« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3

Author Topic: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?  (Read 721 times)

DarkKobold

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1200
Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« on: October 02, 2012, 09:13:48 AM »
The scenario. It is August 29th, 1990, and you are the president of Hudson Soft USA, in sunny San Fransisco. The Turbografx-16 has been out for 1 year, and you just released the Turbografx CD.  However, you are getting beaten by the hardware superior Sega Genesis, and the hardware inferior Nintendo Entertainment System, run by the third-party monopolizing Nintendo Corp. Also, previews of Nintendo's new killer system are making waves in the gaming publications. However, your sister product, the PC Engine, is still doing well in Japan, compared to Sega's Mega Drive. You want that market share, but here in America.

They say hindsight is 20/20. What would you have done to save Hudson Soft's Console division, and prolong the turbografx lineage? Could anything have saved the TG16 in America?

Logged
Hey, you.

Necromancer

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 21366
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2012, 09:28:05 AM »
Has it been a year already?  :lol:

Short answer (use the search function to find plenty of similar threads for a longer explanation): dump money on third parties to get more quality games brought over from Japan and/or made from scratch to fit US tastes.
Logged
U.S. Collection: 97% complete    155/159 titles

KingDrool

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1990
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2012, 10:04:05 AM »
First post nails it. If you've got the funds, dump more money on third parties.
Logged
Games I Need: Bonk 3 (HuCard), Legend of Hero Tonma, Magical Chase, Soldier Blade, Super Air Zonk.

Got one to sell? PM me!

Tatsujin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12311
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 11:57:25 AM »
- don't waste money on very silly and very unattractive game covers.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 11:59:59 AM by Tatsujin »
Logged
www.pcedaisakusen.net
the home of your individual PC Engine collection!!
PCE Games coundown: 690/737 (47 to go or 93.6% clear)
PCE Shmups countdown: 111/111 (all clear!!)
Sega does what Nintendon't, but only NEC does better than both together!^^

SignOfZeta

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8497
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2012, 12:06:00 PM »
I would rob the 401k fund and flee the country. I'm f*cked.
Logged

MotherGunner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2991
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2012, 01:03:26 PM »
Go easy guys, Dark hasn't seen the older threads and is trying to contribute. 

I would have to say invest in worthwhile exclusives.  A key component is to have a killer app.  Invest in marketing.  You have to be willing to spend money (wisely) to make money.  Unfortunately decisions were still being made in Japan and they were simply out of touch.  Just read about Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II.  Also read about Nintendo's business practices during that time.  I doubt 3rd Parties would be willing to get penalized by Nintendo at that time.  Another thing I would have done is bring more arcade set-ups and shooters to local arcades.  It worked for Neo Geo for a time.
Logged
-MG

SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM (If you want peace, Prepare for war)
SI VIS BELLUM, PARA MATRIMONIUM (If you want war, Prepare for marriage)

BigusSchmuck

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3425
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2012, 01:25:45 PM »
Cut the cdrom addon price in half and start development immediately on a super duo with the arcade card built in? Also, concentrate on more dos ports and advertise it as a cheap alternative to pc gaming. Maybe by porting Civilization over to the cdrom format? Hmmm....
Logged

PunkicCyborg

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3714
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2012, 02:17:36 PM »
I would have brought over Wonder Momo and Energy, that would've made things way different
Logged
(19:28:25) GE0: superdead told me in whisper that his favorite game is mario paint

Nando

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3193
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2012, 03:20:16 PM »
do what sega did...
Logged

BigusSchmuck

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3425
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2012, 06:02:08 PM »
Quote from: Nando on October 02, 2012, 03:20:16 PM
do what sega did...
Minus the sports games? Sure...
Logged

Keith Courage

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2690
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2012, 07:34:34 PM »
1st, I would have made a 2nd controller port mandatory without the need to buy a turbo tap

2nd, Leave most of the game artwork the same as it was in japan.

3rd, translate more JP games to bring to the US that didn't have any issues of 3rd party contracts. There were plenty of games that could have been US releases that Sega or Nintendo didn't have rights to.

Today the pc engine/turbografx is sought after by people because a good majority of their games were not on any other console. I would have built more on that and played it off as a strength in advertising.
Logged

Tatsujin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12311
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2012, 10:51:05 PM »
a good marketing is the A&O of success. also something what sega had to learn much better with their saturn and dreamcast fiasco, especially in oversea regions.
then a good company structure and action plans are needed of how to penetrate the market the best way (what typ games are requested from the US market (market feasbility), good localization of the games and arguments to pull the crowd on your side etc.).
also stuff like johnny vs. feka and stuff was unecessary imo and didn't appeal to the big mass. be hardcore is a good thing, but if it doesn't bring the required cash back, then it won't be any good to survive.
Logged
www.pcedaisakusen.net
the home of your individual PC Engine collection!!
PCE Games coundown: 690/737 (47 to go or 93.6% clear)
PCE Shmups countdown: 111/111 (all clear!!)
Sega does what Nintendon't, but only NEC does better than both together!^^

Black Tiger

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11242
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2012, 12:59:18 AM »
I would have told NEC to buy Sega, kill the Genesis and consolidated first party development for PC Engine games to prepare for Nintendo's long rumored NES successor.
Logged
http://www.superpcenginegrafx.net/forum

Active and drama free PC Engine forum

Nando

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3193
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2012, 02:14:31 AM »
Quote from: BigusSchmuck on October 02, 2012, 06:02:08 PM
Quote from: Nando on October 02, 2012, 03:20:16 PM
do what sega did...
Minus the sports games? Sure...

EA and Sports is what gave Sega a huge edge here in the US.

Madden was pretty much a console seller.
Logged

Father5&JoshUnion

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3079
Re: Let's Play a Game! What would you have done?
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2012, 02:47:39 AM »
Taken the Big N to court over restricting 3rd parties to contribute to the US Turbografx!!
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3
« previous next »