"DBZ: Battle of Z" (360/PS3/Vita) On-Going Discussion Thread

[pandamix]

So today is 4th June..I guess that we're really close until the announcment..In the worst scenario, in 30 days we will know about the game..I have hope that the Facebook page will share something in this month..

[InfernalVegito]

I think the first RB game is the last DBZ game that I saw any TV spots for.

RB2 had TV adverts too.

[dbboxkaifan]

So today is 4th June..I guess that we're really close until the announcment..In the worst scenario, in 30 days we will know about the game..I have hope that the Facebook page will share something in this month..

Huh, it's already 4 June 2013 and still nothing. In a short amount of time it'll be 5 June 2013 and maybe nothing through this day neither.

[Hellspawn28]

I'm not sure if that happens in the US or not? I saw a TV ad for the first RB game back in 2009 on Adult Swim at late at night when I was watching Family Guy.

[El Diabeetus]

I'm not sure if that happens in the US or not? I saw a TV ad for the first RB game back in 2009 on Adult Swim at late at night when I was watching Family Guy.

I believe it, the Burst Limit commercials played a lot on [adult swim] back in '08.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I'm not sure if that happens in the US or not? I saw a TV ad for the first RB game back in 2009 on Adult Swim at late at night when I was watching Family Guy.

I believe it, the Burst Limit commercials played a lot on [adult swim] back in '08.

Burst Limit commercials played on more than just adult swim. I remember that Kamehameha commercial being on all time all parts of the day on more than just Cartoon Network. Atari was more aggressive with their advertising.

[VegettoEX]

Burst Limit was still during the Atari era, and Namco-Bandai stopped using an outside marketing firm for DBZ games after their first year of releases.

[El Diabeetus]

Burst Limit was still during the Atari era, and Namco-Bandai stopped using an outside marketing firm for DBZ games after their first year of releases.

Good point, haha. I almost forgot Atari ever distributed Z games. Well in that case, NBcould take a few notes from their advertising. Lack of mass advertising is going to make most unaware of your product.

[LeprikanGT]

I'm not sure if that happens in the US or not? I saw a TV ad for the first RB game back in 2009 on Adult Swim at late at night when I was watching Family Guy.

I believe it, the Burst Limit commercials played a lot on [adult swim] back in '08.

Burst Limit commercials played on more than just adult swim. I remember that Kamehameha commercial being on all time all parts of the day on more than just Cartoon Network. Atari was more aggressive with their advertising.

Whatever new game this may be, they SO need to advertise it, instead of "oh its DBZ, people will know about it". I would want to see JUST as many commercials for this game as I see for a game such as Assassins Creed 4. I remember one of the DS games having amazing commercials with CGI space pods in real life landscapes launching into the sky.

[Hellspawn28]

It cost a lot of money to market stuff on TV. DBZ games haven't sold very well in a long time, I can see why Namco Bandai tries to lay low when it comes to marketing these games since there is a niche market for Dragon Ball games. I also hope the new game will finally have a create a story mode for once. If they can add create a character mode then why not do one for story mode. I think fans can create their own episodes and share them with friends on the web. I can imagine it can sell very well.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Given the success of Kai on Nicktoons and CW, I wouldn't call the market niche. Kai created a market, it may not be as big as the one from the 90's and early 00's but there is a new market out there; along with the old fans.

Going back to Atari for a sec. I feel like every game got a lit bit of media coverage from the big reviewer sites. Back before Kanzenshuu, that's how I learned what to expect from each game. I remember the head of Atari going on to Gamespot before the release to talk about Burst Limit. I remember hands-on previews for IGN and other sites when the Tenkaichi games were popular. If you were to look up any of the newer PS3/360 games there is barely any coverage for these games; half the time they don't even get a review. And if they do, it's usually late. There is no media push for these games and despite the quality of the games themselves that's just bad for sales.

It also doesn't help that certain stores outside of Gamespot don't carry them. Target, and sometimes Best Buy, won't have copies of the game. I don't know the full details but if I were to guess that sounds like a vendor problem. Target usually keeps big hit titles on their shelves(they aren't a game store) but they also carry the Naruto games so I don't see why they would object. Someone is not putting these games in the stores which makes them less available to people. How often do people just stroll into Gamestop versus stores like Target or Wal-Mart.

I know their budget isn't big, but they need to market these games more aggressively if they want to see better sales.

[Hellspawn28]

Given the success of Kai on Nicktoons and CW, I wouldn't call the market niche.

The market for Dragon Ball in the US is much smaller then it was 10 years ago in my opinion. Yeah Kai is on Nicktoons and CW, but that's nothing to brag about seeing that it seem like very little people outside the fandom and the Internet knows about the show even exist. Kai had no merchandise at all in the US. Bandai never bother to make a new line of toys to sell for kids. We also didn't get any new major Dragon Ball merchandise when Evolution was coming out seeing that there is always a lot of merchandise to sell to cash in on a new major movie.

Target usually keeps big hit titles on their shelves(they aren't a game store) but they also carry the Naruto games so I don't see why they would object. Someone is not putting these games in the stores which makes them less available to people.

Places like Target, Walmart and Best Buy like to room for store shelves. They like to keep titles that will sell well to make room for other titles. Given that DBZ games don't sell very well anymore then it's not surprising that places like Target don't sell them. They are likely to not to sell DBZ games due to lack of demand.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

You are both proving and missing my point right now. There is no demand because their is no push to market the product. Kai did create an audience, and like I said it may not be omg, anime in America huge like that early '00 boom, but there is an audience. There are two stations that currently broadcast the show here in the US, with good ratings last I checked. You also have the older fans who love the show but might have moved on, and then guys like us. Kids do know the show exist, and it's part of the reason I brought up Target last time. My girlfriend works in the electronic section and every time a new game comes out she tells me about a handful of kids that waddle in every now and then looking for the game. I know Target has limited space, but if there is buzz around the game, they will make room on the shelves. How do you create buzz? Advertise.

Yea, Namco-Bandi didn't put out any toys for Kai but that's because they fucked up. You don't kids would have picked up toys to go along with this new show they've found on Nicktoon's? It started a second Bayblade boom, why wouldn't it work for Dragonball? These games can, and would have the same effect. But the kids need to know they are out there. If Namco-Bandai were to schedule commercials for their new game during the Saturday morning block(especially during Kai) on the CW; along with commercials on Nicktoons during GT and Kai runs, I'd guarantee you'd see a boost in sales. Now you have to groups initially going in to buy the game. Hardcore fans like us, and the newer Kai fanbase. Then, if the game is any good the nostalgic fans would jump on. "Oh man I loved DBZ back in the day!" Namco-Bandai would have to be more aggressive but if they pushed sites like IGN and Gamespot to talk about the game, it would immediately catch the nostalgic fans attention. There is no doubt you'd see the "here comes another DBZ game..." reaction from a lot of gaming sites but if it's good they'll throw in the "but damn this one is actually really good" at the end of it. Boom, now you have a comeback story for a franchise that's way past it's glory days.

[Saiyan Prince Vegeta]

Well that's convinced me SparkyPantsMcGee. It seems like a really good idea IMO.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Well that's convinced me SparkyPantsMcGee. It seems like a really good idea IMO.

Haha, thanks! I just hope Namco-Bandai is listening.

[Insertclevername]

I'm right there with you, too. They just need to work with the audience they currently have.

[pandamix]

What bothers me is the lack of communication..They said they want to raise the hype..However at the moment they don't do nothing, lol. All that picture of the schedule Plan to Conquer the world had some things in April and May, but nothing came..A bit sick of that..At least tease something.

[Hellspawn28]

I hope giant bosses are gone from the game. I hated fighting Oozaru Vegeta in Ultimate Blast since I found myself smashing the same buttons over and over again. Just make the giant characters as they were in Sparking 1-3, but don't make them playable.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

I hope giant bosses are gone from the game. I hated fighting Oozaru Vegeta in Ultimate Blast since I found myself smashing the same buttons over and over again. Just make the giant characters as they were in Sparking 1-3, but don't make them playable.

Never played the game, but I'm still of the opposite opinion regardless. If I'm not going to be able to play as the giants/bosses, then I want them at the correct scale. It was fine in the Sparking games when I could play as them, two full-sized giants on the screen would have been overkill, but I still don't feel like I accomplished much of anything when I beat them since they are only mini's of their true selves...

[dbboxkaifan]

I hope giant bosses are gone from the game. I hated fighting Oozaru Vegeta in Ultimate Blast since I found myself smashing the same buttons over and over again. Just make the giant characters as they were in Sparking 1-3, but don't make them playable.

I kinda liked Oozaru Bejita in Ultimate Blast, but to enjoy it to the fullest it'd have to be Godzilla-fied totally.

I played with the giants in Tenkaichi 3 or something but I didn't like it that much, Giants Battles needs to be thought out better.