFO Warren Jenson via Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7582), EA doesn't expect Microsoft to reach its target numbers on the XBox 360.
He's not talking long term. Because the units are so spread out geographically, EA isn't seeing the game sales they expected. And MS doesn't appear to be on track to sell their 3 million in the first 3 months. Don't read too much into his statement.

[bobbler]

He also commented on the PS3 launch hinting that Sony may be rushing things too fast leaving a lack of titles available from numerous developers/publishers at or near launch.

I don't really understand where you are getting this from, Bap.

In english, what he says could only be taken to mean that... because Sony told consumers that PS3 will launch in spring that many of them are waiting "on the side lines" -- it has nothing to do with games, or the development of games at all. Reread the paragraph again -- the PS3 mention was an example of a possible reason why sales are low... people are waiting. Understand?

Can't take the Xbox bad news unless PS3 goes down with it, eh? ;) (kidding, don't worry)

[bapenguin]

I don't really understand where you are getting this from, Bap.

In english, what he says could only be taken to mean that... because Sony told consumers that PS3 will launch in spring that many of them are waiting "on the side lines" -- it has nothing to do with games, or the development of games at all. Reread the paragraph again -- the PS3 mention was an example of a possible reason why sales are low... people are waiting. Understand?

Can't take the Xbox bad news unless PS3 goes down with it, eh? ;) (kidding, don't worry)

Hey...that's the Gamasutra HEADLINE. It's from the statement I quoted regarding the PS3...having people on the "sidelines" generally means having the launch and your normal launch partners are forced to watch as their product is finished.

[Zeal]

This is beautiful: http://www.gametrailers.com/viewnews.php?id=2773

Cand you please stop comparing a $400 game console to a fucking handheld toy. It's absurd.

[bobbler]

Hey...that's the Gamasutra HEADLINE. It's from the statement I quoted regarding the PS3...having people on the "sidelines" generally means having the launch and your normal launch partners are forced to watch as their product is finished.

It's talking about the people -- not the companies. It makes no mention, nor does it insinuate anything of that sort (not that it might not be happening -- but if that was the case that launch partners are waiting for the product to get finished it would imply they have plenty of time to finish their stuff... because they are... waiting for it to get ready). The title was the least of the problems, I didn't think it was all that wrong, really (I hadn't had time to think about it). I didn't even mention the title, so no need to defend it (you didn't even come up with it, so if I had a problem with it I'd blast gamasutra). Your comment that I quoted is what didn't make sense. And that was based off what I can imagine is this quote:

In addition, he mentioned the consumer belief that the PlayStation 3 may be launching in Spring 2006, noting that it's "causing some people to stay on the sidelines", even though EA believes that a second-half 2006 launch is much more likely for the console in America.

"Consumer belief that the PS3 will be launching in Spring (soon) is causing some people to stay on the sidelines (and not spend as much money? -- this is the only ambiguous part... the consumers are staying on the sidelines, but what are they doing or not doing there? -- I assume, based on the contents of the article that they are waiting and not spending money, which is an attempt to explain some of the slow sales)." That's the english translation of the only mention of the PS3 in it.

Do you see now? Or do you think I'm missing something? (because I honestly don't see where you got that based on the article).

(that last comment I made was in jest, by the way -- just giving you shit:p)

[Venkman]

In other news, cell phones are outselling 360's by 200 to 1.

Yeah, comparing DS sales to the Xbox360 sales is stupid.

[Th3 MonK3H!]

Playstation 2 outsold Xbox3shitty even in its launch week....thats what i meant by its beautiful.

[bapenguin]

It's talking about the people -- not the companies. It makes no mention, nor does it insinuate anything of that sort (not that it might not be happening -- but if that was the case that launch partners are waiting for the product to get finished it would imply they have plenty of time to finish their stuff... because they are... waiting for it to get ready). The title was the least of the problems, I didn't think it was all that wrong, really (I hadn't had time to think about it). I didn't even mention the title, so no need to defend it (you didn't even come up with it, so if I had a problem with it I'd blast gamasutra). Your comment that I quoted is what didn't make sense. And that was based off what I can imagine is this quote:



"Consumer belief that the PS3 will be launching in Spring (soon) is causing some people to stay on the sidelines (and not spend as much money? -- this is the only ambiguous part... the consumers are staying on the sidelines, but what are they doing or not doing there? -- I assume, based on the contents of the article that they are waiting and not spending money, which is an attempt to explain some of the slow sales)." That's the english translation of the only mention of the PS3 in it.

Do you see now? Or do you think I'm missing something? (because I honestly don't see where you got that based on the article).

(that last comment I made was in jest, by the way -- just giving you shit:p)

No...I completely see your point. It can be interpreted both ways.

[MrMeatshake]

Of course, that principle was less true with Xbox since we had Halo from the beginning, which is still a fairly impressive looking and playing game.

in answer to your question compared 2 what: compared 2 that.

i'm glad i got people talking ;) i wouldn't take my bias and apparent annoyance too seriously... i own an xbox and not a ps2, and all i'm saying is that personally, i don't want an xbox360 yet. i did want an xbox. it had halo. you're all right, though, in saying that this is not unusual for former console releases from sony. good point.

also, critisizing sony if they decide to release earlier because of the xbox release seems crazy, considering that *** was open about the fact that one of thier main aims was beating sony to market. that's a bit "it's ok for our guys to do it, but not for thiers."

[MrMeatshake]

Common meat, you are beter than this drivel you just posted.

ill-reasoned, ill-researched and malevolently bile-filled crap-spouting? heh, you're joking! i'm just getting started... ;)

okokok. i've had time to think about what i've said. and i've re-read the comparison page with previous releases. the fact that i don't want one doesn't make it bad... it's a pretty average launch lineup. i suppose i'm sorry if i annoyed anyone. :eek: hm.