Commercially smart, or shamefully excessive?
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007 at 8:38pm by Blake
Is Microsoft taking the whole Halo 3 thing a bit too far? I’d like to think other publishers wouldn’t exploit popular franchises to this extent (Note: I said think). Talk about chutzpah. I feel like I’m getting marketed to like I did when I was a kid. I’m 27 now. 27, people!
June 12th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
what the hell is the middle thing supposed to be. a stearing wheel for the hogs???
June 12th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
yeah. 27 years awesome.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
That “steering wheel” is the wireless headset.
Do I need to remind you guys of all the shameless pimping Nintendo has done over the years? I mean, c’mon! Blake, how many games have the word “Mario” in the title? Talk about exploiting a franchise. What about the Pokemon N64? The Nintendogs/Mario Kart DS’? The Zelda Controller sleeves or DS Cases?!? I don’t think this is out of the ordinary at all, and I’m sure they’ll sell a crapload to all the swearing, foulmouthed 12 year olds that populate the Xbox Live Halo matches.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Man, I came onto the comments with the expressed intention of being first to talk about the Pokemon N64, but no.. I’m denied. Damn you DeltaOne211. Damn you, your cursed memory and typing rapidity.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
That thing was freakin hideous. Not only did I never want one, I’m feeling slightly nauseous even thinking about it.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
What I would point out is that while Pokemon (and another Nintendo franchise or two) is truly a phenomenon, Halo is far from the equivalent.
Sure Halo sold 7 million copies, and Halo 2 sold close to 9.
Pokemon has sold 155 million. It has a successful TV and movie series. It has successful toy lines. There is a well established format for lining childrens’ toys and media. It’s well established that children will buy branded accessories.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
None of this is true for Halo. MS is pushing it. When they have a movie, then I think they can start pushing lunchboxes. When their comic has reached a couple million copies, then I think they can push their commemorative Spartan helmet.
The middle thing is a branded wireless headset, for when your biceps have atrophied, preventing you from holding the controller upright for the cabled version of the headset.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
lol the “steering wheel” is a headset, dont i feel stupid. but that thing looks dumb anyway.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Don’t forget about the Halo 3 Zune! http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/zuneedition.htm
June 12th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Wow. That’s a bit too far. I mean, thats like 60 bucks american (70 for us canadians) for a friggin’ controller and another 60/70 for a friggin headset. Microsoft is really whoring Halo at a high price. Those are pretty cool though and I’m envious that Ninetndo hasn’t been doing enough of that. Brawl GCN controllers anyone?
June 12th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Ugh. Having pictures on your controller or console is so ugly. I can’t believe people actually buy things like that.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Man, they are desperate for cash, just like Nintendo was back in the N64 days. This aint Nintendo cereal either.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:41 am
Every time I see something like this, I’m reminded I hate myself for not getting a Nintendo 64 Pikachu Edition…
Yeah right, I DO HAVE ONE!!!!! I bet it will cost like $1000 in the future when Pikachu dies, just wait and see… wait and see…
June 13th, 2007 at 2:57 am
Nothing Ninty isn’t guilty of doing, as well
How many games/merch have they released/licensed with the words ‘Pokemon’ & ‘Mario’ printed on them
June 13th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Don’t care… I come to this site to hear about Nintendo, not M$, wich I despise profoundly!!! I would thank you Blake for keeping to yourself anything M$ related, I don’t care for Halo, one of the most overrated games I know, much less for its ugly merchandising… take care…
June 13th, 2007 at 4:10 am
I think reporting important industry news, which this clearly is not, should be okay on the site, but I think posting a story like this strictly to rip on Microsoft really serves no purpose. I happen to really love my 360 in addition to my Wii and DS Lite, and shameless fanboy bashing is really pointless. Nintendo has been doing stuff like this for YEARS, and considering this is a Nintendo fan site, that should not be overlooked.
June 13th, 2007 at 4:17 am
Bashing? This is a notable cultural milestone for gaming. By “too far” I mean extending a franchise beyond a game; in this case it’s an ugly controller. But as the headline asks, is this “commercially smart or shamelessly excessive?” That’s an important question to consider (me thinks).
June 13th, 2007 at 8:56 am
well if this was a Nintendo fan(boy) site..oh wait it is. Point the finger while 90% of the clothes you own has a Nintendo logo on it. Some people will only buy 360’s for this killer app. Of course they will buy these controllers and head set to go with it.
Commercially smart, shameless consumers like ourselves.
Get over yourself.
June 13th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Waaagggh.
June 13th, 2007 at 9:46 am
On a more serious note, I had Transformers sheets and ate Nintendo cereal once upon a time. These kinds of products (Halo, above) are made because there are people that buy them. Sad as it is.
On a related note, I assume MS does this to offset the failure of its brand in Japan. I kid, I kid, but not really.
June 13th, 2007 at 10:16 am
The price is bad, but artistically, those are disgusting. I am no artist by any means; cartoonist is a too-kind term for my artistic level, but anyone can recognize good design, which these controllers do not.
On a lighter note, happy “Wow, I Just Found an Image of a Religiously Significant Person in my Grilled Cheese” Day!
Signed,
The Most Honourable Commodore Johnathan S. Bloom, herein known as Johnny Bloom.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
To frisby and Jack: While I really don’t like the conrollers (plus my 360 will come with one already!), I most probably will seek out and buy the wireless headset! (I bought the wired one for Halo 2, you know…)
I resent the bashing of Pokémon AND Halo fans equally… since I am BOTH! And I have the Pokémon Diamond stylus to prove it… And yes, I’m buying the 360 just for Halo 3!
So, what are you gonna do about it? Huh? Eh? Are you talking to me? Are YOU talking to ME?? Because I don’t see any Halo AND Pokémon fans around here but me…
June 13th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Whoa, invis, whoa! Slowwww down.
Nothing against Halo in my comment, just tacky Halo merchandise. Halo is a solid addition to the “just another shooter” genre. Oops, there I go again!
Seriously though, I didn’t think I was that hard of Halo in my comment.
Pokemon however, weeeeelll….
June 13th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
so microsoft either is a bunch of savy business people looking to leech that last dollar out of us, or they’re desperately exploiting a franchise. are those really the only options here? nothing about satisfying demand for halo3 branded peripehrals out of the goodness of the MS collective’s heart?
golly gee. good thing nintendo only cares about making people happy. and kittens. and brown paper packages wrapped up in string.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
@Louie I know what you mean, when you said it looks like a steering wheel …….its looks bigger than the controllers in the picture…
with an extention for support between the legs while both hands on the side handles.. it looks like it came with an airbag ….lol, let me stop.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Dude iman. Play with what the hell ever controller your want to. It’s your consumer given right!
Lets just not pretend we are holier than thou.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
That’s some ugly shit right there.
June 16th, 2007 at 4:42 am
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