Publisher (Konami?) blames bundled game competitor for low sales

[Chris Davies]

Thought this deserved its own thread as it's an interesting discussion, if it turns out to be PES-related.

A "sales director" at a "global" games publisher said in an interview with MCV (with regards to people who buy a console bundle including their rival game):

We feel we have the better game, but why buy it when they've already got a perfectly good alternative in the same genre? There's an obsession with giving away content for cheap to sell hardware, when surely it should be the other way around.

Rumour has it that the publisher is Konami and the "worse game" in question is FIFA (makes sense given the direct comparison and the tendency amongst gamers to have one or the other, not both, especially when compared to other games/genres).

So - are bundles a bad thing?

SOURCE: MCVUK.com
RUMOUR SOURCE: NeoGAF

 

[hitmanuk]

Thought this deserved its own thread as it's an interesting discussion, if it turns out to be PES-related.

A "sales director" at a "global" games publisher said in an interview with MCV (with regards to people who buy a console bundle including their rival game):



Rumour has it that the publisher is Konami and the "worse game" in question is FIFA (makes sense given the direct comparison and the tendency amongst gamers to have one or the other, not both, especially when compared to other games/genres).

So - are bundles a bad thing?

SOURCE: MCVUK.com
RUMOUR SOURCE: NeoGAF

depends on who its bad for?

is it bad for the consumer - obviously not
Is it bad for Konami ? Sounds so

instead of blaming other companies sales strategy they should be focusing on making a sound product and also not ignoring the real issues then sales will look after themselves.

I'm not having it anyway - i'd wager the majority of people buying FIFA 16 will already own a PS4 and the poor sales will be down to rubbish marketing and the fact that PES is not the better product as a package. The actual gameplay is personal preference.

i also wonder how much it cost them is the awful management of the update and other flaws, i sold mine in November so whoever bought mine is a lost sale for Konami

 

[gerd]

Oh Jesus, stop moaning Konami.
If your game really was the best, those bundles wouldn't mind.

I still prefer PEs to FIFA, but that is subjective. Objectively spoken, FIFA is better as an allround package: licenses (but this is not the most important thing), game modes, stadiums, presentation, commentary, stadium atmosphere and gameplay with less obvious shortcomings.

The subjective part: to me PES feels more like playing football (and FIFA looks more like football)

 

[Jamezinho]

I'm not having it anyway - i'd wager the majority of people buying FIFA 16 will already own a PS4 and the poor sales will be down to rubbish marketing and the fact that PES is not the better product as a package. The actual gameplay is personal preference.

Yep, I think that's the case too. Even if you took the bundled copies out of the equation, FIFA 16 is surely outselling PES 2016 by a large margin?

Poor excuses, really.

Konami only have themselves to blame. When PES was at the top of its game (around PES5 era) they failed to invest in the series and evolve it into a next-gen football title fit for the 360 and PS3. Everything since has been a tale of 'what ifs' and 'next year'...all very underwhelming.

 

[vialli82]

EA stoles licenses and block them with "exclusivity" contracts when they have opportunity, you can't deny it.

PES is btw not the first victim, NHL2K, Top Spin (vs Gran Slam Tennis), and they even try without success to make the same process with Fifa Manager fully licensed... But it was versus Football Manager, a complete defeat for EA.

I can blame Konami for many things, but it's hard to make a good package with a game full of "fakes" (names, shirts, presentation, missing leagues etc.)

 

[winston]

I can blame Konami for many things, but it's hard to make a good package with a game full of "fakes" (names, shirts, presentation, missing leagues etc.)

PES has always been full of fakes, but it didn't stop them making the superior games in PES 1 to 6. The game has hardly developed at all in the decade since then so it's hardly surprising the sales figures have been in steadly decline. Konami have got exactly what they deserved.

 

[vialli82]

Before, you can exchange memory card and there was a less teams, an very less work to do, and Fifa was shitty...

But even at that time, Fifa always have sold much copies even when PES was far better. So now on if the gameplay of both franchise are "playable" there's no choice to make. The first big hit was the Bundesliga exclusivity... It doesn't feel that bad for PES6, but with the time...

And the second was totally Konami's fault with a portage of their PS2 physics engine on PS360 instead of making a new one, like Fifa do. And it's Konami's fault to not provide as much employees to PES Production to fits standards next-gen games.
All the money goes "on the pitch" and player's apparence. Such things as database, online, off the pitch immersion, and presentation are neglected, seems like only 5 or 6 people working on that.

Even if personnally i really dislike Fifa "Ignite" version (15/16, didn't play 14 on PS4) and find PES 2015/16 correct but very perfectible.

 

[Lons]

People who say licenses are not important in Pes are really ignorance. Of course licenses is very important in this days. The time was changed. How this game can compete in Europe with FIFA without leagues like Premiership, Bundesliga and famous stadiums? The funniest is that is not only my opinion but Seabass too. Adam and some users say licenses is not important to compete with FIFA but Seabass who created this game say different. It's funny when I read Adam's opinion about it. Seabass said 6 years ago. The main problem to compete with FIFA is lack of licenses not only engine. I can imagine in Pes 2017 English Premier League with full stadia and Bundesliga. Sales will go up like a rocket. In this days you can't sales millions copy sport game game without licenses. In another way. Can you imagine FIFA with poor license like in Pes? Do you still think FIFA will sales 8-10 millions copy? No way!