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Media Create Sales: Week 5, 2015 (Jan 26 - Feb 01)

extralite

Member
sörine;151044593 said:
I thought PDZ sold above Gungho's expectations? It did 1.5m+ but they expected a million or something?

I wouldn't be sad if XBX sold better than Nintendo's expectations. Save to say, GungHo too had high expectations to begin with.
 

duckroll

Member
But will it being for the Wii U really stop people from buying it? I think not, because of the used market. The Wii U being supposedly dead doesn't matter. You can sell the console again and only pay like $30 for the time you owned it, if you buy used and sell to the same store.

Yes, it will stop a lot of people from buying it, because that sort of behavior isn't what normal people do. I'm sure some people will do that, but in the end being on the WiiU alone will limit sales significantly.

Let's look at it another way: Bayonetta sold over 300k in Japan, Metal Gear Rising sold almost 500k. That's a pretty big audience. So if it is so normal for people to buy and sell the console just to play a single game, why did Bayonetta 2 do so poorly? 50k? If that doesn't show that the WiiU stops people who would otherwise buy a game from buying it, I don't know what does. :p
 

Kid Ying

Member
Ah, i remembered something that could go against Xeno. Till now, the only audience for RPGs on the wiiu are in because of DQX and its expansion will release a day after and will be cheaper than Xeno.

So i guess it will be hard to to get those people in. Maybe with time.
 

Mory Dunz

Member
Nintendo is a driveby poster? PD 3DS sold according to GungHo's expectations yet some people in this thread were surprised by the high sales. Don't disregard publisher's expectations.

Wut?
I was saying by anyone I meant regular posters here. Like I just said.

But bundles and promotion haven't meant much for the Wii U so far, (like MK8) so I'm not sure why XBX would be different.
 

extralite

Member
Yes, it will stop a lot of people from buying it, because that sort of behavior isn't what normal people do. I'm sure some people will do that, but in the end being on the WiiU alone will limit sales significantly.

Let's look at it another way: Bayonetta sold over 300k in Japan, Metal Gear Rising sold almost 500k. That's a pretty big audience. So if it is so normal for people to buy and sell the console just to play a single game, why did Bayonetta 2 do so poorly? 50k? If that doesn't show that the WiiU stops people who would otherwise buy a game from buying it, I don't know what does. :p

Normal core gamers in Japan do this. And if you buy used, you buy the games used as well. It's not hard to understand. It's a lost sale but it doesn't mean people aren't playing it.

The key point is, multiplayer has the potential to convince buyers to keep XBX and not resell again. Which would also dry up the used market.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I agree with this general point a lot - it's not an either or situation, strong brands can support both bigger console titles and smaller portable entries to cater to a wider overall demographic and genre interest. The problem though, is that good mid-tier development is getting harder and harder to come by, especially for licensed properties. There have been DB and DBZ games released before which I consider to fall in this range - Dragonball Origins was by Game Republic, the Dragonball Z Kai RPG was by Monolithsoft. Game Republic is now out of business, and Monolithsoft's resources are going to be increasingly geared towards Nintendo published software. If we're talking about making a good RPG or action adventure game which has good mechanics, above average production values for a lower end platform, and satisfies the userbase, it can't just be something outsourced to a cheap developer with no supervision. But when it comes to putting good talent to use on properties Bandai Namco would imo, prioritize on properties which they own 100% of, rather than something they are licensing, so they'll make stuff like Tales or Gundam first. In the end, it's a resource issue.



Funniest thing I've read all week so far!
Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.
 

Fisico

Member
22./00. [PSV] Durarara!! Relay # <ADV> (Kadokawa Games) {2015.01.29} (¥6.696)
31./00. [PSV] Durarara!! Relay # <ADV> (Kadokawa Games) {2015.01.29} (¥6.696)

Uh, why two SKU when they're at the exact same price ?
Famitsu only has one in their top 30, but looking at Media Create's numbers both SKU combined should be >7k... which is 50% higher than what were led to believe with Famitsu's numbers, huge success
no it's not
!
 

Kid Ying

Member
Wut?
I was saying by anyone I meant regular posters here. Like I just said.

But bundles and promotion haven't meant much for the Wii U so far, (like MK8) so I'm not sure why XBX would be different.
What? The second christmas for the wiiu was quite good mostly because of its bundles.
 
Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.

Must do. They have been been the publisher for that series for quite some time

They must of known about Digimon Adventure 3 quite a while ago for such great timing.
 

duckroll

Member
In the long run it migt do but aren't GTA5 and Ground Zeroes the best selling PS4 titles? I don't think it will do 200k in the short term unless I am missing something obvious?

If it came out after the PS4 has built up an install base it would be entirely different.

GTA5 and Ground Zeroes are both titles which are also available on the PS3. Bloodborne is without doubt the biggest exclusive title on the PS4 with an audience in Japan so far.

It's also coming out a month after Dragon Quest Heroes, which should be another great indicator of whether the PS3/PS4 split for multiplatform Japanese titles has shifted. Yakuza 0 is also coming out before Bloodborne in March, another PS3/PS4 multiplatform title.

The question is whether with two of these multiplatform titles and an exclusive title at the end of March, it is enough to finally convince a good portion of the PS3 userbase in Japan to move over to the PS4 for good. That's why there is the expectation that Bloodborne is not on a dead system, because of that momentum. It the momentum fails to materialize though, it would be a really bad look for Sony.
 

Takao

Banned
Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.

Bandai should own Digimon. The property started out as a Tamagotchi aimed specifically at boys.
 

Oregano

Member
Those were both on PS3 as well.

Dark Souls : 368k
Dark Souls 2 : 340k
Demons Souls : 315k

I'm expecting Bloodborne to have an LTD of 300k on PS4. The Souls fan base are very dedicated and not so big that it would be unfeasible for a similar end result.

Well 300K would be a third of the PS4 userbase. That is a big amount, of course PS4 userbase will be a bit higher but it will still mean an excellent attachment ratio.

Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.

I think it is a Bandai property, wasn't it originally Tamagotchi for boys?

Worth noting that tri-Crescendo did Symphonia HD and worked on Smash Bros so they like the standard Bamco support studio now.
 

duckroll

Member
Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.

Digimon is a Bandai property, yes.

Normal core gamers in Japan do this. And if you buy used, you buy the games used as well. It's not hard to understand. It's a lost sale but it doesn't mean people aren't playing it.

The key point is, multiplayer has the potential to convince buyers to keep XBX and not resell again. Which would also dry up the used market.

Okay, so you're saying that Xenoblade X will be the biggest Japanese open world hit of all time, but we'll never have the numbers to prove it? Okay.
 

extralite

Member
Ah, i remembered something that could go against Xeno. Till now, the only audience for RPGs on the wiiu are in because of DQX and its expansion will release a day after and will be cheaper than Xeno.

So i guess it will be hard to to get those people in. Maybe with time.
On the other hand, new players owning neither will see two interesting new releases that might sell them a Wii U.

Wut?
I was saying by anyone I meant regular posters here. Like I just said.

But bundles and promotion haven't meant much for the Wii U so far, (like MK8) so I'm not sure why XBX would be different.

Why even bring up driveby posters when I stated that Nintendo is someone who has expectations for it?

And the difference is that this is core game, something that isn't saturated yet like the Nintendo audience apparently is and that the promotion starts so early which can only mean that Nintendo is hoping to increase sales leading up to the game's release.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Thanks everyone.

In that case yeah, this feeds into duck's argument quite well.

You want the best devs on the IPs you own unless the IP is so huge that you feel it will be a major sales booster and more than worth the margin loss.

We tend to see this outside Japan as well.
 

Chris1964

Sales-Age Genius
Uh, why two SKU when they're at the exact same price ?
Famitsu only has one in their top 30, but looking at Media Create's numbers both SKU combined should be >7k... which is 50% higher than what were led to believe with Famitsu's numbers, huge success
no it's not
!

22./00. [PSV] Hitotsu Tobashi Renai V # <ADV> (Kaga Create) {2015.01.29} (¥6.696)
31./00. [PSV] Durarara!! Relay # <ADV> (Kadokawa Games) {2015.01.29} (¥6.696)
 

extralite

Member
Okay, so you're saying that Xenoblade X will be the biggest Japanese open world hit of all time, but we'll never have the numbers to prove it? Okay.

No. If the emphasis on multiplayer pays off it will continue to grow and get the sales XB might have had (because players would keep and not sell in that case). And more as well, because franchises like these have the potential to grow further.
 

Oregano

Member
GTA5 and Ground Zeroes are both titles which are also available on the PS3. Bloodborne is without doubt the biggest exclusive title on the PS4 with an audience in Japan so far.

It's also coming out a month after Dragon Quest Heroes, which should be another great indicator of whether the PS3/PS4 split for multiplatform Japanese titles has shifted. Yakuza 0 is also coming out before Bloodborne in March, another PS3/PS4 multiplatform title.

The question is whether with two of these multiplatform titles and an exclusive title at the end of March, it is enough to finally convince a good portion of the PS3 userbase in Japan to move over to the PS4 for good. That's why there is the expectation that Bloodborne is not on a dead system, because of that momentum. It the momentum fails to materialize though, it would be a really bad look for Sony.

True, wouldn't the install base have to increase quite rapidly though?

I guess that is the risk with the big titles being all clustered together, I'm not sure it worked for Vita in the long run.
 

vinnygambini

Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
Since for some reason it isn't immediately apparent from Google, does Namco own Digimon?

I ask since they've had Media.Vision, Prope, and tri-Crescendo work on the games lately (in the reverse order actually) which strikes me as progressively more investment, and that the start of reinvesting wasn't that bad either.

As with many Toei properties (Dragon Ball, Pretty Cure, Digimon), Bandai have a licensing contract with Toei Animation.

Edit: One Piece as well.
 

Busaiku

Member
Is there any word on how general perception has been for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D?
I'm really curious as to which one will sell more, that or X.

However, I did think that New 3DS would've actually outsold Wii U last year, so I dunno.
 

random25

Member
Is there any word on how general perception has been for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D?
I'm really curious as to which one will sell more, that or X.

However, I did think that New 3DS would've actually outsold Wii U last year, so I dunno.

My guess would be on XCX. Historically, most remakes or ports don't really sell that well in Japan, so I will favor the new game over the other. However, with JRPG fans basically are concentrated more on 3DS than Wii U, maybe I'll be wrong.
 

extralite

Member
Is there any word on how general perception has been for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D?
I'm really curious as to which one will sell more, that or X.

However, I did think that New 3DS would've actually outsold Wii U last year, so I dunno.

XB3D has no additional content, if it sells well it won't be from double dippers but new customers. Doesn't really matter if XBX's store presence will help sell the old XB3D or the other way round, the franchise will see growth either way.
 

prwxv3

Member
Why would rpg fans buy a wiiu for xenoblade when there are basically no rpg games coming after it ( not including FE vs SMT).

PS4 has FF15, KH 3, Persona 5, Disgaea 5, Ys , ect. Yes some of these are multiplatform.
 

sörine

Banned
My guess would be on XCX. Historically, most remakes or ports don't really sell that well in Japan, so I will favor the new game over the other. However, with JRPG fans basically are concentrated more on 3DS than Wii U, maybe I'll be wrong.
OOT3D outsold Skyward Sword and DKCR3D outsold Tropical Freeze so there's some precedent at least. It wouldn't surprise me at all if XB3D outsold XBX.
 

Busaiku

Member
XB3D has no additional content, if it sells well it won't be from double dippers but new customers.

You don't necessarily need additional content to sell a game to the same audience, on a different platform.
Portability might be more than enough to encourage previous owners, it certainly is for me.
sörine;151047869 said:
OOT3D outsold Skyward Sword and DKCR3D outsold Tropical Freeze so there's some precedent at least. It wouldn't surprise me at all if XB3D outsold XBX.
Right, the only difference is that Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is on hardware with a smaller audience than Wii U.
Well, I guess technically Ocarina of Time 3D was too, so maybe it could.
 

duckroll

Member
As with many Toei properties (Dragon Ball, Pretty Cure, Digimon), Bandai have a licensing contract with Toei Animation.

Edit: One Piece as well.

Digimon is not a "Toei property". Only the anime is. It was created as a virtual pet toy by WiZ and Bandai. Bandai owns the overall property rights for Digimon. Toei being the animation partner means they get a share of things which are directly based on the anime story and design.

One Piece and Dragonball are also not Toei properties. They are Shueisha properties because they're from Jump. Toei is a partner for the animations and whatever uses stuff from those.

Bandai does not license Digimon from Toei. :p
 

random25

Member
sörine;151047869 said:
OOT3D outsold Skyward Sword and DKCR3D outsold Tropical Freeze so there's some precedent at least. It wouldn't surprise me at all if XB3D outsold XBX.

Well, I did say most :p

But yeah, I won't be surprised too. JRPG fans are basically on the handheld devices right now, and on PS3. Plus the 3D version is on the cheaper price point for a 3DS game, so that might help it sell as well.
 

extralite

Member
sörine;151047869 said:
OOT3D outsold Skyward Sword and DKCR3D outsold Tropical Freeze so there's some precedent at least. It wouldn't surprise me at all if XB3D outsold XBX.

Still remakes sell relatively lower than their original releases. So that would cap XB3D quite low compared to the titles you mentioned.
 

Busaiku

Member
Still remakes sell relatively lower than their original releases. So that would cap XB3D quite low compared to the titles you mentioned.

However, one thing that might boost Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is that it is being released on a more active userbase, particularly of fans of the genre.
Wii was losing steam fast in 2010, and it never really had RPG fans to begin with. 3DS is still healthy, and of course has the biggest RPG base on the market.
 

vinnygambini

Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
Digimon is not a "Toei property". Only the anime is. It was created as a virtual pet toy by WiZ and Bandai. Bandai owns the overall property rights for Digimon. Toei being the animation partner means they get a share of things which are directly based on the anime story and design.

One Piece and Dragonball are also not Toei properties. They are Shueisha properties because they're from Jump. Toei is a partner for the animations and whatever uses stuff from those.

Bandai does not license Digimon from Toei. :p

I find that odd because when Toei Animation licensed the Dragon Ball rights to Funimation, if I am not mistaken, they did so with merchandise, video game, and tv series; hence the dispute between Atari and Funimation.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-settles-dbz-dispute/1100-6183918/

Dragon Ball Z © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball Z and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.

Dragon Ball GT © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball GT and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.

Dragon Ball © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.

http://www.dragonball.com/copyright.aspx
 

extralite

Member
However, one thing that might boost Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is that it is being released on a more active userbase, particularly of fans of the genre.
Wii was losing steam fast in 2010, and it never really had RPG fans to begin with. 3DS is still healthy, and of course has the biggest RPG base on the market.

Like I said, it would need to sell to new customers. Not a bad thing. Old players buy the Wii U version, new players buy the remake and the Wii U sequel later. Build word of mouth on two fronts, ensure legs.

The strategy is clear, the only question is, how well will it work.
 

Busaiku

Member
I find that odd because when Toei Animation licensed the Dragon Ball rights to Funimation, if I am not mistaken, they did so with merchandise, video game, and tv series; hence the dispute between Atari and Funimation.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-settles-dbz-dispute/1100-6183918/

Dragon Ball Z © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball Z and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.

Dragon Ball GT © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball GT and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.

Dragon Ball © 2003 BIRD STUDIO/ SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION.
From the Digimon site.
tks8S9y.png
 

vinnygambini

Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
From the Digimon site.

Hmmm... So Bandai own the Digimon property but not the likeness of the anime show or characters?

So odd because when Saban Brands acquired the Digimon brand in 2012, they said as such for Toei:

Japanese animation studio, Toei Animation Co., Ltd. will handle licensing and distribution of the property in Asia.

I always thought Digimon was handled through Toei, and licensed to Bandai. Would the above still apply for all other Toei properties ducky? Toei owns the likeness of the characters on the anime show, but the property itself by Shueisha & Bandai?

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2012-09-25/saban-brands-acquires-digimon-brand-will-debut-new-digimon-fusion-season-at-mipcom
 

duckroll

Member
I find that odd because when Toei Animation licensed the Dragon Ball rights to Funimation, if I am not mistaken, they did so with merchandise, video game, and tv series; hence the dispute between Atari and Funimation.

Toei is not acting alone here though. They are simply acting as the representative of the group that owns the animation rights. Shueisha, Toei, and FujiTV are all partners in this venture. With really popular stuff like this, sometimes the licensing of rights can definitely get messy. The key point to note is that the source of the brand is the manga, and that comes from Shueisha. When it was made into an anime, Shueisha partnered with Toei and FujiTV. Since Toei isn't just an animation studio, but is also in the actual business of distributing and merchandising animation, they're in a unique position to help market and sell the animation rights and related products to other territories as well.

Hmmm... So Bandai own the Digimon property but not the likeness of the anime show?

No. Bandai owns the Digimon property, and co-owns the anime and related products with Toei, TV Aashi, and Dentsu. Toei does the business licensing for anime and related properties, similar to what I mentioned above this.
 

extralite

Member
sörine;151049432 said:
All those sequels sold even less though. So that caps XBX even worse using the same logic.

I think the remake rule is a general one. Without additional content a remake doesn't ever match the original. I don't think there is an example to refute that.

On Wii U, the sequel trend is pretty clear as well, but it is by far not a general rule. Outside the Wii U we certainly couldn't claim that sequels all sell worse on the same platform (i.e. Zelda sold worse, Mario sold better on Wii compared to GC).

The difference with XBX compared to other Wii U sequels is a) the strong emphasis on multiplayer and b) XB presumably had lower sales than it could have had.

Also, the lower numbers get, the easier it is to come close to previous accomplishments. Another reason why an Atlus rerelease can sell close to the original is because it never was a huge mainstream success to begin with. Persona is a sizable niche but still a niche.

The goal with XB must be to break out of its niche. Either remake or sequel outselling the Wii version is much more likely than with a million+ series like the ones you cited.
 

duckroll

Member
I'll like to see where this "strong emphasis on multiplayer" for Xenoblade X is. So far the only mention of multiplayer in any marketing is a mention of 4 player Online Quests in the pre-load page on the eShop. The multiplayer element has not been detailed or showcased at all. So why is there an assumption that there is a strong emphasis on it? Everything they have shown so far is for a single player RPG like Xenoblade. It comes out in 2 months.
 

sörine

Banned
I think the remake rule is a general one. Without additional content a remake doesn't ever match the original. I don't think there is an example to refute that.

On Wii U, the sequel trend is pretty clear as well, but it is by far not a general rule. Outside the Wii U we certainly couldn't claim that sequels all sell worse on the same platform (i.e. Zelda sold worse, Mario sold better on Wii compared to GC).

The difference with XBX compared to other Wii U sequels is a) the strong emphasis on multiplayer and b) XB presumably had lower sales than it could have had.

Also, the lower numbers get, the easier it is to come close to previous accomplishments. Another reason why an Atlus rerelease can sell close to the original is because it never was a huge mainstream success to begin with. Persona is a sizable niche but still a niche.

The goal with XB must be to break out of its niche. Either remake or sequel outselling the Wii version is much more likely than with a million+ series like the ones you cited.
I understand but XB Wii failing to reach it's potential is something that also specifically benefits the n3DS conversion and arguably benefits it more in terms of marketplace and audience. It seems to me like you're placing an arbitrary limit one way here.
 

vinnygambini

Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
Toei is not acting alone here though. They are simply acting as the representative of the group that owns the animation rights. Shueisha, Toei, and FujiTV are all partners in this venture. With really popular stuff like this, sometimes the licensing of rights can definitely get messy. The key point to note is that the source of the brand is the manga, and that comes from Shueisha. When it was made into an anime, Shueisha partnered with Toei and FujiTV. Since Toei isn't just an animation studio, but is also in the actual business of distributing and merchandising animation, they're in a unique position to help market and sell the animation rights and related products to other territories as well.

No. Bandai owns the Digimon property, and co-owns the anime and related products with Toei, TV Aashi, and Dentsu. Toei does the business licensing for anime and related properties, similar to what I mentioned above this.

Thanks duckroll. That really helps me out. In essence, Toei Animation is much like the Pokemon Company: brand management?
 

extralite

Member
I'll like to see where this "strong emphasis on multiplayer" for Xenoblade X is. So far the only mention of multiplayer in any marketing is a mention of 4 player Online Quests in the pre-load page on the eShop. The multiplayer element has not been detailed or showcased at all. So why is there an assumption that there is a strong emphasis on it? Everything they have shown so far is for a single player RPG like Xenoblade. It comes out in 2 months.

Online multiplayer has been cited since the game was first announced. It since has been one of the main marketing angles (the other it being open world). And the next presentation will showcase the battle system, I'm assuming we will see more of the multiplayer as well then.

sörine;151051166 said:
I understand but XB Wii failing to reach it's potential is something that also specifically benefits the n3DS conversion and arguably benefits it more in terms of marketplace and audience. It seems to me like you're placing an arbitrary limit one way here.

Japan being Japan it is very well possible that XB3D does better than XBX, especially if the latter underperforms. But I still think that new content is the bigger sales point here and XB might already have reached most of its audience via used sales. We can only assume that they were high but we don't know how high exactly, we don't have numbers after all.

It will be interesting to watch. My main point is, the new title has considerable potential and Nintendo has expectations according to that.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
If we define smash hit as that sound that happens when someone is thrown through a skyscraper window and then hits the ground 50 floors below, XBX could definitely achieve that status.
 

duckroll

Member
Thanks duckroll. That really helps me out. In essence, Toei Animation is much like the Pokemon Company: brand management?

I think that's one way to see it. Toei Animation is definitely viewed as the brand manager for a lot of these properties which is why some people think they own them outright. But something like Precure for example, is an original Toei brand which they conceived.

Stuff like Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya, Dragonball, One Piece, are stuff they have a stake in because of the animation, and because the animation is deeply associated with how these properties were quickly expanded to other territories, they deal with all that.

Online multiplayer has been cited since the game was first announced. It since has been one of the main marketing angles (the other it being open world). And the next presentation will showcase the battle system, I'm assuming we will see more of the multiplayer as well then.

Can you please show me examples of online multiplayer being cited in any trailer, magazine preview, Nintendo Direct, or the official website in any sort of meaningful capacity? Can you also please show how it has been one of the main marketing angles? Can you even show a single screenshot or footage actually showing definitive multiplayer?
 

sörine

Banned
Japan being Japan it is very well possible that XB3D does better than XBX, especially if the latter underperforms. But I still think that new content is the bigger sales point here and XB might already have reached most of its audience via used sales. We can only assume that they were high but we don't know how high exactly, we don't have numbers after all.

It will be interesting to watch. My main point is, the new title has considerable potential and Nintendo has expectations according to that.
I'd just add that XB Wii's high used sales (and piracy rates) also mean the game's built in audience might be far larger than tracked sales indicate. In which case XB3D outselling the original with the benefits it has (limited piracy, low price, JRPG audience) isn't an impossibility despite whatever general "rule" exists for remakes and remasters. It really benefits in much the same way XBX does in that regard, and is more likely to outperform the original I think just due to the nature of their platforms. Or it could just as easily not, we'll have to see I guess.

If we define smash hit as that sound that happens when someone is thrown through a skyscraper window and then hits the ground 50 floors below, XBX could definitely achieve that status.
If we define it like Capcom then it's a port that does 500k worldwide (and never gets a follow up). So maybe XB3D can be one too!
 

extralite

Member
Can you please show me examples of online multiplayer being cited in any trailer, magazine preview, Nintendo Direct, or the official website in any sort of meaningful capacity? Can you also please show how it has been one of the main marketing angles? Can you even show a single screenshot or footage actually showing definitive multiplayer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APWTJMyM4qg

This trailer from 2013 has about 40 seconds of gameplay. It shows the open world and at 1:20, the multiplayer. Unless you see the marketing angle displayed in the trailer in the prerendered movies, I think I described them correctly.

http://www.siliconera.com/2014/11/20/xenoblade-chronicles-x-director-says-game-almost-complete/

Xenoblade Chronicles X Executive Director Tetsuya Takahashi of Monolith Soft recently spoke more about the upcoming Wii U title on Twitter, about how he wanted to create something a little more sci-fi using Xenoblade as a base. Today, he updated with a few more tidbits about the game’s current status.



“This is a continuation of our my previous talk,” Takahashi noted.



He continued: “The development [of Xenoblade Chronicles X] did have its twists and turns, but we were able to finish up (just a little more until it’s complete) Xenoblade Chronicles X in the sci-fi world we aimed for from the beginning in a seamless open-world with online play, and I feel that we were able to overcome several obstacles as far as game development goes.”

Seems pretty central, according to the director.
 

duckroll

Member
Okay so 2 seconds of footage in an early trailer from 2 years ago, and a single line in a tweet about the early development process of the game. For a game that's coming out in 2 months. That's a "strong emphasis on online multiplayer" and a "main marketing angle" so far? I'm sorry, I don't see it. At all. If the online component is such a huge selling point, can you even describe to me what it is like? How do you get into a multiplayer game? What is the scope of an online quest? What are the limitations of the multiplayer mode? How does it complement the single player mode? There are zero details. How can this be a selling point if no one knows anything about it?
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Okay so 2 seconds of footage in an early trailer from 2 years ago, and a single line in a tweet about the early development process of the game. For a game that's coming out in 2 months. That's a "strong emphasis on online multiplayer" and a "main marketing angle" so far? I'm sorry, I don't see it. At all. If the online component is such a huge selling point, can you even describe to me what it is like? How do you get into a multiplayer game? What is the scope of an online quest? What are the limitations of the multiplayer mode? How does it complement the single player mode? There are zero details. How can this be a selling point if no one knows anything about it?

Yea I agree with you on this one.
"Online multiplayer" is definitely not a feature being heavily used to market XBX in Japan. It's more positioned in the same way multiplayer is in Dragon Age Inquistion in N.A. It's a feature meant for retention, not upfront sales.

It's also not really a highly desirable feature in Japan for these types of experiences if im not mistaken, and it certainly isn't a highly used one on the wii u platform.

looking at the games launh date in Japan and the end of Nintendo's fiscal year may be pretty telling of when they'd expext the Majority of the revenue reporting into their earnings, I.e upfront to close a fiscal or longer tail to kick off a new one
 

extralite

Member
Okay so 2 seconds of footage in an early trailer from 2 years ago, and a single line in a tweet about the early development process of the game. For a game that's coming out in 2 months. That's a "strong emphasis on online multiplayer" and a "main marketing angle" so far? I'm sorry, I don't see it. At all. If the online component is such a huge selling point, can you even describe to me what it is like? How do you get into a multiplayer game? What is the scope of an online quest? What are the limitations of the multiplayer mode? How does it complement the single player mode? There are zero details. How can this be a selling point if no one knows anything about it?

If you read the media coverage and fan opinions, online multiplayer always comes up even if people haven't seen how it will work yet exactly. Again, I'm sure it will be shown in more detail in the next presentation. Anyway, if you only give little in the way of details that doesn't mean there is no angle. I challenge you to give better examples of what XBX is about going by what we have seen.

And the strong emphasis is evident in Takahashi's statement. He describes his game and gives the major aims: open world and online. Not to forget seamless (which also refers to open world). Compared to that, FFXV emphasizes the word open world but doesn't refer to online much (if at all?). So I'd say XBX is the JRPG most emphasizing its online component, by showing it in early trailers already and by the mission statement of the director.

Although the online multiplayer will become a selling point once they show more of it, my main point isn't online multiplayer will sell this game (even if that might also turn out to be true). But that the online multiplayer will keep players hooked. The emphasis is there, the displaying angle is there, there is no fault in what I said.
 

Fisico

Member
Tales of Symphonia

I assume you're talking about the PS2 version, which is not a remake but a port on a console with a few additional content, the same way Vesperia and Graces F are on PS3.

If by any chance you're talking about Unisonant Pack/Chronicles it was not a remake either and was far from even matching the sales of the original games.

Anyway his point about remakes not matching the sales of the original title still stands, and if we're talking about the Tales series the only proper examples would be Destiny Remake and Hearts R which completely fit the bill. (800k/400k, 250k/100k)
 

sörine

Banned
I assume you're talking about the PS2 version, which is not a remake but a port on a console with a few additional content, the same way Vesperia and Graces F are on PS3.

If by any chance you're talking about Unisonant Pack/Chronicles it was not a remake either and was far from even matching the sales of the original games.

Anyway his point about remakes not matching the sales of the original title still stands, and if we're talking about the Tales series the only proper examples would be Destiny Remake and Hearts R which completely fits the bill. (800k/400k, 250k/100k)
How about Phantasia SFC versus PS1? Or Narikiri Dungeon GBC versus PSP?
 
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