Lee presents: A look at gaming - December

[Lee]

Well lets try the same format as last month, there is no real hardware of any worth due out this month so lets move on


The Big Seller

Spoiler

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

Whilst it's not a big seller like COD, WOW has 12 million paying subscribers, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King sold over 2.8 million copies within 24 hours. Expect the same sort of thing from here.

The flop

Last month I predicted Goldeneye, I haven't been able to find sales figues and all I could find was from an activision press conference

"This title has only been out for a few days, but it's already out selling last year's Modern Warfare as Wii SKU for the comparable period."

This month it's another Wii game. Now this game was released in NA last week but because it's out in PAL and JP regions this month it comes under that banner:

Spoiler

Donkey Kong hasn't been relevant since DK64 and this game is bringning SNES nostalgia back, aside from one tinsy tiny little thing Nintendo didn't think through. In the PAL regions they're releasing the game on the same day as...Super Mario Allstars Wii. I mean surely if you're going for a SNES nostalgia trip you don't release it on the same day as your other SNES nostalgia trip?

The unknown

Spoiler

Again released in NA 29th November, worldwide next week this game I don't know much about. I don't know how part one and two passed me by but they did. I'm sure Dagger Dias can tell us what to expect, on this one I cannot.

Special Shout Out

Spoiler

With over 40 video games sponsored by this guy, 25th celebrates the birthday of Jesus.

 

[Dagger Dias]

While I'm not a World of Warcraft fan, I do agree that Catclysm will probably do well. Goldeneye (Wii) did fairly well, at least according to the reviews. It has met with positive reception so it looks like it won't flop. I can't say that I agree with your flop prediction this time around either. Donkey Kong Country Returns is the (Warning, bad joke coming) RETURN of a very popular series and having a new entry for the first time in years, since Donkey Kong 64. I'm sure that it will still do well because fans of the older games who have now grown up will want to check it out, especially those of us who own a Wii. It's also a good way to bring in new fans to the Donkey Kong characters. I don't think it will flop. I'll take a return to the classic formula rather stuff like Donkey Konga any day.

Golden Sun Dark Dawn looks like it will be good. I don't think it will be as good as the second game in the series, or even the first.... but I always welcome a new handheld RPG. I expect a fun new RPG from it, although at first glance of previews and screenshots it doesn't seem like it will bring much new. Definitely agree with putting it in the unknown section, as we will have to wait and see how it does. I'm gonna be checking it out though.

 

[Lee]

While I'm not a World of Warcraft fan, I do agree that Catclysm will probably do well. Goldeneye (Wii) did fairly well, at least according to the reviews. It has met with positive reception so it looks like it won't flop. I can't say that I agree with your flop prediction this time around either. Donkey Kong Country Returns is the (Warning, bad joke coming) RETURN of a very popular series and having a new entry for the first time in years, since Donkey Kong 64. I'm sure that it will still do well because fans of the older games who have now grown up will want to check it out, especially those of us who own a Wii. It's also a good way to bring in new fans to the Donkey Kong characters. I don't think it will flop. I'll take a return to the classic formula rather stuff like Donkey Konga any day.

By flop I mean it won't sell well. Goldeneye hasn't sold too well over here and I've seen it on clearance price in a few stores, DKR has been advertised a lot on TV but it's out the same day as All stars wii. In Japan all stars wii has sold shit loads, it is half the price as DKReturns and All Stars SNES was a bigger seller than DKC on the SNES hence why I feel like it will be a flop.

 

[Dave]

I think that December ought to be a poor month this year, for the industry. The problem being that people's money is already being examined right down to the last penny. When you consider that people are more stringent now than they have been in recent years and that Christmas is fast approaching, I fail to see how any of these games are going to surpass the big sellers of last month.

You talked briefly about Goldeneye and I must tell you that it really failed to get any real sales where I work, In fact, we had estimated that we would have sold out our stock within the first couple of days. However, we didn't and now have our second and third delivery creating a pretty hefty back-stock. I am reluctant to say it was a flop because I haven't played but going purely on sales figures, it failed to live up to it's expectations.

December though, looks like a pretty lacklustre month in gaming, to be honest. Sure World Of Warcraft masquerades as a big seller but I fail to see why people would spend their money on it when the older game is just as expansive and has a bigger community. It will sell, there is no doubt about that. However, I have never really seen the allure of upgrading this game because you probably haven't completely finished the last one. That being said, I think you are right about it being the big seller this month. However, I fully expect to see it being surpassed by Black Ops this month. We are still firing through Black Ops and the deliveries only come in to be sold out within a couple of days.

Last month was really strong for gaming, with the releases of Call Of Duty and Assassin's Creed. I just don't think that December will have quite the same showing but we will but see.

 

[The Crock]

My flop is going to be: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam on the PS3.

The first game was underwhelming and I couldn't believe that people were actually willing to shell out $60 to get it. This one will be no different. It's supposed to be vastly improved, but I don't buy it. If anything this will be a HUGE disappointment.

My big seller aside from WOW is: Super Mario All-Stars.

This game will be lots of fun, a huge trip down memory lane. I'll definitely make sure to play it, even though I don't have a Wii. If loyal fans of the Mario series flock to buy this game then I don't doubt that its sales will rival WOW.

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

The big seller is easily going to be WoW: Cataclysm.

I've played World of Warcraft before, and it really is like a drug. I forced myself to stop playing because I didn't want to end up as a slob sat on my ass playing a video game all day...although that didn't get me very far being apart of a Wrestling forum and being a Graphic Designer did it?

There are what, 13-15 million people that play World of Warcraft now? It's one of the most popular MMORPG's out there, and it's easily one of the most popular games for the PC. I like Blizzard, they dish out good, solid, replayable games.

My Flop however, is going to be Call of Duty: Black Ops.

I've heard so many bad things about this game already, I'm actually pondering on whether to buy it or not. I know it's a new game and a new game is bound to have a few glitches, but spawning on your enemy's side of the map all the time? That's a 50/50 chance of survival and when they decide they aren't going to fix it, it ruins the gaming experience. I've never been a fan of the newest Call of Duty releases because they're churned out like newspapers and they think that a 'good-game' is having about 8 out.

The wait from Call of Duty 3 to Call of Duty 4 was just really long, and it really made for a brilliant all-round game in the end. I would have been happy if Call of Duty 4 was the last Call of Duty game released...but what do I know, I'm a Graphic Designer, not a Game Designer.

 

[The Doctor]

I really think Super Mario All Stars will be a bigger flop than Donkey Kong Country. Look, nostalgia is great, but when you already have the originals, the first Super Mario All Stars collection, the various re-releases for GBC and GBA, Virtual Console, and the rise of emulation, the All Stars collection is tired and played out. Great games, even now? Yes. But what about this collection is new? New graphics or new games? Nope, it's just the old SNES game in disc form, with a book and box thrown in for good measure.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is retro, but NEW. New levels, new mechanics, old feel. It's the New Super Mario Bros. for the Donkey Kong Country. Nostalgia can only get one so far when we want something more. DKCR is the kind of game that can deliver on both counts. A nostalgic feel, with new levels.

 

[Tastycles]

I think going as far as saying Donkey Kong Country will be a flop will be proven wrong. Will it undersell all-stars? Maybe, but it will do better than most games this month, and if it isn't top ten come December 31st, then I'll be very surprised. I bought it over All Stars, but I haven't had a chance to play it yet, as my employers insist that I go to work, but I preferred DK in the first place, unlike most.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I really think Super Mario All Stars will be a bigger flop than Donkey Kong Country. Look, nostalgia is great, but when you already have the originals, the first Super Mario All Stars collection, the various re-releases for GBC and GBA, Virtual Console, and the rise of emulation, the All Stars collection is tired and played out. Great games, even now? Yes. But what about this collection is new? New graphics or new games? Nope, it's just the old SNES game in disc form, with a book and box thrown in for good measure.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is retro, but NEW. New levels, new mechanics, old feel. It's the New Super Mario Bros. for the Donkey Kong Country. Nostalgia can only get one so far when we want something more. DKCR is the kind of game that can deliver on both counts. A nostalgic feel, with new levels.

Doc hit it on the Head. DKC Returns is a brand new adventure (that has been rated well), while Mario All Stars is literally the same game that came out on the Super Nintendo 20 years ago (and has since been re-released on the WII Virtual Console and DS/GBA/etc).

Donkey Kong Country Returns has received very good reviews. Checking GameSpot, the critic rating (average of ratings from a ton of various professionals thanks to GameRankings.com) was 8.8, so while I'm yet to play it, I'd say the game is a good game. Maybe it won't immediately sell out everywhere due to the cheaper (and not new) Mario All Stars option, I don't think it'll be the flop of the month.

I would also not be quick to downplay GoldenEye. As an owner of the game, I can tell you that it is EASILY the best Bond game since, well, GoldenEye. It too, received moderate praise from Critics (8.4 from the same source as DKC Returns).