E3 2011

You know what, I wouldn't put it past Microsoft to implement achievements for sharing ads with friends. That's probably the next step "Achievement Unlocked Bronze Ad medallion Share 10 awesome advertisements with your Bros!"

edited 22nd Jun '11 4:19:38 PM by ShadowScythe

PS Triple

Okay, some people don't understand the following:

Companies tend to make much more money off advertisements than they do from people who complain about things (channels, hardware, etc.) people weren't going to watch anyway. That's where their money comes from. Advertising. Not an additional person or two sitting in front of a hunk of metal or plastic.

Now let's compare this to companies that can't be advertised on. Nike, for example. Or a book publisher. Their money comes from the difference in cost between how much a product is manufactured for and how much they sell it for. TV station, websites, and electronics companies can make some profit, yes, but when you have other companies shelling out between thousands and millions of dollars to advertise to the millions of target customers you already have, one more unit sold or not doesn't really matter that much.

Long story short, unless you started some campaign to stop sales and return sales already made, and it was noticed by the advertisers as a loss in target customers, you not buying a unit/continuing to be a channel's viewer really doesn't mean shit to them.

The sad, REAL American dichotomy

But Microsoft is not an ad-driven company. It's a company that sells stuff.

Infinite Tree: an experimental story

Yeah. Stuff like internet browsers. That run ads.

Operating systems. That run 3rd party software. And ads.

Of course, game consoles. Which, guess what, can run ads. With games that have ads in them. On software made by 3rd parties.

And As I'm typing this message, there is literally a "Google TV Ads" banner on the side of my screen. Not Microsoft, I know, but still helping my case.

The sad, REAL American dichotomy

Microsoft does not sell internet browsers. It packages them in its operating system, which doesn't come with ads, but does allow software to display ads. Microsoft does not make any money from these ads, as they aren't run by Microsoft.

The primary source of income here is the system and the first-party games. And to claim that Microsoft profits from third-party ads that happen to run on games made for its console is laughable.

And as for Google, Google does make the majority of its money from ads. Hence why so many of its services are free.

edited 22nd Jun '11 5:38:18 PM by INUH

Infinite Tree: an experimental story

In any case, just because a company isn't completely ad driven doesn't mean that they can't still make money from it. As the guy in the video specifically said in one of his first lines, he's part of a division at Microsoft that focuses on getting ads to gamers through the 360 and Kinect. This video is just them being much less subtle.

Also, 3rd party software and ads are functionally the same thing. Another company paying you to get their product to the consumer by a means you have provided.

My point still being a couple disgruntled gamers may not mean that much in the long run, unless they actually affect the potential for advertising revenue.

To the best of my knowledge, that just applies to Nintendo. both Sony and Microsoft sell their products at a loss at first, so they can build up their install base, then sell more games over the lifespan. Also, what first- or even second-party games does Microsoft have besides Halo and Banjo? Me not being an X Box gamer, I honestly don't know.

edited 22nd Jun '11 5:48:39 PM by wanderlustwarrior

The sad, REAL American dichotomy

Isn't this not really E3 news? We really should have dedicated Wii, 360 and PS 3 topics.

Dumbo

I don't mind them here...

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

@Wanderlust: When it comes to Microsoft's gaming division, their profits may not come primarily from selling Xbox 360s, but less buyers and more users selling their consoles means fewer games sold (where most console manufacturers expect to profit) and fewer users to advertise to, meaning the value of advertising on the console is less.

Microsoft has quite a bit of first-party development going on.

edited 22nd Jun '11 6:26:58 PM by Miijhal

Which is why I said when an individual does it, it's not the greatest impact, but if they can get others to do it, then it would be. I definitely recognize that scenario.

Alright then, as I said, I simply wasn't aware. But now I can see that they have several. For one, I didn't know that Forza or PGR were first party. I didn't include stuff like Viva Pinata or Conker, because I thought those series were dead.
My bad.

edited 22nd Jun '11 6:29:05 PM by wanderlustwarrior

The sad, REAL American dichotomy

The thing that has everyone pissed off is that they are paying 60 bucks a year and STILL getting bombarded with ads.

If it was PSN and still free, then you can make a case that they need advertisement for proper revenue. But this is just adding up more crap. What are XBL users paying for? Cross game chat? Sony's getting that soon.

^That reminds me of Please Read: A Personal Appeal...

Although, it would make sense if Microsoft showed where the 60$ goes.

edited 22nd Jun '11 7:22:55 PM by RocketDude

"Hipsters: the most dangerous gang in the US." - Pacific Mackerel

I thought they started charging for some PSN stuff. No?

The sad, REAL American dichotomy

Playstation plus and that covers a small discount to some games and a few games/themes. but its much less than $60 per month

Apocalypse: Dirge Of Swans.

And its completely optional and not required to PLAY GAMES.

Reviving this to mention that the issue of Game Informer I just got is full of E3 stuff, including a top 50 games of E3. Basics of the artilcles:

Press conference grades (spoilered so you can see how close your grade is to Game Informer's) and focus of article:

• Microsoft : C- : Kinect games
• Sony : B- : Vita
• Nintendo : C+ : Wii U (has the same number of pages as the other two combined)

Best Trailers:

1. Overstrike
2. Devil May Cry
3. Darksiders II
4. Ryse
5. Halo 4

Downloadable games at E3

How The Old Republic, Tera, Defiance, and End Of Nations compare/contrast with World Of Warcraft

HD remakes

A "1" rating puts a game at the same level as Mr. Caffeine this month.

Anything people would like to know about the E3 related info?

PS: nice to know that the California violent video games law was struck down.

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!

Why do I still have the feeling that this is the worst full size E3 I watched?