Analyzing Launches

[CaptainZombie]

I keep on hearing as to how the XBOX360 has had the worst launch software wise. I have to disagree with this as you can see at the launch titles over the last 6 years for various platforms.

I still believe that the Dreamcast has had the best launch lineup and no system launch has been able to top that with top quality AAA titles like SEGA had for their launch. The PS2 launch was marred by quantity over quality as when you look at that list there is a lot of crap that was released. Their goal was to top the list that had been released on the DC launch.

The XBOX and Gamecube launches were saved by HALO, DOA3, LUIGI'S MANSION, and ROGUE SQUADRON 2. The DS and PSP both had LUMINES and MARIO 64 to help both systems from becoming failures off the bat.

It leaves me to say that the PS2 launch was successful in terms of system sales, but the launch software had nothing that jumped out and grabbed you. Hopefully with the rumored launch lineup for PS3, we might be in for a treat a year from now and SONY could redeem themselves. What does everyone else think?

DREAMCAST LAUNCH 9/9/99
• Airforce Delta
• Blue Stinger
• Expendable
• Flag to Flag
• House of the Dead 2
• Hydro Thunder
• Monaco Grand Prix
• Mortal Kombat Gold
• NFL 2K
• NFL Blitz 2000
• Pen Pen Tri-Icelon
• Power Stone
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
• Sonic Adventure
• Soul Calibur
• TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat
• Tokyo Xtreme Racer
• TrickStyle

PS2 LAUNCH 10/26/00
• SSX
• Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore
• Tekken Tag Tournament
• Armored Core 2
• Dynasty Warriors 2
• ESPN International Track & Field
• ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding
• Eternal Ring
• Evergrace
• FantaVision
• Gungriffon Blaze
• Kessen
• Madden NFL 2001
• Midnight Club: Street Racing
• MotoGP
• NHL 2001
• Orphen: Scion of Sorcery
• Q-Ball: Billiards Master
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2
• Ridge Racer V
• Silent Scope
• Smuggler's Run
• Street Fighter EX3
• Summoner
• Swing Away Golf
• TimeSplitters
• Unreal Tournament
• Wild Wild Racing
• X-Squad

XBOX LAUNCH 11/15/01
• Halo: Combat Evolved
• Dead or Alive 3
• 4x4 EVO 2
• AirForce Delta Storm
• Arctic Thunder
• Dark Summit
• Mad Dash Racing
• NHL Hitz 20-02
• Shrek
• TransWorld Surf

NINTENDO GAMECUBE LAUNCH 11/18/01
• All-Star Baseball 2002
• Batman Vengeance
• Crazy Taxi
• Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
• Disney's Tarzan Untamed
• Luigi's Mansion
• Madden NFL 2002
• NHL Hitz 20-02
• Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
• Super Monkey Ball
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
• Wave Race: Blue Storm

NINTENDO DS 11/21/04
• Super Mario 64 DS
• Asphalt Urban GT
• The Urbz: Sims in the City
• Feel the Magic: XY/XX
• Madden NFL 2005
• Metroid Prime: Hunters - First Hunt (Demo)

PSP LAUNCH 3/24/05
• Metal Gear Acid
• Wipeout Pure
• Ape Escape: On the Loose
• Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower
• Spider-Man 2
• Dynasty Warriors
• Twisted Metal: Head On
• Lumines
• Ridge Racer
• Tony Hawk's Underground 2: Remix
• Need for Speed Underground: Rivals
• NBA
• Gretzky NHL

MICROSOFT XBOX 360 11/22/05
• Kameo: Elements of Power
• Perfect Dark Zero
• Project Gotham Racing 3
• Call of Duty 2
• Need for Speed Most Wanted
• Peter Jackson’s King Kong
• Madden NFL 06
• GUN
• Condemned: Criminal Origins
• NBA 2K6
• Ridge Racer 6
• Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
• QUAKE 4
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06
• Amped 3
• FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup
• NHL 2K6
• NBA Live 06

[Misfit]

Re: Analyzing Launches

I'd agree with you that the Dreamcast had the best lineup, for sure. Nothing else really comes close. The PS2 launch was crap unless you liked SSX (I did not). The Xbox has Halo and nothing else. The Gamecube was mostly crap but Rogue Squadron provided some nice eye candy. The DS had next to nothing, and the 360 software isn't doing anything for me. Surprisingly, I'd say the console with the best software at launch other than the Dreamcast would be the PSP. It's easy to forget about the software for the PSP at launch because a.) it took place in March, and b.) nothing except for GTA has been released since that's any good. Wipeout, Twisted Metal, Lumines, and so forth are all really good titles. Ac!d may not be a traditional MGS game, but its a pretty good strategy game. Despite that though, I didn't buy a PSP at launch and I don't plan on buying one unless the price comes down, where as I own all of those other consoles (except for the 360).

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Analyzing Launches

The DC had some of the best games at launch such as:

Blue Stinger, Expendable, House of the Dead 2, Hydro Thunder, NFL 2K, Power Stone, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, Sonic Adventure, and Soul Calibur.

A system launch with 9 games that made you not second guess your purchase.

After I bought the 360 I left the store thinking to myself are you sure this is what you want to do even after I stood outside for a total of 13 hours to get the 360. Even though launches can have so-so games, it's later in the system life cycle when the games start to pop up.

This launch could be topped next year as rumor has it that when the PS3 launches that we will see GRAN TURISMO 5, DEVIL MAY CRY, and METAL GEAR SOLID 4 as launch titles. We are still a year away, but if we see this line up than we are in for a treat and the PS3 will own the rights to best launch. Until then it's speculation.

The PSP is starting to slowly get some good games, but it will be a year before better games are released. GTA at the moment is a system seller if you ask me for the PSP.