Chark said:
Deoz said:
Chark said:
Deoz said:
Chark said:
I came up with an interesting concept that involved an exclusive Call of Duty game releasing during the holidays that would be free during the month of December for CoD Elite subscribers. Essentially low cost via digital distribution, huge PR stunt, bolster Elite membership numbers, and firmly stock Vita with CoD fan base to ensure profitable leg sales from word of mouth/popularity of the game as well as massive potential for a future game most likely one year later during the holidays. Obvious benefits for Activision, obvious benefits for PlayStation. The CoD fan base is huge and the incentive for a free game fully supported by Activision would draw plenty of people to buy a Vita. Having this as an E3 announcement will keep sales up all through to the rest of the year. Mix that with a holiday bundle and good luck getting a Vita in December. |
That's a very optimist scenario, but it's activision, they will focus more in the homeconsoles version than handheld, it's safer and ensure more profit. I see the next CoD on vita togheter with consoles, but nothing astounding from PR outside " For the frist time CoD on the palm of your hands with 2 sticks". I dont think it will be enough to move their fans to the mobile market. Would be a million seller for sure, but it wont boost hardware abruptly. They need a LOT more software outside of niche games tough, i agree on that.
I consider the price cut their most viable option in holidays if ther's no big hits for holiday seasons announced at e3 or tgs.
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Its a unique situation, that's for sure. I'm an aspiring PR guy so when I see opportunity like this I get excited. Elite is the real catalyst for this, it would offset the costs and Sony would be willing to cover Activision for quite a bit since it would encourage sales. Additional subscribers to Elite is pure profit for Activision, more subscribers don't equate to higher costs in their service, so its golden. Activision might concentrate on home consoles now but the opportunity to gather the handheld market, why wouldn't they. It would be great businesss for them to pull it off.
A price cut is the easy way out...and the most expensive.
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Because this scenario requires them to practically build all the vita userbase, it's not their style or focus.Activision doesnt really invest on the mobile market with the cod franchise, they throw a bone but never meat. They wont simply negate all their fans by changing to mobile market with a exclsuive, i see a multiplatform as the best chance, and they will push elite in all consoles equally, i do not see them just giving more attention to the handheld version when the userbase isnt that big. Would be a excellent scenario for the vita, i agree, but only if it were an entirely different activision that was ready to take high risks on a small market.
And the psp will stop getting software when japan when devs and gamers stop being happy with the quality of graphics they offer, then they might moveto Vita. I say 2 yers max.
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Activision already have plans to release a CoD on the Vita, no one knows tge release date yet. Vita has full controls and online multiplayer capabilities with comparable to home console graphics. It is not like the mobile market we saw in years past. Releasing a handheld game is not negating thier fans, it wouldn't stop them from releasing titles on home consoles. Vita development is affordable and if a company can team up with Sony the risks are dramatically reduced. This wouldnt be about selling to an existing market, but creating one favorable for them. It is an investment. It would be amazing if they did what I'm suggesting, though unprecedented and therefore unlikely. The alternative is to release thier title and pay millions to advertise it hoping it would succeed. A move like i outlined sounds much better. It's not like the game would be free forever, just a month, and in reality it's not free unless you happen to be both an Elite subsriber and a Vita owner already. Others would have to pay $250 + $20 for a Vita and 4gb card and/or $60 for a year of Elite (is there really no monthly plan available?) I guess in a year there would be some dlc available for it, so they could say something like "over a $90 value" or some crap like people always do.
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The thing is that, they would need to create this market and siding with Sony in their actual state wouldnt help them that much, Activision wont bother in investing on that when they have enough on consoles. And i said if they released an exclusiv CoD, a mutiplatform is the most likely and most of the success of your scenario revolves around CoD:V being an exclusive. Also if its free for a month it would only really help the vita existing userrbase, i think we are overstimating how much CoD fans are willing to spend for their little game. Needing to spend $60 on a game first and then spending other 60 on dlc/elite after some time is something, but needing to spend $250+elite (maybe + 20 if game needs a save card), just to play the game is pushing them.
Your scenario is nice, pretty good for vita, but as you pointed too it's unlikely andim just poitng that. If the franchise were from EA or Capcom i could see them trying to expand itno the mobile market, but activision usually goe's for the safer route and are good at it saddly.
