http://www.thatgamingsite.com/article/194/gamings-worst-console-launches/
Everybody loves launch days. Camping day and night outside of your local videogame store, spending lots of money on overpriced launched day systems, being unsure whether or not you’ll manage to get one of the few systems available...ok it’s not that great but hey, they only come round once every few years right?
Launch day is the biggest day for any new system and if successful it can mean a future of great possibilities. Then again, a poor launch can mean bad things in the long run. So this is why we’d decided to use some examples of consoles past to show you how and how not to launch a system.
Take note boys and girls, these examples should not be repeat offences!
1. Nintendo Gamecube
Location: Japan
Date: September 14th 2001
Here’s a reminder of Nintendo's lacking third party support.
Let us step back to September 2001, Nintendo have just launched their dinky purple console the Nintendo Gamecube in Japan. Whilst the Gamecube went on to sit comfortably beside the Xbox and PS2, the launch line up consisted of a mere three titles.
Two of which were Luigi's Mansion and Wave Race: Blue Storm both in house games. That’s right, only one third party title made it to the Gamcubes aid on launch day, Super Monkey Ball. Not exactly the game that would help Nintendo lose their ‘kiddy image’ and not a good sign of the support backing the Nintendo Gamecube.
Luigi's Mansion went on to be the best seller at launch
Sales for the Gamecube during the first week showed about as much enthusiasm as the third party support draught with figures showing around 130,000 units sold. Of course these numbers would increase with the release of both Pikmin and Super Smash Bros. Melee later that year.
The good news for the Gamecube was that around the same time, Capcom announced they would be backing the system in a big way with Resident Evil remakes and by the time the US launch rolled around, a total of 12 titles where available for launch.
Lesson learnt: Make sure your launch line up consists of more than three titles
2. Nintendo DSi
Location: UK & US
Date: April 3rd & 5th 2009
One of our most recent examples, the Nintendo DSi has been available to the public for over a month now.
The system had a great launch with 600,000 units sold in the US and Europe in the first seven days, but this isn’t about sales. Given the well-earned capabilities that come with your new upgrade, I don’t think it’s wrong to expect a few titles to not only accompany the systems launch but show off what the system can do.
Nintendo’s answer? DSi ware.
The DSi shop opened for business at launch and with it came only a small handful of titles, all of which had the life span shorter than most demos including the celebrity of the shops launch, Wario Ware Snapped which was a not much more than a “tech demo”.
Now this is not to say the DSi failed. It did release with some titles which showed off what the system was capable off but would it have killed Nintendo to really line up some real killer apps for the systems launch?
Lesson learnt: If you’re trying to convince millions of people to make an aesthetic upgrade, give them a good line up to go with it.
3. Microsoft Xbox
Location: European launch.
Date: March 13 2002
If there is any lesson to be learnt from Nintendo, it’s that if you plan on dropping the price of your latest console early, it’s best to do it before launch rather than after. Clearly Microsoft weren’t clear on this concept.
The system launched in Europe on March 14 2002 at a heaving price of £299. Whilst initial sales weren’t exactly perfect, Microsoft took the plunge and knocked a third of the price off less than six weeks after its launch.
Now at a slightly more affordable price of £199, early adopters were left frustrated; looks like the early bird got the worm but not the best price. Microsoft realised they’d done wrong to their buyers and so after much a ruckus caused by angry shoppers; they decided to ‘thank’ those who had already paid £299 for their Xbox.
Did Halo: Combat Evolved save the Xbox from a bad start?
Dubbed the ‘thank you package’, Microsoft offered two Xbox games and an Xbox Controller for free to those poor souls who took the plunge too early.
The price drop improved sales but by the end of the year, a bundle which packaged four of the consoles best sellers including Halo and Jet Set Radio Future was released for £199. In 2003, the console took another price cut plummeting down to £130.
Lesson Learnt: First impressions matter!
4. Sega Dreamcast
Location: Japan
Date: November 27 1998
Gamings biggest tragedy? Some will have you believe the Dreamcast was killed off to early, whilst others will remind you that Sega just couldn’t handle the crush of the PS2. Either way, the Dreamcast didn’t get the best first start. Much like the Gamecube, the Dreamcast launched with a lacking list of titles.
Godzilla Generations, Virtua Fighter 3tb, PenPen TriIceLon and romantic title July were the only titles available at launch. By this point Sonic had been established as Sega’s mascot and his 128 bit debut was delayed to a month after the Dreamcast’s launch along with Sega Rally 2 and Blue Stinger which were delayed into the next year.
Looks like Sonic wasn't the only one shocked by his absence at the Dreamcasts launch
There was also a massive problem with supply as the few units available once sold out were difficult for Sega to replenish for a lack of NEC graphic chips. Sega would rectify this for a successful US launch the following September which despite a poor start in Japan spurred on plenty of pre-orders.
Whilst many excuses can be made about why the Dreamcast failed to keep up with expectations, can we really blame the consoles launch?
Lesson Learnt: Plan ahead if you’re going up against a Playstation launch.
5. Playstation 3
Location: UK & France
Date: March 23 2007
The PS3 probably didn’t get the best start in life.
Whilst a promising console that since release has flourished quite nicely, Sony didn’t really help themselves when it came to launching the system in Europe at the ridiculous price of £425, a price that was quickly lowered to £299 the following year.
Still it didn’t stop gamers queuing up for the systems launch and at one lucky store; customers were treated to a HDTV to accompany their new purchase.
Unfortunately Microsoft decided to intervene.
Whilst people queued up outside, chairs branded with the Xbox 360 logo were passed at with a website URL printed on them. This website featured a message from Microsoft welcoming Sony into the next generation and reminding them how late they were to it. Talk about stealing thunder!
Microsoft arrive to remind Sony that they're late to the next generation
Not only that but Microsoft made things even more blatant when the console launched in France. As part of the systems launch, Sony set up a temporary store near the Eiffel Tower to sell the system only to have this public stunt topped by driving a boat covered in Xbox 360 logos up down the Senine.
But after all this, you’d think the two console giants might have settled their differences. There’s still ‘the next generation’ I guess.
Lesson Learnt: When planning a big launch, beware of your rivals!
