Should Consoles Be Shipped With Built In Games?

When I was 8 years old I was given the opportunity from my parents to purchase a console, now bear in mind that this was in 1991. The choices were between the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Master System II. There were quite a few factors to consider at this time; very much like there is today. While Nintendo was more popular in territories like America and Japan, the Master System was very popular in other territories, Australia included. However the deciding factor for me was a sign of my impatience; if I purchased a NES I had to wait 2 weeks to get a game for it.

A Super Fun Game That Came Free With The Master System II

If I bought a Master System II I could play a game straight away. Being the impatient gamer I was, and perhaps still am, I decided on the Master System II, with the in-built game Alex Kidd in Miracle World. In my parent’s eyes the deciding factor was price, you could get a game for free, and that tied me over for quite some time before I purchased my next game.

While sales of the Master System may have been lacking in North America, it did very well in Europe. The Master System II was clever in that it did away with the card reader of the original; this is similar to the Playstation 3 and its removal of extra features. However the real strong point of the console was the fact that it came with an in-built game; you had something to play the moment you purchased it.

As a kid I had a ton of fun playing Alex Kidd, the fact that I had something to play straight away and my parents didn’t have to pay for another game anytime soon kept both parties happy. In the eyes of the consumer it was a major success. It may not have had the success when compared to the NES, however if you look in some of the European territories it sold really well and at times outsold the NES. I know one thing is certain; if it wasn’t for Alex Kidd being built into the console I would never have purchased the Master System II. Why this feature was never implemented into future consoles I don’t know. It may have been a last ditch effort to get the Master System II more recognized, whatever the reason it certainly kept owners happy.

The MGS4 Bundle

While it is true that future consoles have been shipped with demos and some have been bundled with games, it really wasn’t the same. Demos can only be tolerated for a very limited time. Bundles are excellent value for money, without doubt. However the problem with bundles is they are usually bundled for a very limited time and that hurts potential customers, especially if it is the game they really wanted and they are a little strapped for cash.

In the eyes of the consumer a console that is ready to play instantly is more appealing than one that isn’t, research it or not it’s a fact. If a consumer has the option of purchasing a console with a game already on it, or with it, they would. Not in a bundle, but as a perk that is always there. Take a look at the Wii for example. While it appeals more to the casual crowd and the Wiimote might be super fun, I believe the true genius behind the marketing of the Wii was the inclusion of Wii Sports with every console purchase. While it was a fair bit cheaper than the competition it still manages to outsell the other consoles today. I’m of a firm belief that if the Wii had been shipped without Wii Sports then sales would not be where they are today. We can’t test this theory however, and sales of the Wii are phenomenal. It’s easy to look at it like this; every Wii owner has Wii Sports in their collection. The same cannot be said about games on other consoles. Not every 360 owner owns Halo 3, not every PS3 owner has Metal Gear Solid 4.

With Digital Distribution becoming the norm these days and with consoles shipping with hard drives, with the exception of the Wii, it is surprising that consoles haven’t been shipped with built in games, similar to the Master System II. Not only are there a bucket load of games available but most of them barely chew up your hard drive space. Though Wii Sports is a disc it is shipped with every console, this alone could have been the deciding factor for potential owners. If a game is installed on the hard drive it will always be there, and it won’t get scratched either. Of course something is going to appeal to the casual crowd if it already has a game with it; it’s why people still buy bundles. The difference is with the Wii you don’t have to wait or spend more money to play it, just start up and off you go.

The current generation of consoles are more than capable of being able to house in-built games.  Though the Wii only has 512MB internal flash memory it can house a multitude of games from the Virtual Console store. I can only speculate but I would like to see how many more 360’s would sell if Braid was already installed ready to go with every console purchased. The same could be said for the PS3 if each one came with Wipeout HD ready to boot up the second you plug it in. Even if it was a game of lesser calibre, it would appeal more to the consumer, especially in these tough times. Wii Sports is far from a ground breaking title, but it was fun and it was free, and gamers love things that are free.

While it may be said that developers lose out, they could even ship a console with an older game installed; that’s what Sega did with Alex Kidd in Miracle World. So why couldn’t Microsoft do that with Halo 3, Crackdown or even Gears Of War? Why couldn’t Sony ship PS3’s with Ratchet and Clank: TOD, Uncharted or even Warhawk?

There are a ton of options if this course of action were to be pursued, and all of them would be appealing to gamers, especially in times where money is hard to come by. The problem is whether or not it is profitable. The hardware is more than capable; however it isn’t the hardware that makes those decisions. I for one would like to see games already on the hard drive. I think it would be a smart move if executives were interested in persuading more gamers to purchase their particular console.

What do you guys think? Are there adventages to a console bundle for a gamer or the company? Does it impact your buying decision.  Let us know, comment below.  No registration required to post.