Why fall/Winter?

[Caiada]

Lack of competition also means bigger profits, so long as people want the product. Tradition doesn't really seem like a good reason, at least from a business perspective. It's cool for aesthetic reasons, I won't deny that -- but I wouldn't rest my laurels on tradition if I were in charge of a corporation.

People kind of expect it though. The market is sort of stuck in it. The general consumer expects a bunch of movies to come out in the summer, a bunch of games and toys during winter, and a bunch of school supply sales during August and September. I personally don't really get ANY games during pretty much any time of the year even though I want to, because I'm usually broke, but Christmas and sales are a perfect reason to splurge. I'm not sure a lot of people are like that, but it's something else to consider.

Seeing some sort market data on this would be kind of cool. I know there's a few huge games that have released at random times in the year.

[Penatar]

I'm curious, why is it that almost all the big titles release during the fall and wintertime? It doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, obviously the Christmas Holiday is massive, but I still don't see why they don't have summer blockbusters like movies. Some games do this, but the biggest-selling ones -- Halo, Call of Duty, etc -- all release around the same time, and it's not summer.

Wouldn't it make more sense to release these games with a wide fanbase during the summer? Kids won't have school to worry about, so their parents can buy it for them. That's a massive demographic. College kids will probably not be taking classes. The working force has summer vacations.

Am I missing something?

Yes you are missing something. When it's 40 below out without windchill, I will be more likely to spend money on a game. When it's 90 out, I'm more likely to be at the lake. Releasing games in the summer lets a lot of the buzz fade before people start being hermits again, leading to smaller sales. Also, people shop more for the holidays.

[Deleted]

Beleive it or not summer has the least players playing online. Why would publishers want to sell during that low point ??

On top of that the prices of xmas releases drop during summer, even better for the summer gamer think you not ?

[Zarasthura]

Christmas, Black Friday. That's about it.

this.

the holidays are the biggest spending times of the year. Spring? folks are working/in school. Summer? folksare on vacation/kids taking a break

[yurano]

Spring and Summer are outdoors seasons.

Fall and Winter are indoors seasons. Games are an indoors things. Releasing them during an indoors season boosts initial sales. Makes the company look good.

[Dassen]

Because fall/winter is awesome. That's why. No but in all seriousness listen to everyone else; I won't provide any valuable input to this discussion.

[Felicia]

I'm usually outside a lot in the summer, but this past one... damn it was hot! The heat index in my area was averaging 105-110 everyday. I'm outside more now then I was because it's finally starting to cool down. lol Gotta love friday night HS football.

[Duravian]

I'm curious, why is it that almost all the big titles release during the fall and wintertime? It doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, obviously the Christmas Holiday is massive, but I still don't see why they don't have summer blockbusters like movies. Some games do this, but the biggest-selling ones -- Halo, Call of Duty, etc -- all release around the same time, and it's not summer.

Wouldn't it make more sense to release these games with a wide fanbase during the summer? Kids won't have school to worry about, so their parents can buy it for them. That's a massive demographic. College kids will probably not be taking classes. The working force has summer vacations.

Am I missing something?

I've always thought the same exact thing.

[Skizzit]

In the beginning, it probably had alot to do with people not spending as much time indoors during the summer as in the winter but now it has just as much to do with company and consumer expectations. People just expect the big games to be released during the holiday season so thats when they release them. I know people who do not have alot of disposable income who will hold off on buying new games during the early parts of the year simply because they know that the big games will be released in Winter. They are not even waiting for any particular game, but just assume that there will be games they want later in the year because that is just how things work.

[Mercadi]

In the fall and the winter it's rainy and cold outside and people prefer to stay in. People generally wanna be outside in the spring and the summer, because it's sunny and warm.

Exactly! People want to escape RL when it's gloomy outside.

[jamlol]

Winter is Coming.

[grandpab]

Winter is Coming.

http://i.imgur.com/E1YOJ.jpg

[Digglett]

Holidays. BIIIIIG sales for them.

[bals]

1.) I don't think Christmas/Holidays is as big as Summer for sales. Days like Black Friday and the week before Christmas are massive, no doubt.

just because you "think" something doesn't make it true.

What percentage of annual sales do the holidays represent?
For some retailers, the holiday season can represent anywhere between 25-40% of annual sales. In 2009, holiday sales represented 19.1% of total retail industry sales. Jewelry stores have the most at stake; last year, holiday sales represented 29.5% of jewelry stores’ annual sales.

http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=Pages&sp_id=1140

2.) Not really, though. Gaming isn't some asocial behavior now. You'd have a really hard time finding somebody who doesn't regularly play some video game these days, at least in the target demographics. Hell, it's even turned into a socially-acceptable group activity. From my observations, people spend a lot of time gaming during the summer. It's not like people spend all day at the beach for three months straight.

A vast majority of games are bought for children. Children have two main times they get things, birthdays and christmas. Christmas is an easy way to cover a large amount of people all at once. Adults just buy games whenever they want

[Valeron]

People play more games in the fall and winter? Summer time is outdoors time.

[doesnotcare]

i know right how do they expect me to play all these fuckin games at the same time. swtor bf3 skyrim, jesus christ i will never have the time to play all these games im gonna fall behind the curve in bf3 as soon as skyrim is released and then i am really going to be behind when swtor comes out....

why did i even pre-order all of these games sheeeeeeeeeeit

[haihaiddy]

That's about it.

[Deleted]

In the summer it's hot and believe it or not, some people go outside from time to time. Vacations etc. Vacations for game companies etc. While during the winter it's freezing and all you want to do is sit inside, warm, and what do you do then? You game a bit. Not to mention that around christmas everyone is suddenly in the mood to buy all the shit they and their relatives want.

On the other hand, what do you do when it's fricking hot outside? You quickly go to the movies and to a pub afterwards to talk about the monstrosity you have just seen.

[Uwibami]

I personally prefer not spending my summer sitting and boiling at my PC, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's how most of the population feel.

[Royaltru]

Because summer sucks, everyone knows that. Winter > summer for so many reasons.