BioWare Mythic: "the key" to next-gen console success will be migrating community

How successfully Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo can migrate their existing online communities will be the key to their next-generation success.

[Droid Control]

Not gonna be a problem for M$ or Sony.
Why would it be?

I don't know what M$ will do about achievements though. They seem to have lost all relevance now that peoples combined gamerscore has grown so large.

Will M$ reset gamerscore on 720 or create a dual gamerscore, 720 on top and 360 score underneath on the gamercard?

If they just port it over, would this discourage new gamers from 'Jumping in' if they see millions of other gamers with 100,000+ gamerscores at the beginning of the next generation?

[nukeitall]

I don't think the gamerscore is an issue, but they can always reset everything and subscript with the old one. Sony will in some ways face the same issue.

That said MS has already migrated the community once and they are actively bringing things closer to PC now, so I don't see this as an issue.

Heck, the old Games for Windows initiative had PC gamers chatting with Xbox Live gamers.

I don't know about Sony, their strategy has been pretty fragmented, but it seems like they are coming around so we will see.

[JBSleek]

Why do you use MS with a money sign? I'm just wondering.

Other than that I agree but it shouldn't be a problem to port a profile over to a new system.

[Paragon]

"Why do you use MS with a money sign? I'm just wondering."

I've rarely seen it with Sony around here, but it's supposed to mean that MS only cares about money. (aka 'Greedy Microsoft")

[JBSleek]

"I've rarely seen it with Sony around here, but it's supposed to mean that MS only cares about money"

A company who only cares about money how could they? Wait that is what all companies actually care about I thought, it is never about making friends it is about pleasing those stock holders.

[hazelamy]

i think ms might, many people got burned by the rrod, they persisted with the 360 because of the time and money they'd already invested, but how many of those will be reluctant to buy the next ms console?

i know i'm certainly not going to be in any rush to get it.

[Xof]

It's not the "online community" that matters. It's the community, simple. It's a matter of consumer loyalty, and no shit it's the "key to success" for the next console generation. It's the goddamned key to success for nearly every single product ever made.

I mean, hell, just look at how many people abandoned Sony at the start of this generation to go with a 360, or each new generation of Nintendo products has alienated more and more "core" gamers to the point where their products are now marketed almost entirely to the casual demographic.

This shit matters. It always has, it always will, and writing about this is unnecessary because its obvious to everyone here. Even blind, dumb and deaf baboons know as much.

[nukeitall]

Customer loyalty is only part of the equation. Otherwise, you would have never seen the fall of Nintendo, Sega and Sony.

It's part customer loyalty, but more importantly providing a product that is valuable to the consumer relative to the competition. Keeping yourself relevant.

Also, when I say value, I mean usefulness and desire relative to price! I also agree with the article, migrating the existing online community efficiently is a huge factor.

Apple over the years has really done a good job of keeping themselves relevant and bringing their loyal customer base forward. MS has done a great job with Windows/Office on that.