Wal-Mart Talks Next-Gen Console Onslaught

simoniker writes "Wal-Mart game buyer Steve Perry discusses the U.S retail giant's approach to stocking both current-gen and next-gen consoles, including pricing, launch supply flow, and the availability of demo units for Wii and PlayStation 3. Perry also updates on what's been hot in Wal-Mart stores this summer: 'We've been really successful with Madden, that's been really good. NCAA has been great. Guitar Hero's been on fire. The new DS Lite, the colors came out a few weeks ago, those have done really well.'"

Comments

Agghh

[The Living Fractal]

This Q&A felt like a Wal-Mart commerical for some reason.

- No real information about the PS3 launch, basically just "I think we'll have it this fall"
- Plenty of plugging for The Apprentice, but why? Who cares? I sure don't.
- Basically just said everything everyone already knows about the console wars.
- Stop the press!! This just in: Wal-Mart is a business. Amazingly, they'll stock products if those products will sell.

I read all three pages and was left with a sense that I just wasted a piece of my life. Sometimes I wonder how these stories get through the submission process (ok, a lot of times).

Meh, maybe someone got something useful out of it.. somewhere...

TLF

Re:He didn't say much, except this

[fo0bar]

That slim-line PS2 is worth watching. That's a mid-life kicker for the PS2, and the first time that's really happened in the videogame console market.

PSone? Back in 2000, while the PS2 was struggling with launch stock, the PSones were flying off the shelves.

(There were similar, but not as successful slim redesigns of the NES and SNES toward the end of their runs.)

Re:He didn't say much, except this

[Breakfast Pants]

I think he means he has only been following the video game market for the last 7 or 8 years, but he feels qualified to make statements about the entire history of the 'videogame console market'. Personally, I'm just glad people like this play the stock market.

Games are doing pretty well..

[n3m6]

In the beginning of this year, analysts were saying that this year would be a slump. It seems the total opposite has been happening so far. Games are in fact doing pretty well. Major titles and consoles seem to be flying off the shelves.

Re:I Won't Buy A Console At Wal-Mart

[porcupine8]

Heck, as flexible as Wal-Mart's return policy is, you don't really need to buy it there to return it when you have a problem. You might not get back the exact amount you spent, but I doubt the difference would be more than a dollar or two.

For Christmas last year, an aunt bought me a DVD set that I already had. Unfortunately, the wrapping on it was torn, so most places wouldn't take it as a return because it had been "opened." My family all told me Wal-Mart would take it - and sure enough, they did. No receipt, torn wrapper.

Re:Interactives

[Rydia]

They have a "tethered" version, after a fashion... there's a version with a power cord that people have been using at events which link the remote to the Wii/TV.