Oh well. You do realize I was speaking in the context of Indian market?
Besides, games still exist the week after launch - even if Tendulkar retiring drove sales of a cricket game (that he's not in and that focuses on a tournament he never played) - why waste that by launching in the same week if you can get the benefit of both the release itself and a wave of Tendulkar?
Your point that "Tendulkar is not part of Ashes hence no effect" may not be correct due to the following:
1) People are waiting for a decent cricket game for the last 3-4 years.
2) I don't think anybody really cares what it is called,,,Ashes, Bradman, Lara, EA, revolution, etc...as long as it is cricket with ok graphics and gameplay.
3) Its a common knowledge that player names for unlicensed team (such as India) is incorrect. I mean, when was the last time in a cricket game we had default correct names for all players? EA's cricket 99 I think...or maybe in 2002 (don't rem exactly, I played only the demos). Its face and roster patches from Pc.net which has been the savior all these years.
4) Coming to Tendulkar,, from what I know of Indians, and their passion for cricket, his retirement is likely to fuel more intensity on his fans in the cricket game starved time we live in. I don't think it matters what...I mean, read point no. 2 above.
Fact is, you cannot deny that India has a unique obsession with cricket/tendulkar, and it could be tapped by cricket games developers to boost sales.
Beyond that - the release timing of a game based on the Ashes will not depend at all on anything that happens in India. It simply is not on the radar of anyone who has anything to do with anything.
505 Games don't have the luxury of picking sentimental release dates. They will just be hoping they can get it out for the first Test.
This was just an opinion presented by one Ronak. However improbable it may be to implement, he do have a right to present it without getting shot down. I do tend to agree with his point on sales effect after Tendulkar's retirement may have; I may be wrong.
Though I hope I am not, I am studying economics.
But...from an Indian University...Oh well.
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Tendulkar may have been a big thing in 90's and early years of 21st century, but that days are long gone. Nobody cares about him anymore and neither has he contributed anything to the game in recent years.
Neither had bradman..
just saying..
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Comprehensively and completely answered I would say. Thanks lads.
Just the thing to say after
would-have-been-tricky class-test..
Deja vu.
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I dont think I would go out and buy a cricket game anyways because Sachin (or any other player) retired
! Infact, I so wanted to go out and buy (and play) a new cricket game when the Ashes was on, or even when the Champions Trophy was on!!!
See thats my point: I personally don't care that much about Ashes (I normally autoplay 3 inning in test matches if I feel like playing it)..yet I will definitely buy this game, and I am sure many, because
it is cricket !! Tendulkar signifies cricket for many, and maybe (actually, for sure) he is unlicensed in this game, but
he is there! Then there is Pc.net and wonderful patches..Who is to say that won't ignite passions and drive sales and such? Not me.
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you would think so, but you're dealing with people who's response to the bradman license was "you should get tendulkar for next time" ...
Never said anything like that.
Generalizing; Strike One.
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Another reason people forgot to mention about releasing a game aimed at India is that they'll just pirate the sh!t out of it. ESPECIALLY if it's got tendilker on the cover
Yeah yeah, Indians Pirate. If 'tendilker' on cover then Indians will do it 2x times. Anything worthwhile to add apart from established facts?
Oh and that Indians want to make you go on killing spree
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Pirating it or not, the fact remains that even if everyone bought a legitimate copy of the game, India is just not as big a market (when it comes to gaming) as UK or AUS! I have had a personal chat with many retailers and a couple of distributors whom I know, and all of them agreed that India is nowhere (really....nowhere) near those two countries when it comes to gaming, piracy or no piracy!
That seems to be sadly true...but I would be interested to know those retailers and distributors you had chat with were talking about games in general or cricket games?
I do hope that Ashes and Bradman cricket comes with strong anti piracy addons...such as those which should greatly limit/stop piracy here.