So I of course have been following gen8 sales very closely just like many of you. I have an observation that I think bears consideration. I believe that Microsoft really missed the boat on this deal, and I think I may have an idea of why it happened, but would like more opinions on the matter.

So the recent bundles have been the Madden bundle for X1, the Destiny bundle for PS4, and the MK8 bundle for the U.

First, I remember when the MK8 bundle was released, I drove around town and couldn't find any ANYwhere. They clearly didn't ship enough of those, because I've never seen one in stores. I know they existed, but they simply didn't get enough of them out there imho. I would have bought one, but after not finding one, I just decided to wait for a price drop later.

Similarly, the Madden bundle was a moderate success for the X1, but it could have been so much more if it weren't so incredibly limited. I never saw one with my own eyes. Kinectless and Kinect Bundle X1s out the wazoo, stacks upon stacks, but zero Madden bundles. Why?

Destiny bundles OTOH, they seem to constantly stock those things for PS4. They sell out, they get more, they sell out, they get more.

Part one of my theory is that Microsoft lost money on each Madden bundle, because they were $399, and had to pay EA for the game (at a reduced cost, but probably enough to dip the thin margins to the negative). Part two is that because stores and distribution networks already had clogs of X1s in the channel, that they simply didn't or couldn't fit them in reasonably.

My solution is to ship cardboard sleeves that have a secure tape, so that vanilla bundles can be re-SKU'd into Madden/Kart/etc bundles, the new sleeves containing a game code on the inside. That way you convert a bunch of lagging plain SKUs into hot sellers.

I think if there had been more Madden bundles, X1 easily would have had higher sustained sales. It's a missed opportunity imho.

Sony OTOH, has had an absolute monster with the Destiny bundle, and it's not even a real discount ($10, wow!). But they're killing it regardless.

How can we, as fans/followers of the industry see stuff like this so clearly, but the corporate leadership of these companies constantly blunder so vividly?

You did say it's probably a loss of revenue. VS increase in sales that stop them from doing this. MK8's bundle was most likely killed, because the free games normal sales went to crap. When you bought the MK8 bundle. You where paying for the game. But the Wheel, Wiimote, and Free game, were all out of the pockets of Nintendo. So that's $150 loss per system. If it made them more money. Without a loss they wouldn't stop it. The PS4 bundle must not lose money for either companies.

Well MS is known for spending cash so why so few bundles for Madden?

Easy to successfully bundle when your product is the PS4 and its cost you nothing.

id wager all the free games in bundles cost MS in the hundredths of millions yet still it all failed in the sales war with the Ps4. Its a cost a demand issue and lack of success issue.

Yeah...there should be more bundles from Nintendo.

Large Quantity but few variety. (which is fine)

I agree they have dropped the ball, the sleeve idea is a great Idea. however people might feel upset by not getting the original box. MS needs to step it up.

Hundreds of millions for a few million digital copies? I doubt MS is paying anywhere near that.

It doesn't seem like they made more than maybe 60 to 100k Madden bundles. I wonder if the SO and COD bundles will get better treatment.

They have been giving away games for free since day one.  

That might be true in some regions, not all.

Anyhow, I doubt MS is paying hundreds of millions to bundle digital copies. They probably make a deal with a compny like EA to distribute digital copies at a heavily discounted price. For example, Sony and MS pay a discounted price to give away "free games" on PS+ and GwG.

We can assume MS pays even less to bundle games they published.