Rock Band revenues increase in Q2 2010

[Doom878]

I think if the current RB2 menu had the Rock Band Store as the 2nd or 3rd selection and in big red letters, then more people would know about it. And instead of calling it that something like "Get More Music".

Another problem is that casual gamers might not know to connect their unit to the internet. I have a friend that has a PS3 and she loves playing GH3. She didn't know if her PS3 was connected to the internet. Internet gaming is still new to the casual gamer. They probably even have a wireless router for their laptop and didn't realize that they could've d/led more. I mean I know people that don't know what HDMI is let alone if they're getting real HD from their SD box and HDTV.

[SatansBestBuddy]

I think we can all agree that if Rock Band had more exposure then there would be higher sales.

Running commercials on MTV is a start, but branching out and, say, airing during the Today Show or The Colbert Report would be much better.

And what about outside the US?

Hell, even up here in Canada we're getting very little advertising and a two week waiting period between the US release and our own, and I don't think they've even released Rock Band 2 in Australia yet.

[cherokeesam]

I'm hoping Viacom will actually give RB3 the huge advertising package it deserves....start teasing it on the major networks now and in early September, but by mid-September start deluging TV, internet, radio and print with a full-on blitz.

[Apples]

Creative accounting means that you can never quite trust the numbers on a specific project. If RB was losing money as they say, RB3 wouldn't be coming out.

Movie Studios use creative accounting to show that movies make a fraction of the money they state they do, so they can pay out less commission and pay less in taxes. I'm guessing it's similar with Viacom and games.

Interesting perspective. If Viacom was unhappy with the bonuses paid for the company acquisition, (as has been reported) this certainly sounds like a strategy they might employ.


On the business side of things, here is an old but interesting article. It touches on a few good points, including the speculative/mania trendlines in the genre and theory on diminishing returns.

http://performancetrap.org/2009/10/2...and-rock-band/

[Whizzer191]

The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Did you mean to say:

Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

or did you just adjust it according to the context?



Oh and I might be off a slight bit, but I think I've never seen any Rock Band advertising in the Netherlands or anywhere in Europe. Guitar Hero on the other hand. Get on it MTV!

[FujiSkunk]

Interesting perspective. If Viacom was unhappy with the bonuses paid for the company acquisition, (as has been reported) this certainly sounds like a strategy they might employ.

Especially if they're going public about their "disappointment" in the numbers like Viacom did.

Seriously, how else do you account (no pun intended) for a big multimedia mega-conglomerate claiming all their woes and all their worries are because of the revenue stream of one single video game franchise?

Yes, it's a big franchise, but come on. This is like Microsoft claiming they're going in the red because Halo didn't sell so well.

[Phisioni]

Microsoft might be, if that was even a possibility. I'm pretty sure Halo: Master Chief Pony Adventures would still sell like hotcakes, though.

[RealMessiah]

Great. They lost less money. They will have a pretty good 3rd/4th qtr I am assuming, but I don't see them ever consistantly going to back to being profitalbe.

[foofighterfan4Mccain]

I think if the current RB2 menu had the Rock Band Store as the 2nd or 3rd selection and in big red letters, then more people would know about it. And instead of calling it that something like "Get More Music".

It will say "Get more Music" in Rock Band 3

[Apples]

Yes, it's a big franchise, but come on. This is like Microsoft claiming they're going in the red because Halo didn't sell so well.

Haha, good analogy.