Sessler's Soapbox: November Games

Another week, another rant. This time, Adam's going after the big boys. That's right, he's got his targets set on game publishers. Why no games all summer long and then more games than we can count come November? Adam doesn't think it makes sense, and he's ready to let the publishers know it in this week's Sessler's Soapbox.

[HeartlesskizZ]

so true, to many games on nov. is not bad but why not spread them.
Assassins look like it will take a wile to beat so you wont play nothing else other then that. I reserved COD4 as I was in the need to get back in to a new FPS and some online play so I need to leave Haze for late dec or early Jan.

[Omegasyde]

I agree Cod4 gets top priority and when thats done in comes Haze.

If anything, they should release games rated M all the time, being that the people that usually buy the games "should" be adults. I understand not releasing wii games or ones rated for the young crowd since they will forget about that game they wanted in August for a Holiday present.

I am sorta of happy also with Unreal tournament 3 being delayed. Reason being is that IF i get bored of Cod4 or Haze or Mass Effect, I could sell these games on Ebay or at gamestop for money towards a new game.

Edit: Sessler really needs a booty call. Seriously.

[Chris_GTR1]

UT3 was delayed till jan 08. so theres 1 less game to the list :)

http://ps3.ign.com/objects/...

release date Q1 2008

[SmokeyMcBear]

missed that one, can you provide a link?

[riqued]

PC version releases this year.

[ShiftyLookingCow]

its coming out on PC though. 3 games for me this november, Crysis, UT3 and Mass Effect. Everything else next year

[solidt12]

Than originally planned. it will have all the maps from the PC version on the PS3. I hope it gets here in december. My thing is why not come out with some of this games during the dry summer that just past. This summer was terrible. Each console had like one game the whole summer that was worth getting. Now November is coming and I can't buy all the games at once. Not because I don't have the money. It's because I don't have the time. I have 3 kids and a job but I can buy all these games whenever I want. COD4, R&C future tools and Drakes fortune is a must buy, but I want to buy Assassins Creed, HAZE, Jericho, Army of Two, and Kane & Lynch: Dead Men but I won't because I don't have time to play all of these, so most of them will have to wait but by the time I can play them MGS4 will be out and I might just pass them by all together. Sessler is right they need to plan releases better because this year the messed up. The 30's crowd would have bought this games this summer but before christmas is really the wrong time for so many hardcore games because we will also be buying our kids stuff, so i think it will be interesting seeing the numbers of which games are selling in november. It's gonna be shocking I think.

[Kotaku]

COD4, UDF and AC are already full prepaid by me.
so it will take a bit long until I get a new game.

[Chris_GTR1]

why would u pay for them already? lol is there really any point in preordering either way? i dont know when ive gone to a store to find out theyve run out.

[ATLRoAcH]

I pre-order my games if there is something I want and have the money right then and there.If I don't pre-order my games when I have the money I'll spend it on something else.Not to mention there are so many games coming out that I want in November (Assassin's Creed,COD:4,Uncharted,and possibly HAZE) that I got to start getting them paid for now. $240 is a lot at once but spread it out and its not that bad.

[socomnick]

Hes so right though publishers need to give us games all year long that we our wallets don't suffer so much.

[The True Gamer]

I mean I just got Halo 3, The Orange Box, and NBA 2k8, Plus, the suprisingly addictive Puzzle Quest from xbox live. Then at the end of this month the insanity really starts. Virtue Fighter 5 - Oct 30
COD 4 - Nov 6
Assassin's Creed - Nov 13
Mass Effect - Nov 20

That is insane, Thank God, I get a 2 week Christmas Vacation, I am going to need it.

And I do not want to even think about 2008, especially since I will be getting a PS3, when I get my tax return.

[marcdz1]

This Adam has a very good head on his shoulders no wonder he is on tv and were not. Anyways very good observing. Sadly this has been going on for since the beginning of gaming. These companies are using the old tactics and believing they will sell out if they hold out for the holidays. Well while that used to work back in the day. Many or should I say most of us have grown up and become 25 to 35 year olds and still remain hardcore gamers. Well with this good ripe age comes of-course a more heavy wallet. We can afford games whenever we want and dont have to mow lawns or wait for Christmas to come just to buy these games. Hopefully these companies see this ragin maniac's cry and understand that we want these games year round. Ps WTF is going on with Adam he looks like he is on crack or speed or something. No offense I hope but it's noticeable He can't stop moving to save his life.

[BulletToothtony]

that just annoys that crap out of me.. it's like he talks just to please the crowd instead of truly expressing something worth saying..

to the people that like what he says they're happy, but i rather hear someone say what they truly think instead of how he says things.. i dunno he's just plain annoying

[Bolts]

He's clearly haming it up for his fanboys. Pathetic really. They need to have less of him that gay Kevin guy and more of that chick who lick things.

[stuntman_mike]

maybe you'd rather listen to gabe newell whine on about how every console and piece of software was made to make his life difficult lol.

[Adamalicious]

I fully agree in principle, but I gotta think he knows enough about how the industry works to understand why it is the way it is. This November, or just Holiday in general, is PACKED with games vying for a slice of that sweet holiday season shopping pie, more so than possibly ever before. It makes sense for a few reasons. This holiday is going to be very important for all of the consoles as it's the first real holiday that they are all available in all markets, and they all want to be come out on top. Also, publishers want to establish themselves on these new platforms, and marketing-wise they are going to spend the most when they stand to gain the most - when people are buying the most. It's not like they don't do market research.

Look at it this way. Unless you have a ton of time on your hands there's no way to play all of this holiday's games in the next 2-3 months. But come next summer when there are no games coming out you'll have a nice backlog of great titles to choose from.

[pshizle]

is always on the money he is always right

[daveman3]

and i agree sessler always has a good view about the industry, everything he usually says is highly intelligent, even when he's on g4 with his supporting cast of idiots you can tell he knows a lot more about gaming than other people say keven perera

[stuntman_mike]

i think i'll have to rely on reviews this november as there are too many games coming out, any game on my list that dosnt get 7.5 or over will be put on the next years list me thinks.

[jmare]

It doesn't look like anyone's said it so I will. The reason the end of the year is flooded with games versus the summer or any other time of year is that the majority of people view games as toys. Toys are always marketed more heavily at the end of the year due to Christmas. This is sad considering that the average age of gamers today is around 28-29 or maybe even higher now.

below: I meant that it is sad because we have to wait until the end of the year to get the good games versus getting good games thougout the year. And while games might fall under the toy definition, I meant it more as children's toys.

[mirroredderorrim]

I don't think it's sad because most of us that are around that age played games back in the 80's. Us adults who still play video games on evolved consoles or oldschool consoles are just kids at heart.

Toys is accurate for videogames and very close to the truth, being that toys are meant for amusement and or entertainment.

[Gina-get-u]

During the first three quarters of the year I would guess 90% of all game sales are direct purchases by the end-user. That means gamers spending their own money to buy games for themselves. But during the fourth quarter, the average gamer's spending power is augmented by several sources. First, most working gamers are paid their year-end bonuses at the year's end (duh). Second, a large portion of software sales will be games purchased as gifts for the gamer by somebody else, or by the gamer but with money received from somebody else as a gift. So there's more money available for gaming during the 4th quarter than at any other time of the year. And most of that money is going to be gone before the new year gets started. This is reflected in sales figures year after year; November/December totals are always higher than other months. So despite a crowded market, smart game publishers will always shoot for a release date that coincides with the peak sales season. This won't change until people change their spending habits.

Another good time to come out with a game, at least in the US, is the tax refund season, which is usually about 6 weeks after April 15.

[Jdash24]

right on the money adam, i was thinking that earlier this year.........november is going to be crazy

[Jinxstar]

Sessler is an idiot. Does he ever say anything that we don't already know...

Maybe he should discuss how Gaming politics works or how development and publishing works and educate us... If he's so good maybe he should talk about stuff that isn't totally obvious to everyone...

What a douche. And for gods sakes maybe they can get a decent streaming media program... Damn cheap G4...

[green_ghost5]

I don't think he is an idiot, he's complaining about it to the developer's of these games, not they will probably listen or anything...but, it's worth a shot, I suppose.

[Wii60_FTW]

The Sess is right on the money, as usual. I almost forgot, DEAR HALO HATERS: SUCK THAT FAT D1CK!

[Rooftrellen]

Yes, all the big games comming out at once hurts us. There are too many good games comming and no one slowed down the Earth's rotation to give us more time to play them!

However, they all come out together for a reason. Ever wonder why your favorite show on one channel ends up comming on at the same time as your favorite show on another channel after one season? That's a strategy, just as much as it would be to put both shows on at a time when nothing is on at all.

You want to get your big game out at about the same time as someone else's big game so your game can steal some of the potential buyers of the other game. That's a strategy just as much as releasing a game in the middle of September when there has been a drought of games and no other good games comming out around it.

It's a risk to get a big title out at the same time as another, but you can try to take some of their sales and hope they don't take as many of your's.

As a consumer, I agree with him, the strategy should be to spread out the good games, but from a business standpoint, it makes as much sense to take the compitition head on as it does to avoid it, if you think you can stand toe to toe.

[Ravenator529]

It is rediculous. We go through droughts and then all of a sudden BOOM!!! Everything is hitting all at once.

Yes, I know it's all geared toward the holiday season. Every publisher wants their game on the shelves way ahead the holiday. Many people start shopping for Christmas as soon as November hits.

But in the last 2 months I have spent soooo much money on games.

Metroid Prime 3 - $50
Bioshock - $60
Halo 3 - $70
Guitar Hero 3 (prepaid) - $60
COD4 (prepaid) - $60
The Orange Box - $60
Zelda Phanton Hourglass - $35

So thats $395 spent already. Then you factor in the other "pending" purchases over the next month and a half or so.

Mass Effect - $60
Mario Galaxy - $50
Assasins Creed - $60

Also, its not only the money isssue but its very hard to find time to play all of these games on a consistent basis. I could literally spend hours on end during each gaming session with just one of these games. Let alone the fact that I need to find time for 10 of them.

I think after these next couple of months, my gaming needs will be filled for the rest of the year.

[beavis4play]

just because they come out all at once, DOESN'T mean you have to buy them all at once. i'm getting 3 and the rest will wait till after new year.

[MurderFace]

I can't stop playing Halo 3 right now and doubt i will buy anything new in nov.