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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Microsoft Natal. Will we see an increase in console sales when it arrives?

Its a tough call, it could either do awesome or flop hard. I bet it has a minor impact myself, but that's because I'm not a fan of motion controls/natal/sixaxis myself.



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DirtyP2002 said:
mrstickball said:
One other thing I'd mention about the precedent of this happening:

Nintendo has had a great track record of breathing life into dead consoles with sweeping hardware revisions. They've done it twice: Once with the Gameboy/Gameboy Color, and another with the DS revisions which were decent sized overhauls. If MS does it right, we could essentially see the 360 break the typical sales peak at year 3, and maybe even peak at year 5 or 6 - a dream for Microsoft, really.


good point.

I think Natal will move consoles. Not just a big spike, the sales will be sustainable.

The media will go crazy about it, MS will advertise this like crazy, it will be bundled and the developer support will be there. I can't see it fail in any way.

Sega is working on it, Square Enix is working with it, Rare is focussed on it, Take Two is playing around with it, THQ got them as well, Lionhead has at least one Natal-thing coming up (Milo), EA has them, too.

And I would not be surprised if the Microsoft Game Studios are working on this as well.

A fitness-game is coming, I bet my money on this. MS already said that Natal will be their next generation without the need to launch a new console. So this gen will still last for a very long time.

Exactly. I think Microsoft will treat this like a true launch with a massive marketing budget on a similar scale of the 360 launch itself.

@Coolestguyever - The thing about NATAL selling isn't entirely dependant on the device/capabilities itself, but the fact theres a 99.99% that it will feature a console redesign. So on one end, you have totally new adopters buying the device because of new, major functionality, and re-buys due to the major hardware revision.

It could flop hard, indeed, but if it does....What is Microsoft out? A console redesign? So what? They'll just launch the 720 a bit quicker. In the end, it's the smartest move. May not feel like it come mid next year when sales are down, but in the end, I believe there's a very high likelihood that the system will do very good.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

if natal get a great advertising campaign I am sure it will attract family, young gamers and old people, like Wii do actually. So yes it can have a great boost and and a lasting one.



2010 prediction

Xbox 360 49m - 52
ps3-44.5 - 46m
halo reach will be the highest selling exclusive of 2010
xbox 360 will do is first million selling week in december 
xbox 360 price will drop arcade - 179$  elite - 249$  and will be bundled with natal 

115 or more million seller game on xbox 360


 

 

 

mrstickball said:
libellule - I find it interesting that the Xbox has no brand name, has outsold the Playstation brand this generation.

Could you define how the Xbox 360 is a hardcore targeted console, when E rated games usually sell better on the Xbox 360?

it has not outsold the PS brandname during all the gen, it has outsold it mostly because of a better pricing and the early release.
People bought Xbox360 because they could not bought PS3

(the 500k sales number of the Slim show it ...)

When u have a PS3 at 399euros and the xbox360 is 139euros (arcade in France), it is easy to see which one is more competitive
the second price cut in PAL before Xmas changed everything last year ! 
Again, without the 199$ arcade, the Xbox360 would not have outsold the PS3 like it did last Xmas


My point : Brandname is important, pricing is more

Also, I completely agree that, for the next gen, I will consider that Xbox is enought famous and respected to be a good brand name.

And about the hardcore targeted console, come on, if it was casual, considering the price, it should sell a lot better !

again, wait and see : Natal has potential but it is just potential for the moment.



Time to Work !

wholikeswood said:
Selnor, we don't always see eye-to-eye but I'd like to lend you some praise for that extremely astute observation that the two companies are now perhaps less reactionary to one another and instead both more focused on their respective long-term plans.

Also, you make good points about Sony's motion controller (cf. your 3 point post at the bottom of the previous page) but I would just add quickly that whilst 3rd party support may not be huge on the Sony wand's launch, you can never underestimate Sony's 1st party strength. Certain inhouse studios are quite taciturn on their tasks at the moment, so hopefully Sony will have lots of exciting surprises come Spring 2010.

I hear you defiantely. :)

If Sony can show that it is more than just a modded wii mote they may get some casuals. Otherwise, I can see the wands only being adopted by current owners. And not getting any casuals away from the Wii.



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remember that sony is answering Natal with 3d games and ps3 wand combined



leokind said:

remember that sony is answering Natal with 3d games and ps3 wand combined

Yeah thats old news. M$ spoke of 3d games nearly 2 years ago to. But reality is another matter. To be honest it's hard to do in cinema properly without stressing your eyes to much. Avatar from early previews is the first film according to critics do make it worth it. Games have to approach 3d carefully. Alot more eye strain in gaming.



coolbeans said:
leokind said:

remember that sony is answering Natal with 3d games and ps3 wand combined

All I've heard for 3-d is specualtion so a link would be nice for me and others not to regard this as trolling (although I'm 99.9% sure it is).  The ps3 wand is the same as Wii's except more options to it while Natal is the first controller with no buttons required which is why this thread was started.

yeah, but for the moment, it is mostly a motion controller packed with no games

and so u dont know if it will be a success : Wii kick ass because of Wiisport, not because it has motion control alone

bring me the software and we will be able to see what Natal can do ! (same go for the Sony wand)



Time to Work !

both will most likely fail. The nate and the toything



i hope motion controlled gaming fails for both xbox and sony.

ot: i dont see natal moving hardware for more than 6 months. i see it selling mostly to existing xbox users who are looking to expand there gaming expirence. no major long term sales increase unless microsoft makes natal the new standard for its big franchises.