Microsoft Marketing Fail

[Soviet Heavy]

It is no surprise to the PC community that Fable 3 got delayed, while the 360 version came out on time.

The PC version is now set to come out... on the exact same day as The Witcher 2.
Way to go Microsoft, you really know how to market your games. This is an obvious attempt to try and take a cut of sales from a competing RPG.

Allow me to explain why this plan is going to fail completely for Microsoft. First off, Fable has never been known for consistent gameplay. While initial sales might be strong, under a few months scrutiny, the glaring flaws in each title always emerge. Be it the broken economy, ass backwards Sanctuary system, or overpowered magic, the major criticisms get rolling following the release.

So Microsoft decides in its infinite wisdom to hold back on the PC release. Instead of catching a load of hungry customers in the initial wave, bumping up your sales, you decided to delay it, so it could compete with The Witcher 2. The only problem is that, you've already pissed off PC gamers by delaying the game, they are now aware of its flaws, and a shiny new exclusive PC RPG is coming out the same day.

What are they going to pick? The game they were shafted for months ago and has a bunch of glaring flaws? The game that will receive little support and will most likely be a bad console port? The game that promises harder difficulty as an exclusive feature?

Or are they going to go with the game that has a good following, dedicated PC support, and a Dev team that went out of their way to make an entire overhaul to an already decent RPG?

I'm going to stick with The Witcher 2 thanyouverymuch. I don't like getting jerked around so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

 

[Andrew_Mac]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Well, we all know any poor sales of delayed console ports will be blamed on PIRATES!!!(yarrr) rather than them being delayed so that most people interested in the game got the console version, the hype wearing off months before the PC version drops, all the game's glaring flaws being thoroughly dissected by console gamers and/or that the game get released close to a popular PC title.

Microsoft will never admit one of their pet devs got their arses handed to them by a Polish developer who've shown the PC nothing but love - the free upgrade for The Witcher to The Witcher Enhanced Edition was seriously big love.


Oh yeah, I think the lack of Fable 2 on PC may also hurt sales of Fable 3 just a bit.

 

[Calcium]

Just to clarify, Lionhead has no say when it comes to releasing it?

I think the main problem is simply publishing it so late. Didn't cement itself as the most reliable game. The ammount of glitches I've had on it are ridiculous and include:

Having an invisible wife whom I was paying upkeep to yet had seemingly fled the country...
All weapon stats resetting after playing the game for 80-100 hours...
Losing multiple saves of progress (round about 4 hours gameplay)...
And my characters hand getting stuck in a position that could be construed as offensive...

And so much more. Long story short; the delays allowed the unreliability to be exposed.

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

How exactly is it a marketing fail if they are competing with other RPG's?

 

[mikespoff]

Given

Oh yeah, I think the lack of Fable 2 on PC may also hurt sales of Fable 3 just a bit.

Yeah, failing to support PC for Fable 2 probably killed off a lot of the appeal of the franchise. I had some fun with Fable, but I'm certainly not rushing out to buy Fable 3.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Just to clarify, Lionhead has no say when it comes to releasing it?

Depends on the contract they have with Microsoft, really. Final release is almost always the publisher's call, barring development delays and the like (or in some cases, regardless of said delays).

 

[Merkavar]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

 

[Andrew_Mac]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

never heard of it.

 

[Ghengis John]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

never heard of it.

And there you go ladies and gentlemen. Perspective. Take it or leave it.

 

[Andrew_Mac]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

never heard of it.

And there you go ladies and gentlemen. Perspective. Take it or leave it.

glad to be your prime example

 

[xxDontknowHowtoDeleteanAccountxx]

I have to agree on some points, if only because I was waiting to buy Fable III for the PC, but at some point I simply stopped caring. Not that I read reviews saying it was bad, or was advised against getting it, I just lost all interest.

But I certainly don't agree with the 'marketing fail' in trying to sell the game in a time where its target audience will have money saved up to spend on videogames on the day of its release. Nor do I agree with slapping the blame on Microsoft for the long delay, at the very least this is a collaborative effort between MS and Lionhead.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

never heard of it.

And there you go ladies and gentlemen. Perspective. Take it or leave it.

glad to be your prime example

"The Internet: Where making dickish comments gets you an honourable mention."

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

How exactly is it a marketing fail if they are competing with other RPG's?

If we take into consideration the ill-will Microsoft and Lionhead earned themselves from the PC gaming community and the loyalty that CD Projekt have earned themselves from the same community the term 'competing' may be being overly generous to Fable 3.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

How exactly is it a marketing fail if they are competing with other RPG's?

Because it isn't going to work. Why would you wait four months to release a game to compete with a much stronger exclusive title, instead of releasing it simultaneously with the console launch? They would have made a lot more money off the bat, given that people wouldn't have had time to ***** about it before Microsoft and Lionhead got their money.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

But I certainly don't agree with the 'marketing fail' in trying to sell the game in a time where its target audience will have money saved up to spend on videogames on the day of its release.

But are The Witcher 2's target audience really the same people as Fable 3's target audience? Yeah there'll be overlap, naturally, but... I dunno... maybe it's from being a long time RPGer (both tabletop and PC) so maybe I'm just more sensitive to divisions within the RPG community.

Nor do I agree with slapping the blame on Microsoft for the long delay, at the very least this is a collaborative effort between MS and Lionhead.

Yes, Microsoft have never delayed or cancelled the release of a completed PC game before. Oh wait, yes they have.

 

[Andrew_Mac]

so Microsoft can try and sap sales away from a game that actually deserves them.

such as?

witcher 2

never heard of it.

And there you go ladies and gentlemen. Perspective. Take it or leave it.

glad to be your prime example

"The Internet: Where making dickish comments gets you an honourable mention."

what a wonderful invention.

and by the way, i wasn't meaning to make dickish comments. i've genuinely never heard of it. what is witcher, what is it about?

 

[Janus Vesta]

If feel I should point out that Fable 3 is a terrible game. It's like they took Fable 2 and stipped half the game out, then charged ?60 for it.

 

[Ghengis John]

"The Internet: Where making dickish comments gets you an honourable mention."

Had to be said. Basically you have a guy hyper fuming because some obscure game 90% of people never heard of is getting some imagined snub. Not that I haven't, even if I never finished the first game. Btw is your handle there a Zulu reference? If so, great film.

 

[Super Toast]

The Witcher 2 will leave it in the dust. And rightly so.