[Aurora] ROUNDTABLE - Why has 360 succeed in Pakistan while PS3 failed?

radd

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Jan 20, 2007
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Written by : PROJECT AURORA
Original Date: June 25, 2008




Conscript

PIRACY:
One of the biggest reasons why the xbox360 has done really well in Pakistan is due to the piracy factor. Pirated xbox360 games are readily available all over Pakistan and at cheap rates. Pirated Malaysian xbox360 games are usually available in the market within a week of their release. I was able to get GTA IV the same day it released worldwide, due to an earlier leak of the original copy. So considering that Pakistanis do not like to reach deep into their pockets while paying for software, xbox360 is the ideal console for budget conscious gamers.

AWESOME LINEUP:
Learning from their experience with the original xbox, Microsoft put up one hell of a lineup for the xbox360. They secured big titles both first party and third party. The highlights of 2006-07 included Halo 3, PGR 3-4, Bioshock, Crackdown, Saints Row, Mass Effect, Gears of War, Lost Planet, Dead Rising, Forza Motorsports 2 etc. They also managed to bring to the 360, games that were previously considered Playstation exclusives. These included Devil May Cry 4, Resident Evil 5 and Assassin's Creed. Nevertheless, the biggest haul of course was GTA IV. Previously GTA games were released first on Sony consoles and then on other consoles after a period of six-eight months. However, this time MS made sure GTA IV would get a simultaneous release on both consoles and topped that with securing an exclusive download package for the 360 version of the game.

Therefore, if you are looking for some awesome titles MS has a whole lot of games up its sleeve for 2008-09. These include the sequel to Gears of War, Fable 2, Halo Wars, Alan Wake, Banjo Kazooie, Too Human, Dead or Alive 5, Forza Motorsports 3 and a whole lot of JRPGs (if you're into that stuff). And this is not counting the multi-platform games.

XBOX LIVE:
Xbox LIVE was setup in the days of the original xbox, but it really gained momentum in 360 era. MS has worked really hard to make LIVE user friendly and easy to use. The result is that LIVE is currently the most used platform for online play. However, the only downfall is that you have to pay for it. However, MS does offer a three-month Gold trial. But I have to tell you it is certainly worth it to pay for it. LIVE works smoothly with a 512kps DSL connection. So if you have an xbox360 console hook in the DSL cable and come onto LIVE to kick some ass in hundreds of LIVE compatible titles.

COMPARATIVELY CHEAP:
Xbox360 is the cheapest next-gen console, at the moment, in the market. The Arcade costs Rs.19-23k, Pro costs Rs.24-28k. While the cheapest version of PS3 costs around 28k. In addition, all its accessories are easily available in the market. Wii is also selling for insane prices in the market. Shopkeepers ask anything between 20-28k for it.

MISC REASONS:
Then there are smaller joys of xbox360 that attract fans from all walks of life.

Xbox 360 has the ability to play songs during gameplay (either from a removable storage device, an mp3 player, an iPod or songs stored on your xbox360 HDD). It is really cool to listen to Iron Maiden while kicking some locust a**.

A software update has allowed xbox360 console owners to play divX video files by either streaming from a PC or from some removable storage device.

You can also achieve an inexpensive high definition experience for the xbox360 by purchasing an xbox360 VGA cable and connecting your xbox360 to a monitor or a LCD. It is a big step up from playing on SDTV.

The Xbox 360 has great resale value in Pakistan. There is so much interest in the console that people lineup to buy even a second hand console. Even if your console dies (God forbid), even then you can sell the accessories for a good price and make up for your loss.

You can personalize your console by downloading themes from Xbox Marketplace. It gives a badass look to your console to have a Gears or Halo theme on your console. You can also change the consoles plain white faceplate for something a little more RADD like a Fifa 08, Gears or Forza faceplate.

Arsal

I've always had this theory about why Xbox has always been relatively more popular in Pakistan as compared to any other console. The reason is in fact rooted to our own culture. For a nation that was freed after innumerable efforts and so many fights, for a nation that has its history in wars and battles and not art, theater or music, the PS3 and Wii are not 'manly enough'. On the other hand, the Xbox360 provides much chauvinistic edge to the young Pakistanis who have all their lives looked up to the greatest warriors whom ever lived instead of perhaps the greatest artists that passed by. It is not a matter of shame however - hardly, in fact. But it is interesting to see how history affects the present of an entire nation.

Shyber

#1) Piracy:
For even a die hard Pakistani gamer, 4000Rs game is a big no no. In Pakistan, boys don't usually start major earning till they're through studies. By then they're married and they don't get to play games, videogames i mean :)
Their jobs during studies are mostly tuitions and tuition fees aren't paid in dollars. The 4000Rs price tag for games was calculated for an average US citizen. Add to this taxes and shipping which makes the overall price just overkill for a citizen of a developing nation like Pakistan. Anyone earning in Pakistani rupees will be insane to casually spend on a product which was priced with USA in mind and pay so much extra for shipping. Specially if that product is a videogame of all things. If you're in USA, 50-70$ for a single title in a month is not even one tenth of an expense as 4000Rs is in Pakistan. Einstein gave the theory or relativity for a reason. Ok, the last line was unnecessary.

#2) Accessibility:
Xbox360 is your cheapest and most accessible source to hi def next gen gaming. With PC games' requirements going higher every year and almost all major PC titles readily available on Xbox360 - with FS/MSAA and HD resolution and minimal hassle to get it up and running, gamers are substituting PC gaming in favor of X360.

#3) Pakistani/Japanese Cultural incompatibility:
I don't know how true this may be, but most of the Pakistani gamers I've come across in my life don't really appreciate Japanese origin titles. They consider it childish and too fantasy for their "masculine" tastes. Xbox360 has more of these "boyish" titles - quick action oriented Bharam Bazi games. LOL.

#4) Xbox360 Cost of development:
(For the sake of argument, I'm willing to ignore wii to an extent that it doesn't even exist)
Whatever your explanation be, the fact is obvious - currently MS has the upper hand when it comes to console battles. Call it MS's marketing, call it the full year head start, call it easy architecture for devs or whatever, the development studios are heading over the Xbox360 side and choosing it as their console of preference for game development. Any multi platform game will be on Xbox360 first and there are chances that the PS3 might be completely ignored (Red Alert 3 anyone?). Game development costs have escalated quite much in this generation. You have to have professional music artists, graphics designers and developers that can project the most minute of details and special effects, script writers for engrossing stories for lifelike characters, etc to make a single AAA game. Because of the considerable differences in PS3 and X360's architectures, unless devs design custom platform independent template based tools which allows same game to be ported over to any platform (kind of like what Capcom is doing), it requires a game to be completely remade on the PS3. Given PS3's weak userbase, time constraints and development costs - add to that MS's developer friendly tools and environments and PS3 is a nightmare to work on. Though the situation is improving for Sony as developers are becoming more accustomed to the PS3 hardware but the damage has been done - the xbox360 userbase is considerably much larger than that of PS3. But this is a global factor for PS3 lagging behind Xbox360 - not just in Pakistan though this factor plays an important role explained in the next point

#5) Userbase:
It's a little hard to say this and I'll invite a lot of flame over myself for saying this, but I've noticed that Pakistanis are more trend followers than trend setters. Because of the reasons I explained in the previous point, xbox360 is now the trend. It is t3h c0oln3sXXXerz (or whatever - duh). People, mostly teengers - the age group that plays most games - entering hardcore gaming with the xbox360 will have it define their gaming senses and develop a very western oriented gaming mindset. If you weren't a hardcore gamer before PS2, or should I say hardcore playstation gamer, you won't really understand the metal gears and final fantasies - which, I have to say, are the only (big) things the PS3 has to offer for now. Many Pakistani gamers can find it easy to ignore Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy. For them, PS3 is the most expensive and technically sophisticated paper weight ever designed.

08lly

The price, piracy, games and the colour green. Case closed.

Blooby

1) Piracy (DUH):
Being the only next-gen console on the market with pirated games (and next-gen graphics) it attracts a HUGE number of people with the promise of a cheap and exciting gaming experience. Also, to us (Pakistanis) it is inconceivable to pay 4000 for a mere game. Parents even take it to the level of a MORAL SIN!

2) Games:
Lets face it, Pakistanis (mostly) just DONOT like RPGs or Stealthy Action or more specifically JAPANESE games. All they care about is Shooting or Slicing the sh*t out of the baddies with no strings attached. Heck most people do not even care about the stories! So the 360 having mostly Shooters, Action and violent games appeals the average bloodthirsty gamer.

3) Price:
Compared to the PS3 the initial cost of Buying the console itself is comparatively less (24k vs 30k) and with the availability of cheap games its a sweeter package.

Honorable mention:
*Sarcasm ON*
Hardware Reliabilaty:
OMG TEH 360 is teh mozt reliable consolez!
It workz even if teh UBER US Army drops teh big Bombz on it!
Teh RRoD is Sh*t it dont exiztz!
*Sarcasm OFF*
^ahh that was fun!

USUF

Well...i don't REEEAAALLY think this article is gonna get somewhere....The only BIG difference which separates the 360 with the PS3 is just Piracy. Heck, the 40 GB PS3 version is less expensive here in Karachi than the Premium a.k.a Falcon 360.....If the PS3 games were also within the 500 Margin then i bet the Ps3 would've kicked the 360s ass here in Pakistan as well...

Because you know the typical Pakistani gamer....Knows nothing except the word PS2...What is an Xbox??/...I've never heard of it???...What the hell is this game HELO??? *he'll never say it Halo*....*sees E3 for the first time*..."WOW Gaming world is soooo big now....Im gonna go tell me mom and dad!!!!"
*PS3 releases*
*HOLY SHITZ Playstation 3....Play station 3!!...PLAY STATION 3!!!"
"look at that shiny silver thing...It kicks ass!"
^^^
Ahh that was fun ass well lol
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
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Has it really "succeeded" though ? i mean, 5th year in it's life but it's main stream appeal is nowhere close to as big as the PS2's was in it's fifth year in Pakistan.
 

Shyber

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Has it really "succeeded" though ? i mean, 5th year in it's life but it's main stream appeal is nowhere close to as big as the PS2's was in it's fifth year in Pakistan.
If you're talking about Pakistan then well, we've been on a really downward trend now, no? I mean, people are crying for flour and sugar so it's really not the same anymore.
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
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well, yeah i'm talking about pakistan, because that's what the topic is about :p

if success is measured in relative terms compared to the PS3 and the Wii, then sure it's been a great success, hell it's been a great source of money for a lot of electronics repairmen as well :p, but overall in Pakistan, there hasn't been any console that picked off like the PS2 did.
 

shad0w

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2007
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Karachi
i think a major part of what's killing the 360 is the rrod's and errors.. in other news my 360 has been declared dead! :(
 

GoldenHawk

Moderator
Moderator
Jul 5, 2007
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The one reason the 360 didnt work well in pakistan is the RROD yeah we pakistani ppl dont

like paying for licensed software but we dont want the hardware to breakdown either

thatz y PS3 RULZZZ but i agree the piracy thing is one strike to the 360 but the getting

banned on xbl isnt funn and when crysis 2 rolls out sometime next year youll see that youll

get one rrod per grenade

"THE 360 IS JUST A PRETENDER THE PS3 IS THE REAL NEXT-GEN CONSOLE "
 

Em0s

Seasoned
Mar 24, 2009
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Islamabad
The only advantage 360 have is piracy. Otherwise, PS3 would have done much better in Pakistan, especially.
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
45,727
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360 is the best selling console in Pakistan BY FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR, i dont see what the problem is.
Compared to what ? the PS3 and Wii ? Sure.

Overall ? not even close by a long shot, you can find more kids/adults shopping for ps2's or ps2 games in any given day in saddar, even today.
 
Last edited:

manigamer

Respect Ma AuthoritA!!!
Global Mod
Jun 28, 2007
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On earth...Lahore
well the only reason i see for the 360 to have a big margin here in pakistan is the piracy... other then that some exclusives maybe but thats it...
 

Conscript

I <3 Bungie
Jan 20, 2007
10,442
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Reach
360 has a decent user base in Pakistan. But until it gets close to the 12k mark. We won't be seeing it in every other household like the PS2.
 

AI Protech

Proficient
Dec 30, 2008
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PS3 is better than Xbox 360........ the only factor it has failed here is because of piracy....... because a person can afford ps3 but not its games and esp when one is a hardcore gamer........ 4000 for a game is one hell of a amount for 40k per month earner because us k saaray kharchon k baad he is left with only 5-6k and then if he buys a 4k game then wht he will do....... so only piracy is the issue...... otherwise PS3 is much better than 360 because it offers free online gameplay, it also have some exclusives like Resistance, Infamous, MGS(used to be now new one is coming on 360 as well) others i dont remember....... there are other factors also involved..... its just a matter of some time when games of ps3 prices will be dropped as blue ray's will be common every where......
 

Conscript

I <3 Bungie
Jan 20, 2007
10,442
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You really should do some googling before jumping in the fanboys.

because it offers free online gameplay
Universal truth. LIVE > PSN. Even though people have to pay on LIVE, they prefer it over PSN. Better matchmaking + overall service. 20+ million users on LIVE.

its just a matter of some time when games of ps3 prices will be dropped as blue ray's will be common every where......
No. It won't. Games retail for 60$ in the US. And prices for original games will always be the equivalent of that in our local market in paki rupees.

it also have some exclusives like Resistance, Infamous, MGS(used to be now new one is coming on 360 as well) others i dont remember
Gears series, Halo ODST, Halo Reach, Forza 3, Alan Wake, Mass Effect 2 and the mammoth of other multi-platforms say Howdy!
 

Deadly Shadow

You win or you die.
Dec 28, 2007
2,361
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Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Gears series, Halo ODST, Halo Reach, Forza 3, Alan Wake, Mass Effect 2
Only Gears 2, Halo ODST isn't even out yet, halo reach isn't out yet, Alan wake isn't out yet (And I am pretty sure, after 3-6 months of its release it will come to the PC, Forza 3 aint out yet, ME2 isn't out yet either, and I will come to the PC.

Look at the PS3 exclusives, that he mentioned, they are ALL out. And they are ALL exclusives to the PS3.
 

radd

Screww you guys, im going home
Jan 20, 2007
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Karachi !
sup3rkat.spaces.live.com
Compared to what ? the PS3 and Wii ? Sure.

Overall ? not even close by a long shot, you can find more kids/adults shopping for ps2's or ps2 games in any given day in saddar, even today.

lolwut? ofcourse compared to ps3 and wii, what do you expect? sega genesis.

our market is very sensitive to price and its height, ps2 sold for around 12k, 360 is still over 20k. a very imbalanced comparison.
 

Faddi

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2008
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Ps3 would have kicked 360's *** if the pirates games were available.There are many many great and good quality exclusives on the ps3 which has no comparison with the 360.The main cause of the failure is this
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
45,727
2,201
129
S.S Normandy
lolwut? ofcourse compared to ps3 and wii, what do you expect? sega genesis.

our market is very sensitive to price and its height, ps2 sold for around 12k, 360 is still over 20k. a very imbalanced comparison.
of course it is, hence my bewildered reply :p
360 is the best selling console in Pakistan BY FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR, i dont see what the problem is.



see what i meant ? :p

anywho, it's kind of surprising that the wii isnt picking up nearly as fast as it SHOULD, seeing as how it's relatively cheap, and has been effectively modded as well, and has no reliability issues (and if i'm correct, it's mod chip bypasses region ala the ps2 chips).
 
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