Gp32blu In Europe - Marketing Power

[Johndifo]

It seems that the GP32 launch in Europe will have some serious power:


http://www.mediamarkt.es/productos_v4/index.php3

Now we start to see some serious well done marketing, and I believe that in this way GP32 will make some big waves. The retailers BELIEVE in GP32BLU.

Relatively low price + Big retailers + Good Marketing = Sales

Sales = Developers Support

Developers Support = Sales

What do you think?

 

[mattmagoo]

I enjoy your childlike optimism, but it's gonna fail.

Kids will get it, relise they only know ow to play commercial games and then take it back because the commercial games are shoddy, short and rubbish

It's gonna fail, and we can't stop it
ARGHHHHH

 

[damaki]

I think you've forgotten something, there aren't many commercial games on GP32 and it has a more restrictive audience than other systems (computer owners). And it comes from an unknown firm, GamePark. These are the main issues.
I think they should try to sell the console with a CD full of homebrew games, or a guide with websites related to GP32 community. Because I don't think the average Joe will find the real GP32 features otherwise.

 

[washo]

sad but true...
unfortunately child won't know how to use it correctly so they will play Tomak, her knights....but they won't play : GB/GBC/GG/SMS/GEN/SNES/.......or final war, advance war...
I think that cant be helped...
Gamepark should write a note about homebrew games and emulators...

see you :lol:

 

[Steve-O]

that GP32 has different colour buttons etc -

 

[TeDaDeS]

I would buy it, but I guess most people are lazy and stupid.
So they'll think there are only 20 games or so. And most of
them are korean.

Then they'll think: "I'll just copy mp3's and movies to my SMC"
and it won't work because they didn't use the GP32 software
or they just copied a .mpg to the SMC.

They'll say the GP32 stinks, but infact they are just stupid&lazy.

Thats why I think the GP32 will fail.

The only to make the GP32 to sell good, is to have 1 or more
top titles. Maybe some GBA titles ported, but offical and all.
Maybe then the GP32 will be accepted as a good gaming device.

If you remeber the 'SuperVision', this is the same story.
Better/faster then gameboy, but less (and less good) games.
I liked it, no problems with it. But it just didn't sell a lot.

 

[washo]

So they'll think there are only 20 games or so

If only there were 20 games
only 6 will be available for the EU launch...
that is tooooooooo small
Maybe GP should have worked out with licences they have (Street fighters....).
But they didnt...so they will fail....(I dont want that) but we, as a community, cant do anything

see you :lol:

 

[Enslaved]

Why not e-mail Virgin before its too late? We could do a little text file that says about the homebrew community (It could also say about PDRoms.com) and it could ship on the SMC that will come with it since it will have a text reader and people will probably want to try out the little apps first, it could say in the manual about the guide on the SMC too just in case. I really think we should do this, or at least tell them to say about the homebrew games in their ADs and maybe some homebrew developers could let Virgin use their games as examples of the homebrew community. Akuma no Houkon, EmuMan, and mATkEUpON could be good people to ask since their games dont seem to use ripped GFX that could attract lawyers.

 

[Q-Wi-Q]

nice idea....

you do it.

 

[Enslaved]

Gah, can someone give me an e-mail address I can use to contact Virgin? I'm gonna do this if they say yes.

 

[Hooka]

Give 'em balls Enslaved maybe use the forums on virgin play if you can't find the email address.

 

[TeDaDeS]

free homebrew cd/smc included, that would be cool. B)

 

[Nacho]

in some shops they sell a smc plenty of homebrews programs

 

[RichyX]

Hasn't this release of the GP in Spain etc. sparked off any development companies to do stuff for it? Seems strange that not even one company is doing anything for it. Every sh*te console or whatever has at least a few companies behind it.

 

[Enslaved]

I tried sending Virgin an e-mail but it didn't work so Hooka sent for me.

Here it is:

Hello,

I have been a part of the GP32 community for several months and do not want the GP32 launch to fail miserably. So I am going to ask you nicely, Is it too late for me to make a document that can be shipped with the GP32s (On SMC or in the manual) that tells the buyer about the homebrew community? There are hundreds of free games made by the community that can be downloaded for free for the GP32 and I just want them to know about them so they do not get bored of the 6 or 7 launch titles and make them return them to the stores. Ok I dont even need to make a textfile, you can just put on the boxes or in the advertisements "Large homebrew community making tons of quality games" to attract more people. Just check out www.pdroms.com and go to the GP32 section to see what there is in the GP32 section, yes, there are emulators and I know you can't really put that in your ads, but when someone sees your link to that site and sees there is an emulator section, he/she will tell their friends and so on and the GP32 will gain a good rep. So just put a small section in the guide saying about homebrew and giving a link to that site and put a thing in your ads that says homebrew and you'll have a winner!

Thanks alot for reading my e-mail and I hope it makes a difference.

 

[washo]

nice mail...
I hope that will help...

see you :lol:

 

[Hazey]

@nacho's picture:

I'm quite curious as to which programs/utils/games are actually on that SMC they're selling. I mean, might any of those be from the homebrew scene? Because if some are, I wonder whether authors were contacted about this.
*curious*

 

[Mosch]

I thought the same when I saw this picture, Hazey.... also I sincerely doubt that. Let's see, PDRoms list 159 GP32 games. And let's face it, there's a lot of crap. Now let's go over the most popular ones:

1. Beats of Rage. Requires the PAK-files which will be a drawback for Pokemon-kiddies.
2. SCUMMVM: Needs several files from the games themselves to work.
3. DOOM: Needs the wad to work
4. Giana's Return: Works, but is more of an "oldschool" difficulty. AKA to hard for todays wussy gamers
5. KOF: Works, but the really interesting is adding fighters, which would also (god forbid) require some trial and error or at least (even worse) reading of the manual

Yes, I am very selective, but that is to prove a point. They can't market emulators either by the way I sincerely doubt that some commercial took the time to code "100+" games, applications and so on, so they must come from the homebrew scene. NOBODY ever talked about being approached by Gamepark/Virgin about their work and if it may be used for the euro launch - and I suppose anyone would at once tell that Gamepark actually contacted them

So.... I wait for Perfectfit on that SMC - you'll see, Akuma

 

[Nacho]

yes. i wondered the same. I think they are'nt contacted programmers...

 

[mattmagoo]

I thought the same when I saw this picture, Hazey.... also I sincerely doubt that. Let's see, PDRoms list 159 GP32 games. And let's face it, there's a lot of crap. Now let's go over the most popular ones:

1. Beats of Rage. Requires the PAK-files which will be a drawback for Pokemon-kiddies.
2. SCUMMVM: Needs several files from the games themselves to work.
3. DOOM: Needs the wad to work
4. Giana's Return: Works, but is more of an "oldschool" difficulty. AKA to hard for todays wussy gamers
5. KOF: Works, but the really interesting is adding fighters, which would also (god forbid) require some trial and error or at least (even worse) reading of the manual

Yes, I am very selective, but that is to prove a point. They can't market emulators either by the way I sincerely doubt that some commercial took the time to code "100+" games, applications and so on, so they must come from the homebrew scene. NOBODY ever talked about being approached by Gamepark/Virgin about their work and if it may be used for the euro launch - and I suppose anyone would at once tell that Gamepark actually contacted them

So.... I wait for Perfectfit on that SMC - you'll see, Akuma

maybe they were, but were sworn to secrecy by the hypno baby