...with the stated $75 advertising campaign. I don't think the X-box has anything to fear since they are spending in the hundreds of millions on advertising.

What was Nintendo thinking? Seventy-five dollars? How do they expect to compete with that pitiful advertising budget? They should have spent a million times that amount to really get the word in the streets.

Of course, it could be just a typo...

-Biyobi

Have you guys been in an EB or Babbages or whatever lately? The ones here, and I'm told all across the country, are filled with Xbox stuff - empty display boxes for games and systems, that kind of thing. Toys R Us and KB Toys, too. It's like they opened their Xbox section without anything to actually sell from it yet.

I'm sure the same will be true of Gamecube, a little closer to launch. Microsoft doesn't have the established console brand, they've got to do more (and do it earlier) to clue in everyone.

What I'm wondering is - what is going to get bumped to make room for big 'ol Xbox and Gamecube sections this fall? In most places I've been, the Dreamcast section is already basically a dinky little shelf in an obscure area, like Mac software.

I wonder how the store shuffle will shake out? Which system will get that prime real-estate on the very front of the staggered shelves at my local Babbages, the one that basically obscures your view of all the other console shelves unless you walk around it?

Nintendo is an outspoken opponent of the concept of retailers talking people out of purchases by promising cool, new stuff is on the way. MS seems big into this, though, as they have nothing to loose since the Xbox is their first system.

Maybe that'll cool of when EB and Babbages find out how many units they're getting. "hey, tear down those Xbox displays and assemble this makeshift Gamecube one. No sense in talking people into buying stuff we won't have to sell."

Brad Grenz

Yeah...I think Microsoft is just setting themselves up to be laughed at with all this promotion in the stores. That kind of stuff pisses people off. Jason's right...it looks like they're already selling them but all you see are empty boxes.

I overheard the EB drone going on and on with a customer about which system she'll be buying. It wasn't Xbox either. She was telling this guy to stay away from it. Then she proceeded to come over and "warn me" that Dreamcast is being phased out while I stood there with GAMES IN MY HAND thinking about buying one. When I worked at this store (as a manager), I'd fry employees for that kind of shit. You don't tell your customers NOT to buy something unless it truly is junk. Even then, you offer a warning and nothing more. They forget they're in the business of selling stuff to make money and not the business of game industry speculators.

I told her I was quite pleased with my Dreamcast and the lineup of games was still loaded with titles I don't own that I plan on buying before making a move to more expensive systems. I also noted that there were at least 10 games that make me "need" a Dreamcast while there's only one or two that gave me that same level of confidence on PS2, etc.

She walked away discouraged that someone could seem so out of touch with the reality of her little gaming world.

--Dave

Just after I posted that, I saw this...

Sony Slashes PS2 Price in Europe

Guaranteed they match the Gamecube price here in the States. Microsoft is in big trouble with a $299 system and only 300,000 units on launch day. There will probably be a billion PS2's on the shelves this year and that GT3 bundle will likely go for $230. That's a good deal.

--Dave

'She walked away discouraged that someone could seem so out of touch with the reality of her little gaming world.'

Gaming store managers and employees seem to have a lot of difficulty grasping that their business exists to make money. This industry.....

... sucks.

;-)

By the way, Dave, which DC titles were you considering at the store?

I'm probably going to buy NFL2K2 for the DC. If I had a PS2 I'd probably go for Madden, but I don't.

Gotta admit, a PS2 at $199 is pretty tempting. I'd like to play Silent Hill 2 and some other games.

I'm considering a couple DC sports games too. What would be the very best choice for football and basketball?

I know you guys have posted DC opinions in the past, but I'm asking here anyway because I'm trying to catch you in inconsistencies.

Amanpour

What did I tell you guys? Price cut! Is NFL 2K2 on the PS2 already? I saw a TV commercial for it and it kinda surprised me. Anyone know how it stands up to Madden on the same system?

I guess I knew it was coming, just without online for the PS2 this year... Still snuck up on me.

>Gotta admit, a PS2 at $199 is pretty tempting.

If they drop the price that far.

The PS2 is not dropping to $199 in Europe. It's dropping to 199 POUNDS. That's $293 at today's exchange rates. It used to be an outrageous 299 pounds...like $440!

Yeah, but it's dropping 60 pounds, which is what in dollars?

I have no idea what the PS2 will drop to, obviously. If they can get it down to $199, it will look attractive to everyone in the store looking for a Gamecube or Xbox if those are sold out.

Slight correction to my previous post: I'm seeing reports that the PS2 used to be 299 pounds, and reports that it used to be 249 pounds. I think the correct value was probably 249 ($367).

It's simliar to the price drop in Japan a few months ago...it went from about $340 to $299.

Basically, the US market has paid substantially less than the rest of the world for PS2s all along. Now the rest of the world has caught up, and everyone is paying about $299.

Sony may still drop the price over here, but I wouldn't consider this UK drop to be evidence of that, considering what they were paying and what they're paying now. It would be one thing if the UK was now paying the dollar equivalent of $249 or $199, but they just got DOWN to $299.

I agree that at $199 it would be really attractive - and not even if GC or Xbox is sold out. They'll put MGS2 on display and maybe GT3 and at $199, with the PS2 name and a much larger software library, it might make people reconsider buying a GC or Xbox.

But probably not enough people to keep the GC/Xbox from selling 1-1.5 million units in the US by New Year.

Just saw this:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-7310634.html?tag=mn_hd

Relevant quotes for lazy surfers:

We're holding firm to the assertion made earlier in the year and one also made to our business partners that we will not be reducing the price of the PS2 in North America...at least for the course of this year," spokeswoman Molly Smith said.

"We've never been a company that makes decisions based on the competitive landscape," Smith added. "And we are not going to be competing this year, or even necessarily next year, for the same kind of customer as Nintendo and Microsoft."

---

Quote:

"We've never been a company that makes decisions based on the competitive landscape," Smith added. "And we are not going to be competing this year, or even necessarily next year, for the same kind of customer as Nintendo and Microsoft."

---

Very political, isn't it?

Presidents of companies should run for public offices...

"She walked away discouraged that someone could seem so out of touch with the reality of her little gaming world."

Try going in EB around 1995 to buy games for the Atari Jaguar. The employees would treat you like you molested small billy goats.

I had a Jag so the store I managed was quite kind to Atari customers. I even made a video tape of Tempest 2000 that sold a few systems. Later we had one for Alien vs. Predator which also sold some boxes. I liked my Jag. I plan to pick one up again soon just for T2K.

--Dave

"We've never been a company that makes decisions based on the competitive landscape,"

That's a brilliant business plan. Or not. I don't think it came across exactly the way they intended...

Well duh, you don't tell people about a big price cut a month and a half away. You want to keep people buying at the $300 price point as long as possible.

Brad Grenz