Will the relatively poor sales of GT6 affect the development of GTSport?

[chzsln485]

Let's put it simply. PDI make games to make money. You make a good game, it sells well, you make money. Make a bad game, it sells badly, you make far less money. Now, GT6 wasn't a bad game, but it was far closer to the latter than the former. It's sold relatively poorly for a main series GT game, it's made PDI far less money. That alone should be an incentive. Plus, the fact they haven't updated their sales website, not even mentioning the performance at all (compared to GT5, where they kept going "ooh, look how well it's selling"). The fact it was similar to GT5, even with its improvements, combined with the fact it was launched after the highly anticipated PS4, probably put GT6 in a disadvantageous position from day one. Had it been released a year earlier, maybe it would have sold a bit better. I get the feeling, maybe the game wasn't quite as bad as the sales would suggest, I think there was more to it than the sales figures being the direct related to the game's quality.

 

[paskowitz]

I find the notion that PD would not look at these sales figures or consider them at all to be patently ridiculous. You don't go from 10 million sales to 2 million sales and just shrug it off. It doesn't matter the product, the industry, or the company, that type of drop matters.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I find the notion that PD would not look at these sales figures or consider them at all to be patently ridiculous. You don't go from 10 million sales to 2 million sales and just shrug it off. It doesn't matter the product, the industry, or the company, that type of drop matters.

To be fair, the massive (estimated, damnit Virag) drop in sales might have been part of the plan all along. PD almost assuredly knew it would sell less than GT6, though by how much is the question. I can't imagine them aiming for less than half, though...

If they've been working with a split crew for years now - one on GT6, one on the inevitable PS4 GT - and developed GT6 on a relative shoestring budget, perhaps they weren't looking for massive sales. It'd also certainly explain the general feel of GT6 being so similar to GT5, somewhat.

 

[FoRiZon]

GT6 is so underadvertised its not even on any of their fantasy race cars.

No seriously. Just look at the SRT Challenger Touring Car sponsors. Its still a freaking GT5!

PD knew this would happened. Its a continuation of GT5 after all. The only reason PD release GT6 after all was to fit their culture that is 2 GTs per Playstation.

 

[chzsln485]

To be fair, the massive (estimated, damnit Virag) drop in sales might have been part of the plan all along. PD almost assuredly knew it would sell less than GT6, though by how much is the question. I can't imagine them aiming for less than half, though...

If they've been working with a split crew for years now - one on GT6, one on the inevitable PS4 GT - and developed GT6 on a relative shoestring budget, perhaps they weren't looking for massive sales. It'd also certainly explain the general feel of GT6 being so similar to GT5, somewhat.

That is something I've considered. It would have been very naive for PDI to assume that GT6 would sell well considering it was a PS3 title, somewhat similar to its predecessor, released after the PS4 did. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the content new to GT6 was taken from the development cycle from GT7, scaled back a bit, and parceled up in a PS3 game - and hey presto, a brand new game to keep people happy with whilst GT7 is worked on, produced at a tiny cost by cannily using existing assets.

 

[VBR]

Ironic isn't it, that GT6 was dumbed down for the masses & yet people didn't buy it in their masses.

 

[FoRiZon]

Ironic isn't it, that GT6 was dumbed down for the masses & yet people didn't buy it in their masses.

I think people didnt buy it in their masses because GT6 dumbed down for the masses.

Spoiler

Actually dumbed down because of the no endurance is a rough call tbh.

 

[Famine]

Let's put it simply. PDI make games to make money. You make a good game, it sells well, you make money. Make a bad game, it sells badly, you make far less money. Now, GT6 wasn't a bad game, but it was far closer to the latter than the former. It's sold relatively poorly for a main series GT game, it's made PDI far less money.

Polyphony Digital does not publish the game and so does not make money from sales.

Polyphony is provided with a budget by SCEI. SCEI publishes the game and makes money from sales.

 

[chzsln485]

Polyphony Digital does not publish the game and so does not make money from sales.

Polyphony is provided with a budget by SCEI. SCEI publishes the game and makes money from sales.

Well, to fix my explanation, Sony would certainly question the budgets being given to develop GT games, and indeed, the worth and relevance of Polyphony Digital as a first-party development group. No more "most expensive game in history to develop" if this ~3 million sales figure is indicative of a new, low trend in GT game sales. Not that I think it will be, as I feel GT6's sales are a relative anomaly that (hopefully) GT7 won't repeat.

 

[paskowitz]

Polyphony Digital does not publish the game and so does not make money from sales.

Polyphony is provided with a budget by SCEI. SCEI publishes the game and makes money from sales.

And to follow up on this point, if PD isn't taking a keen notice, SCE certainly will. I don't think the conversations would be "hostile". Somebody probably said, "Hey, this didn't work out. Lets understand why and then come up with a content/release/promotion strategy for future GTs that avoids these pitfalls".

With all that said, I think Kaz's shrewdest move so far has been Vision GT. It may not "increase sales of GT" but it sure builds bridges with the auto industry. He now has the majority of the auto industry on his side (Hey GT is this platform you can express X brand message). Same deal with the FIA. This likely swings some licensing power back to PD. This may not directly save them money, but I am sure it has made communicating a lot easier. Now even the densest auto execs and marketing managers know what GT is.

 

[Pseudopod]

Btw the poll options are complete ****.

 

[syntex123]

Why?

 

[Johnnypenso]

Why?

They aren't. The answers are basically, yes, somewhat and no. When the poll question was made, the sales of GT6, which were abysmal, were derived from the Virag/SCEA lawsuit, which was subsequently shown to be unreliable. I left it up to the mods to leave the thread open or close it after that and they chose to leave it open.

 

[gtracedriver1]

Why?

Just like 98% of the threads here have the same people saying same thing over and over again for years

 

[GT98]

Everyone got burnt by GT5 so no one bothered with GT6 i assume

 

[Froudeybrand]

GT6 was released at a bad time, why would do it when a new Sony console just arrived and not make it a PS3 / PS4 game?

 

[Tired Tyres]

It was an online focused game. The offline "gameplay" is severely lacking therefore people didn't buy it.

Until they put online on the backburner where a minority interest ought to be and concentrate their attentions on the one player aspect they will fail.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

The logic of your post escapes me. If most of your mates have graduated to PS4, how is a 2.0 update going to pick up more players/sales? Do you think they'll drag their dusty PS3's up from the basement to play GT6 when they could just use their PS4 to play Drive Club or Project Cars?

True most of my mates might not. Although saying that they like I have both machines set up and flit between the two dependant on the game.

But it's not about us who already have it its about those who don't.

Right before gt5 bowed out they dropped a new version which was in effect the game of the year with all the dlc we'd all bought and paid for for the cost of the game plus a brand new car. That made for another few hundred thousand units sold too.

So I'd imagine that many will still buy it.

Not all sales have to be generated in the first 6 months of release.

 

[Johnnypenso]

True most of my mates might not. Although saying that they like I have both machines set up and flit between the two dependant on the game.

But it's not about us who already have it its about those who don't.

Right before gt5 bowed out they dropped a new version which was in effect the game of the year with all the dlc we'd all bought and paid for for the cost of the game plus a brand new car. That made for another few hundred thousand units sold too.

So I'd imagine that many will still buy it.

Not all sales have to be generated in the first 6 months of release.

You're living in fantasy land if you think a Spec 2.0 for GT6, on a nearly 2 years out of date console, is going to give any significant boost in sales. I can't see a significant amount of people with a PS4, returning to the PS3, if they even still have one, to play this game just because of an update.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

You're living in fantasy land if you think a Spec 2.0 for GT6, on a nearly 2 years out of date console, is going to give any significant boost in sales. I can't see a significant amount of people with a PS4, returning to the PS3, if they even still have one, to play this game just because of an update.

Ok. Sure.

That's a fine argument to make.

But it's not what I've said is it.

You do realise that they still sell ps3's right?

And that a lot of people who buy or have them still use them too.

So if you can for just the smallest moment shift your rather narrow focus off the ps4 crowd and move it towards those still on the console or who may yet but it you might find its a small but still big enough buyers market.

Indeed 3.66 million new ps3's were sold last year. Sure that dwarfed by the 12+ million ps4's. But don't forget in 2014 12% of the console market was still ps2's.

http://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Please don't double post, that's what the Edit button is for 👍.

While you're right that not all sales need to be generated in the first half-year, statistically, roughly 50% of a game's total sales are found in the first month. There are exceptions of course, but that's a pretty safe standard to rely on. Even GT5, with the afore-mentioned 2.0 re-release, followed this pattern.

Even if a 2.0 showed up (which is seeming increasingly unlikely now), it would be incredibly unlikely that it makes for a significant uptick in the sales totals for GT6. The best shot for that was/is the course creator.

 

[rosckolove]

I think it kind of sucks that GT6 wasn't what it should have been. Basically it was GT5.5. Heck, parts of the game weren't even as good as the previous iteration.

However, overall I think that this is good for the GT fan/consumer. They released a failure of a game. Financially, it was a failure. The GT player base has taken a HUGE hit.

They know that they have to produce something amazing to get the fan base back to what it was. And now they have a real reason to think about the consumer and actually make something amazing.

I never get involved in the hype or predictions or ranting that seems to be the norm on these forums. I still get far to much enjoyment playing the game. But....

I think GT7 is Gonna make or break PD at this point. If they fail to deliver I don't think there will be a GT8.

But I think they are going to deliver, no actually I think they are going to blow our minds. I think GT7 will be the best Gran Turismo by far. Great physics, phenomenal graphics, tuning that works and isn't backwards. Great sounds, a smooth and reliable online experience. No game breaking glitches. I think it's going to be nothing short of absolutely amazing.

And if it's not. Say goodbye to gran turismo.

I think that the recent failure is in turn going to give birth to the best racing game we have ever seen.

 

[super_gt]

But I think they are going to deliver, no actually I think they are going to blow our minds. I think GT7 will be the best Gran Turismo by far. Great physics, phenomenal graphics, tuning that works and isn't backwards. Great sounds, a smooth and reliable online experience. No game breaking glitches. I think it's going to be nothing short of absolutely amazing.

You are very big optimist
I already said goodbye to Gran Turismo and this is the only way for PD to bring me back.

 

[rosckolove]

I know. I just feel like PD finally has a fire lit under there arses and they HAVE to deliver. Otherwise gran turismo will be no more.

 

[MKVSupra]

For one lol all this psudo itlligento talk based of bs numbers. Only sales we know that are legitamate is 500k for japan.

Two, the future gts have been payed for ten times over by past sales.

 

[Imari]

For one lol all this psudo itlligento talk based of bs numbers.

The irony is palpable.

Two, the future gts have been payed for ten times over by past sales.

That's not how business works.

Sony will not allow Polyphony to make losses on the next half dozen Gran Turismos until it balances out. If Polyphony looks like they're going down the gurgler, then Sony will pull out while they're still ahead.

The whole point of business is to make money, not to piss it away on someone's hobby horse.

 

[JKgo]

psudo itlligento

...??? I've no idea what this means.

 

[Johnnypenso]

...??? I've no idea what this means.

I think it's Italian for , "Italian gentleman's suit"

 

[Wools]

I think the original poster is already wrong with one of their first assumptions that GT6 was targeted as casuals.

I think it was targeted at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. And even if it was targeted as casuals, why is that a bad thing as that would surely bring in more sales?

 

[Johnnypenso]

I think the original poster is already wrong with one of their first assumptions that GT6 was targeted as casuals.

I think it was targeted at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. And even if it was targeted as casuals, why is that a bad thing as that would surely bring in more sales?

The AI in the game is not only slow, it literally slows down and lets you pass for the win. Almost regardless of the rest of the game, that alone would make it a game targeted at casual players.