CM for giveaway after CM2?

[Stalin's Organ]

Fair enough - a nice reasoned post, unlike your previous effort!

[Philistine]

Mike,

Your thought to put the full version of CMBO in a magazine after the release of CM2 in order to boost sales of CM2 only works if the amount lost on sales of CMBO by giving it away (Call this "x") is less than the increase in amount of sales of CM2 which it causes (call this "y").

No one can know what x and y will be. So BTS must guess at the numbers.

Personally, I think it unlikely that x will be less than y given that (IIRC) each of the major magazines had a demo of CMBO on it, as well as a very favorable review, and a fair amount (for a wargame) of subsequent mention. Thus, to my thinking, the audience of the magazines has been exposed to the demo in an easily accesible format, and have seen reviews praising it.

I personally consider it unlikely that a significant number of people who would be inclined to buy CM2 will do so based on the release of the full CMBO. Also, BTS has indicated that their sales model is to continue to sell its product over the long haul--thus having a steady stream of sales, rather than the usual model of large initial sales at full price, followed by fairly quick price cuts to bargain-bin pricing.

Given this, I don't think it is likely that BTS will release the full CMBO anytime soon.

--Philistine

[Mark IV]

BTS seems to be pretty smart. Here's why I think they wouldn't do that:

The biggest market by far for PC games is the US (nothing personal, meter-heads, it's just numbers). The setting of CMBO has the broadest appeal to the largest market (Americans) 'cause their daddies and granddaddies were "there", plus full appeal to the grog niche, and sufficient appeal to the Euros, since they were not only involved, but hosted the historical event. So CMBO was wisely targeted to the biggest possible chunk of the market.

CM2 starts getting a little narrower in appeal. Many American gamers are only dimly aware of this little series of obscure skirmishes in a remote area with unpronounceable names. It will not leap off the virtual shelves to casual gamers (unless CMBO has already set the hook). Grogs will lap it up but there aren't that many numbers in that segment. Euros may not have as much general interest, either. And many Russian gamers will acquire it at (ahem) greatly reduced rates through unofficial channels, the great Russian pasttime.

So: Throwing the broad-market product in as a freeb, on the CD for the narrower market product, would be a curious thing to do. It'd be backwards. It's like saying, "buy the first tank of gas, and we'll throw in this free Chevrolet!" instead of the other way around.

Now, what would eventually make sense when the product has truly declined, and CM 2, 3, & 4 are all on the street, would be a monster reissue of the 4-volume set as "WWII in the ETO" with updates, designer notes, and a T-shirt at a package price. WWII from Finland and Poland, all the way to Berlin. This is what works, which is why the gaming companies all do it. Fence-sitters and newcomers buy the whole shootin' match at deal pricing and you get new cash flow out of the moldy old code.

Of course, the logic above would virtually guarantee CM5: The PTO, wouldn't it? Doh....

[Stalins Organ]

Thanks Philistine & Mk IV for interesting posts!

[GenSplatton]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Since when did any game company just give away their game for free in some magazine just because it was old. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uhm, I got a CD with Computer Gaming World a month or so ago that had a dozen free full games on it. MOO, Diablo, etc. All games that had done very well I might add. So it does happen. But yes, these games are much older than CM but you did imply it was never done.

p.s. Hey MadMatt, don't know what you did, but I can FINALLY log on!!!

[Rubber Bullets]

Pvt.Ryan has hit the nail on the head. The demo is there to attract potential consumers. Giving away CMBO when CM2 comes out is an idiotic notion not only because CM2 is not an improved version of CMBO but is a completely different view of the conflict via the Russian front. Also BTS is still making a profit from it. As for BST selling thier titles online (brought on by nessessity)is a brilliant business move because they can limit their overhead by having copies of their game(s) manufactured to meet demand. This way they get a larger chunk of profit per disk and they're not suck with 24,000 or more copies of CMBO siting around they would have to "unload" if sales ever drop off...like that will happen.