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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Can one game still make a difference?

superchunk on 19 September 2017
Bristow9091 said:
Green098 said:

Well, I'd say Zelda Botw on Switch is doing that to some degree, of course not as extreme as others have and that Pokémon on Switch has a big chance to really up swing Switch sales even more than they are already.

 

superchunk said:
I think ZeldaBOTW proves the answer is yes.

See, I acknowledge that Breath of the Wild is a great selling point for the Switch, but personally I wouldn't call it a killer app, simply because I could just as easily buy it for my WiiU too. If it were exclusive to Switch then it'd be a whole different story, but I wouldn't define it as the killer app for anyone that owns/owned a WiiU simply because they already had a place to play it.

What I consider the killer app for the Switch is Super Mario Odyssey, that's the game I bought my Switch for, I actually wasn't planning on getting one until it released, but I was mega lucky and got it cheap as fuck, so y'know, lol :P 

Except it sold more copies on Switch than Switch consoles sold. It has been 6 months since launch and the game continues to have a near 1:1 ratio of sales on Switch.

There is no way you can deny, with data, that ZeldaBOTW is a killer game that is a major selling point for the Switch.

Your argument that it can be bought on WiiU is silly. WiiU is a known and fully accepted dead console before the game even launched. You can't even buy the console. Unless someone just has no funds or was completely anti-Nintendo, they would buy Switch and the game to play it. Again, sales data proves this.

Super Mario Odyssey will also be a system selling game. Which is why Switch is going to remain sold out through this year. Zelda to kick it off, MK8/Splatoon2 to keep it going, and SMO to crush holidays.



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AngryLittleAlchemist on 19 September 2017

Nope, Killer apps still exist. Breath of the Wild is one of them. Also, while I generally think of a killer app as one game that makes you purchase a console, I don't think there can't be two killer apps in a year. The more "killer apps" there are in a year the more the definition loses it's meaning I suppose, but Watch Dogs and Destiny are unfortunately examples of killer apps that sold PS4's

 

Bristow9091 said:

See, I acknowledge that Breath of the Wild is a great selling point for the Switch, but personally I wouldn't call it a killer app, simply because I could just as easily buy it for my WiiU too. If it were exclusive to Switch then it'd be a whole different story, but I wouldn't define it as the killer app for anyone that owns/owned a WiiU simply because they already had a place to play it.

What I consider the killer app for the Switch is Super Mario Odyssey, that's the game I bought my Switch for, I actually wasn't planning on getting one until it released, but I was mega lucky and got it cheap as fuck, so y'know, lol :P 

You seem to have this werid logic that contradicts itself. You want to comment on whether or not Breath of the Wild is a killer app but then contain any arguments to your personal experience. Breath of the Wild IS a killer app even if it doesn't make you buy the console, because the entire concept of a killer app takes place in a market and not in a vacuum. The Wii U was not a viable console, any consumer who hasn't bought a Wii U who knows about it isn't going to buy a Wii U now. Wii U production was discontinued as early as November 2016. Japan ran out of Wii U's in like January. This point would work for a game like Persona, where 86 million consoles are already on the market, but for an ultra niche console out of production? It doesn't make sense even pertaining to your personal experience.

In fact there's people who bought Switch's just because they wanted the "superior" version of BOTW. Don't forget that the Switch allows gams that you've already played to become killer apps just because of their portability. What i'm trying  to say is that this point is nonsensical from a market perspective. Another worthwhile point is don't ban me : ) please



d21lewis on 19 September 2017
fatslob-:O said:
Depends on what you mean by 'make a difference' ?

-Drastically boost stagnant hardware sales

-Be be the reason someone buys hardware they wouldn't buy otherwise



LiquorandGunFun on 19 September 2017

I think it depends on the company.. for Nintendo, yes. Not so much for Sony or Microsoft, as they have such a larger library, it mainly comes down to which has the exclusive DLC for some to choose between the two. Like its why I bought Destiny 2 for Ps4 over xbox.

Nintendo games are the reason to buy Nintendo systems. Though it is getting better third party support, it still is in its own league in my opinion.



 

AngryLittleAlchemist on 19 September 2017
Bristow9091 said:
AngryLittleAlchemist said:

Nope, Killer apps still exist. Breath of the Wild is one of them. Also, while I generally think of a killer app as one game that makes you purchase a console, I don't think there can't be two killer apps in a year. The more "killer apps" there are in a year the more the definition loses it's meaning I suppose, but Watch Dogs and Destiny are unfortunately examples of killer apps that sold PS4's

 

You seem to have this werid logic that contradicts itself. You want to comment on whether or not Breath of the Wild is a killer app but then contain any arguments to your personal experience. Breath of the Wild IS a killer app even if it doesn't make you buy the console, because the entire concept of a killer app takes place in a market and not in a vacuum. The Wii U was not a viable console, any consumer who hasn't bought a Wii U who knows about it isn't going to buy a Wii U now. Wii U production was discontinued as early as November 2016. Japan ran out of Wii U's in like January. This point would work for a game like Persona, where 86 million consoles are already on the market, but for an ultra niche console out of production? It doesn't make sense even pertaining to your personal experience.

In fact there's people who bought Switch's just because they wanted the "superior" version of BOTW. Don't forget that the Switch allows gams that you've already played to become killer apps just because of their portability. What i'm trying  to say is that this point is nonsensical from a market perspective. Another worthwhile point is don't ban me : ) please

Did you read any of my other posts? You're coming from the perspective that this customer doesn't own a WiiU or a Switch and wants Breath of the Wild, if that is the case, then yes, get the Switch, but as a customer who owns a WiiU I see no reason to buy a Switch for Breath of the Wild, meaning I don't see the game as a killer app, I'm not saying it ISN'T a killer app, just that, and this is very important so I'm going to underline it for you; to me it isn't. It isn't the game that made me think "Right, I NEED a Switch", no, that was Super Mario Odyssey, and I was simply giving my reason as to why I don't see it as a killer app, because I already own the other console it's available on. and has still sold over 1m on, despite it being a dead console, so clearly there are people who agree with me somewhere out there.

@Bolded:

Yes I made sure to read them before commening. I mean I guess that's fair enough. I just think for the  general market, it counts. Which is really whats important for a killer app, no? 

Oh god, nevermind! You are completely right* about everything and most importantly never wrong



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Darashiva on 19 September 2017

The closest we've had in recent past is probably Breath of the Wild. For a while it was the only reason to buy a Switch in my opinion. However, for me personally a game that would single-handedly convince me to buy a console doesn't exist. It's just not worth it to buy an entire console based on just one game.



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konnichiwa on 19 September 2017
Hiku said:

I don't think this ever happens, or ever was a thing.
There have been single games that convince people to buy a console, but I don't think people bought the console just to play that one game.

Because you still buy other games later. And you know you will, at the time of your purchase.
If there's anyone who bought a system just for one game and never bought any other game for it, then yes. But I think that's extremely rare for gamers.

Well they could have instead bought another console and buy games for it.  I think Halo for the OG Xbox is one of the best examples. It was the reason why many got a xbox the first year and why more devs started to support the Xbox. Halo 2 online was also why made playing online popular for the console but it would never had a life without the first one being a success.






SvennoJ on 19 September 2017

If it wasn't for BotW I would not have bought Switch until Mario Odyssey comes out.

Yet a console needs multiple killer apps for me to buy it. Hence still no XBox One in my house :/



Birimbau on 19 September 2017

Unless the game is meant to be played for years to come in a competitive level, but the competitive scene (e-sports) belongs to PC.



AlfredoTurkey on 19 September 2017

Yes... it's just that the biggest games right now are third party. If COD went exclusive, you'd see just how much of an impact one game can have.