So.....How is the game selling? - Page 3

weazmaddux · 03-05-2003, 08:50 AM

I have it and I don't even watch baseball on TV. Just follow it, and play fantasy baseball. I'm huge though into GM-type games, this and Eastside Hockey are probably the 2 games I play most on my PC. (have not tried Championship Manager... not sure even I could get into it... I don't know enough about soccer.

ctorg · 03-05-2003, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shefflad
NYC is baseball crazy! However, city people are mostly Met fans. Most Yankee fans come from outside the city.

This is SOOO true. I'm a Met fan from NYC who moved to Rhode Island only to find it occupied with a multitude of Yankee fans (those who aren't Red Sox fans anyway). In NYC, I met more Met fans than Yankee fans.

Football isn't as big in NYC because they really don't have a team. The Jets and Giants are in New Jersey. Basketball is huge, but hockey is kind of on the fringes. I'd say, in New York, the popularity goes Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey.

JZ Temple · 03-05-2003, 09:03 AM

We're trying to pull more people into the OOTP5 maelstrom by discussing it on the Gonegold.com boards.

ctorg · 03-05-2003, 09:08 AM

I know I've personally gone to baseball sites and posted messages about the game and how great it is.

alinkens · 03-05-2003, 09:20 AM

I bought 2 copies

enuttage · 03-05-2003, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TigersFan23
As someone who works in the industry, you would not imagine how expensive even a small PR/Media/Marketing campaign cost. To be honest, good reviews at IGN or Gamespot do not always result in a big boost in sales and it does cost something to get your product reviewed (i.e. CDs, FedEx cost, etc.)

Doing print ads are even more problematic- and pretty expensive at that! All in all, .400 could might gain back little or nothing for such an effort (or actually lose money). Keep in mind that when you buy a game, the price includes not only development cost but all other related cost (marketing, PR, print/web advertising, TV ads, etc.). That's why you have Triple A games selling for $50.

Markus and .400 have the best form of advertising you could ask for- word of mouth and they keep thier overhead low.

I agree with this logic for the most part. I too work in the advertising industry, and I know for a fact that national radio and TV campaigns are prohibitively expensive for small companies. Hell, they're prohibitively expensive at a regional/local level for small companies/candidates.

And, of course, there's the challenge (though not insurmountable I think) of attempting to use audio or visual (even print, though less so) mediums to promote a text-based product. THAT, is tough. Though I'd love to attempt it.

Hit me up if you want TV produced Markus

-E

GForce22 · 03-05-2003, 04:48 PM

If I recall correctly, OOTP advertised in Baseball Weekly last year for a short stint.

As for the sales, a good question. Since I posted TotalMinors here before it was ever up a BBSC, I would guess a substantial amount more people have downloaded it from sites guys here have hosted than from BBSC. That said, at this point, BBSC registers 365 downloads of TotalMinors.

GH

Shefflad · 03-05-2003, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aadik
I think CM is probably the best selling game in the world; last year, when 01/02 (which was a seasonal update with afew new features came out) it was the fastest ever to 100,000. For CM4, a lot of people like me who skipped 01/02 have ordered it. Im somewhat bemused at the difference between the European and American markets in this way...

CM is the best selling game of all-time in all genres. Keep in mind, however, that the brand has been around for over a decade. (I owned it on my Amiga!)

As for the difference between the two markets, I think it's a matter of tradition in Europe. I can remember playing text-based football (as in soccer) management games in the mid-80's on my humble Spectrum 48 and C64. In it's day, 'Football Manager' was avidly followed and played. American text-based sports games were mainly stats-based replays. Let's face it, soccer doesn't lend itself to anything statbased, hence the growth of management-type role playing in sport.

sporr · 03-05-2003, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JZ Temple
We're trying to pull more people into the OOTP5 maelstrom by discussing it on the Gonegold.com boards.

Thanks for giving accidental props to our league

Crapshoot · 03-09-2003, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shefflad
CM is the best selling game of all-time in all genres. Keep in mind, however, that the brand has been around for over a decade. (I owned it on my Amiga!)

.

Sweet; I keep hearing about these, would love to play em one time...

jmaness84 · 03-09-2003, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Most of America has quit on baseball. Football and basketball appeal to more people nowadays, for certain reasons. I think that the Midwest is one of the few areas where people actually care about baseball.

How many basketball and football teams average yearly attendance of 3 million+ fans?? Id say baseball is still strong. For instance in Atlanta no one goes to the Hawks games, probably cause they suck, but still

I dont have any concrete info in front of me, but id say the MLB has more attendance than Football, basketball, and hockey.

Le Grande Orange · 03-09-2003, 10:56 PM

Depends on how you quantify it.

If you look at total attendance for all games over the course of the league's season, then yes, MLB is still way ahead. But then each team plays 81 home games, so that is why baseball would be on top by the total attendance method.

If you look at average attendance for each game played in the league, then I think the NFL wins hands down. The smallest crowd I can recall seeing listed at an NFL game is 30,000-35,000. Many teams draw over 50,000 for each of their 8 home games. This makes the NFL hard to catch on the per game average method.

The NBA and NHL will finish out of the running in either method, due to limited capacities in their stadiums (typically 15,000-22,000). The 41 home games their teams play can't overcome the small stadiums.

MrWorkrate · 03-09-2003, 11:10 PM

It's hard to judge football attendance to baseball attendance. Football teams only play eight regular season home games a year. If you're a fan of the team, that's only eight opportunities to see your team play. If you're a fan, you make it a point to go see every single home game.

In contrast, it's very difficult to see every home baseball game. When you're talking 81 games in six months, the thought of missing a game or two, even if you have season tickets, really isn't that big of a deal.

Every regular season football game counts, and its impact can be felt immedately. Although every baseball game counts in the end, after the season is over, you generally don't look back to game #67 and one missed play.

Unless you're a Red Sox fan.

jmaness84 · 03-10-2003, 12:16 PM

Yea i know if football teams played 162 games then they would not have a sell out like they do now. If there was only 8 home games a year in baseball im sure there would be some baseball teams with over 100k for attendance in a game. Bottomline is that there is more attendance in baseball than football and basketball.

jgross68 · 03-10-2003, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nirvana91
Sorry, I can't agree with you there. Word of mouth may be the best when it comes to sales percentage , but as far as getting the word out, it is among the worst.

I bought OOTP3 after looking for a Strat-O-Matic-like computer game and trying out Mogul, the earlier (free) versions of PureSim and the Strat demo before finding the greatness of OOTP. I have subsequently gotten two of my buddies hooked; one of them at v4 and the latest with v5. That's six sales right there.

utkbaseball · 03-10-2003, 01:10 PM

I own 3 consoles along with my PC, so I am over at the IGN boards a lot discussing various games, especially baseball games. Since I found OOTP (way back at version 2, still have the CD

) other baseball games have fallen well short in the franchise and simulation aspects. So every chance I get I point other baseball sim fans towards OOTP. There have been quite a few who decided to pick the game up because of the suggestion of a few different people on the IGN boards.

LedgerSko · 03-10-2003, 01:17 PM

I heard about OOTP3 when I was cruising around lookin for High Heat mods. I bought v3 when it came out and have been in it ever since, however I believe I would have stopped buying the product if it wasnt for on-line play. That right there is worth the 35 bucks a year. With solo play I am HOOKED for about 3-4 months after the new release then I get bored with it, because if you win 11 titles in 14 years what is there left to do??

I have also tried to get my friend to take a look at the game but he still wont. I dont know what the hell his problem is

Nirvana91 · 03-10-2003, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jgross68
I bought OOTP3 after looking for a Strat-O-Matic-like computer game and trying out Mogul, the earlier (free) versions of PureSim and the Strat demo before finding the greatness of OOTP. I have subsequently gotten two of my buddies hooked; one of them at v4 and the latest with v5. That's six sales right there.

Six sales is nothing in comparison to what a single commercial, run once a week, at a terrible national tv timeslot, could do.

jgross68 · 03-10-2003, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nirvana91
Six sales is nothing in comparison to what a single commercial, run once a week, at a terrible national tv timeslot, could do.

There's no question that national television exposure would almost certainly produce more than six sales. However, what would even that "terrible timeslot" cost on national TV?
Thing is, no one knows how many other guys out there like me have been OOTP loyalists for 3+ versions and have dragged their friends into the addiction with us. You can't calculate the ROI on that kind of "advertisting" because it's a divide-by-zero error; that is, it costs the developers/publishers nothing and still drives incremental sales volume. I imagine if we were somehow able to gauge the results of traditional vs. word-of-mouth advertising, you might be surprised at the results.
In any case, I don't think we are in position to judge the makers of this fine game and their decision to not run costly television or print advertisements. If they weren't making money on the deal, I doubt we would have made it to version 5.

Le Grande Orange · 03-10-2003, 08:26 PM

There is one solution to expensive television exposure:

Infomercials.

Those late night, program length ads are everywhere, selling all kinds of things. They work well enough, because if they weren't they wouldn't be running. And late night TV air time is much cheaper than prime time.

Pitch your late night OOTP5 informercial concepts here.

03-05-2003, 08:50 AM	#41
weazmaddux Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 45	I have it and I don't even watch baseball on TV. Just follow it, and play fantasy baseball. I'm huge though into GM-type games, this and Eastside Hockey are probably the 2 games I play most on my PC. (have not tried Championship Manager... not sure even I could get into it... I don't know enough about soccer. __________________ You put the balm on? Who told you to put the balm on? I didn't tell you to put the balm on. Why'd you put the balm on? You haven't even been to see the doctor. If your gonna put a balm on, let a doctor put a balm on. -Jackie Chiles

03-05-2003, 09:08 AM	#44
ctorg Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 9,848	I know I've personally gone to baseball sites and posted messages about the game and how great it is. __________________ My music "When the trees blow back and forth, that's what makes the wind." - Steven Wright Fjord emena pancreas thorax fornicate marmalade morpheme proteolysis smaxa cabana offal srue vitriol grope hallelujah lentils

03-05-2003, 09:20 AM	#45
alinkens All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: CT Posts: 1,072	I bought 2 copies __________________ Owner of the Coast to Coast League's Regina Pride

03-09-2003, 11:10 PM	#53
MrWorkrate All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,262	It's hard to judge football attendance to baseball attendance. Football teams only play eight regular season home games a year. If you're a fan of the team, that's only eight opportunities to see your team play. If you're a fan, you make it a point to go see every single home game. In contrast, it's very difficult to see every home baseball game. When you're talking 81 games in six months, the thought of missing a game or two, even if you have season tickets, really isn't that big of a deal. Every regular season football game counts, and its impact can be felt immedately. Although every baseball game counts in the end, after the season is over, you generally don't look back to game #67 and one missed play. Unless you're a Red Sox fan. __________________ I used to come here a lot. Now, not so much.

03-05-2003, 09:03 AM	#43
JZ Temple Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 57	We're trying to pull more people into the OOTP5 maelstrom by discussing it on the Gonegold.com boards.

03-05-2003, 04:48 PM	#47
GForce22 Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,654	If I recall correctly, OOTP advertised in Baseball Weekly last year for a short stint. As for the sales, a good question. Since I posted TotalMinors here before it was ever up a BBSC, I would guess a substantial amount more people have downloaded it from sites guys here have hosted than from BBSC. That said, at this point, BBSC registers 365 downloads of TotalMinors. GH

03-09-2003, 10:56 PM	#52
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,642	Depends on how you quantify it. If you look at total attendance for all games over the course of the league's season, then yes, MLB is still way ahead. But then each team plays 81 home games, so that is why baseball would be on top by the total attendance method. If you look at average attendance for each game played in the league, then I think the NFL wins hands down. The smallest crowd I can recall seeing listed at an NFL game is 30,000-35,000. Many teams draw over 50,000 for each of their 8 home games. This makes the NFL hard to catch on the per game average method. The NBA and NHL will finish out of the running in either method, due to limited capacities in their stadiums (typically 15,000-22,000). The 41 home games their teams play can't overcome the small stadiums.

03-10-2003, 12:16 PM	#54
jmaness84 All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,685	Yea i know if football teams played 162 games then they would not have a sell out like they do now. If there was only 8 home games a year in baseball im sure there would be some baseball teams with over 100k for attendance in a game. Bottomline is that there is more attendance in baseball than football and basketball.

03-10-2003, 01:10 PM	#56
utkbaseball Bat Boy Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2	I own 3 consoles along with my PC, so I am over at the IGN boards a lot discussing various games, especially baseball games. Since I found OOTP (way back at version 2, still have the CD ) other baseball games have fallen well short in the franchise and simulation aspects. So every chance I get I point other baseball sim fans towards OOTP. There have been quite a few who decided to pick the game up because of the suggestion of a few different people on the IGN boards.

03-10-2003, 01:17 PM	#57
LedgerSko All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,085	I heard about OOTP3 when I was cruising around lookin for High Heat mods. I bought v3 when it came out and have been in it ever since, however I believe I would have stopped buying the product if it wasnt for on-line play. That right there is worth the 35 bucks a year. With solo play I am HOOKED for about 3-4 months after the new release then I get bored with it, because if you win 11 titles in 14 years what is there left to do?? I have also tried to get my friend to take a look at the game but he still wont. I dont know what the hell his problem is

03-10-2003, 08:26 PM	#60
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,642	There is one solution to expensive television exposure: Infomercials. Those late night, program length ads are everywhere, selling all kinds of things. They work well enough, because if they weren't they wouldn't be running. And late night TV air time is much cheaper than prime time. Pitch your late night OOTP5 informercial concepts here.