Comments on: Online and the next console generation http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/ Phil Steinmeyer's rumblings on the game biz, programming, and life Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:15:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: JameyT http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-615 JameyT Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:41:01 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-615 You should put a toe in the water and come play online. And no that doesn't equate to having to play with foul-mouthed-Ritalin-poppling 12 year-olds. There are a number of great communities built for adults that help you fill up your friend's list on Xbox Live so that you'll always have others of your ilk to play with. Our site www.geezergamers.com is such a site. And the comment above about casual games finding a way to others in the house rings truer (from first-hand experience) than you would initially think. It's the Arcade games that get the friends, family and spouces excited about the 360. They could care less about shooting Nazi's or buying horse armor, but put them in front of Bejewelled or Zuma or Feeding Frenzy and then try and wrest the controller out of their hands. We've witnessed the phenomenon of wives now demanding Zuma time or Bejewelled and the husbands having to wait their turn. The wives are now driving Arcade purchases. You should put a toe in the water and come play online. And no that doesn’t equate to having to play with foul-mouthed-Ritalin-poppling 12 year-olds.

There are a number of great communities built for adults that help you fill up your friend’s list on Xbox Live so that you’ll always have others of your ilk to play with. Our site http://www.geezergamers.com is such a site.

And the comment above about casual games finding a way to others in the house rings truer (from first-hand experience) than you would initially think. It’s the Arcade games that get the friends, family and spouces excited about the 360. They could care less about shooting Nazi’s or buying horse armor, but put them in front of Bejewelled or Zuma or Feeding Frenzy and then try and wrest the controller out of their hands.

We’ve witnessed the phenomenon of wives now demanding Zuma time or Bejewelled and the husbands having to wait their turn. The wives are now driving Arcade purchases.

]]> By: Matt http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-522 Matt Fri, 07 Apr 2006 04:35:40 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-522 Those numbers are not quite correct. I'm pretty sure it was 3 million games downloaded. And people are buying 20% of games they download. Xbox Live Arcade's figures are fantastic. Those numbers are not quite correct. I’m pretty sure it was 3 million games downloaded. And people are buying 20% of games they download. Xbox Live Arcade’s figures are fantastic.

]]> By: kim pallister http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-520 kim pallister Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:37:43 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-520 It was 3M *downloads*, not sales. 20% conversion rate on average. It's a very healthy business given the installed base. I *think* we posted the slides somewhere, but am not certain. I know some folks blogged pretty accurate transcripts. I agree with Phil that I don't see it eclipsing PC casual anytime soon, but there's a couple points to note: - It provides a market for alternative genres that traditionally don't do as well in casual (retro arcade, niche hardcore genres, etc) - It's a *great* opportunity for higher quality casual titles to grow revenue across additional platforms. - It opens the market for additional business models as well (e.g. ad-sponsored) Personally, I think DFC's 25% number is way low. Just one man's opinion though. :-) It was 3M *downloads*, not sales. 20% conversion rate on average. It’s a very healthy business given the installed base. I *think* we posted the slides somewhere, but am not certain. I know some folks blogged pretty accurate transcripts.

I agree with Phil that I don’t see it eclipsing PC casual anytime soon, but there’s a couple points to note:
- It provides a market for alternative genres that traditionally don’t do as well in casual (retro arcade, niche hardcore genres, etc)
- It’s a *great* opportunity for higher quality casual titles to grow revenue across additional platforms.
- It opens the market for additional business models as well (e.g. ad-sponsored)

Personally, I think DFC’s 25% number is way low. Just one man’s opinion though. :-)

]]> By: Scott http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-516 Scott Thu, 06 Apr 2006 20:13:41 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-516 Given the growth curve of wifi and online doodads, 25% seems like an awfully low prediction to me looking forward in 5 years. Maybe 25% PAYING supporters ala Xbox Live Gold is high; but I'd have to guess that the next next-generation systems will be wifi and having some sense of connecting to some kind of free very basic service (Silver) at a much higher rate than 25% with cheap downloadables. Then again, I'm no expert on the subject. Does anyone know what the percentage of Xbox360 user is who are right now using the xbox live service? Given the growth curve of wifi and online doodads, 25% seems like an awfully low prediction to me looking forward in 5 years. Maybe 25% PAYING supporters ala Xbox Live Gold is high; but I’d have to guess that the next next-generation systems will be wifi and having some sense of connecting to some kind of free very basic service (Silver) at a much higher rate than 25% with cheap downloadables. Then again, I’m no expert on the subject.

Does anyone know what the percentage of Xbox360 user is who are right now using the xbox live service?

]]> By: CasualProducer http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-503 CasualProducer Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:48:27 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-503 I didn't have time to see if the information was posted anywhere last night. This was basically the information they gave during the presentation at the GDC. I will see what I can dig up and shoot it over to you. I still say the conversion rate you get from people who check out the games is pretty remarkable. Also, keep in mind that Arcade is not targeted at the person who bought the console. It's targeted at the people around that person who bought the console (girlfriend, parents, kids, etc..). If you get the person who bought the console playing the games, then that is a bonus. I didn’t have time to see if the information was posted anywhere last night. This was basically the information they gave during the presentation at the GDC. I will see what I can dig up and shoot it over to you. I still say the conversion rate you get from people who check out the games is pretty remarkable.

Also, keep in mind that Arcade is not targeted at the person who bought the console. It’s targeted at the people around that person who bought the console (girlfriend, parents, kids, etc..). If you get the person who bought the console playing the games, then that is a bonus.

]]> By: Pag http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-499 Pag Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:34:57 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-499 I think X-arcade could be really good for smaller scale hardcore games and for active gamers (gamers between casual and hardcore; details at http://sacredcows.pagtech.com/?p=35). People interested enough in gaming to spend a few hundred dollars on a dedicated gaming machine aren't the same people who buy Bonnie's Bookstore, frankly. I see no reason why serious gamers couldn't be interested in fun, cheap, focused games to download. A game like Geometry Wars is much better suited to that market than Bejeweled. It may evolve over time, but for the next few years X-Arcade will be best suited for non-casual games. I think X-arcade could be really good for smaller scale hardcore games and for active gamers (gamers between casual and hardcore; details at http://sacredcows.pagtech.com/?p=35). People interested enough in gaming to spend a few hundred dollars on a dedicated gaming machine aren’t the same people who buy Bonnie’s Bookstore, frankly. I see no reason why serious gamers couldn’t be interested in fun, cheap, focused games to download.

A game like Geometry Wars is much better suited to that market than Bejeweled. It may evolve over time, but for the next few years X-Arcade will be best suited for non-casual games.

]]> By: Phil Steinmeyer http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-498 Phil Steinmeyer Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:26:43 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-498 3 million Live Arcade for X-Box 1, not 360, right? ('cause if it was the latter, that would mean an attach rate of 4:1 or so, which is just not credible for a 3 month old console that not everyone has hooked up on-line). Assuming it is 3 million for X-Box 1, that's better than I would have thought (though still pretty small in comparison to PC downloadables). Is there an online resource with that kind of data? 3 million Live Arcade for X-Box 1, not 360, right? (’cause if it was the latter, that would mean an attach rate of 4:1 or so, which is just not credible for a 3 month old console that not everyone has hooked up on-line).

Assuming it is 3 million for X-Box 1, that’s better than I would have thought (though still pretty small in comparison to PC downloadables). Is there an online resource with that kind of data?

]]> By: CasualProducer http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-497 CasualProducer Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:13:07 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/85/online-and-the-next-console-generation/#comment-497 3 million Live Arcade games sold, targeting to those around the hardcore gamers (wives, girlfriends, mothers, kids). An average 20% conversion rate. One title seeing 39% conversion. 60% of the consoles out thee are using xbox live arcade. These seem like good numbers to me. Source - XBOX Live Arcade Session - GDC. 3 million Live Arcade games sold, targeting to those around the hardcore gamers (wives, girlfriends, mothers, kids). An average 20% conversion rate. One title seeing 39% conversion. 60% of the consoles out thee are using xbox live arcade. These seem like good numbers to me. Source - XBOX Live Arcade Session - GDC.

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