sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|7181|Argentina
Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.

Last edited by sergeriver (2008-05-08 04:25:27)

BVC
Member
+325|7119
Until it comes out on PC, fuck GTA4

Meh...people will be staying at home and playing it, rather than driving around and wasting petrol.
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|7005|SE London

Reciprocity wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

NEW YORK: Take-Two Interactive Software Inc scored over $500 million in global sales of criminal action game "Grand Theft Auto 4" in its first week, marking what it called one of the most lucrative entertainment events in history. [...]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/New … 019494.cms
Wow, those soaring gas prices and the horrid mortgage industry [and the great international food shortage] must really be hitting big time. I'm speechless.
and a $100m Iron Man opening.  We have plenty of disposable income, we just don't wanna spend it on something as disposable as gasoline.
Hmmmm......

So global sales figures demonstrate that the US economy isn't in a mess?

How do you come to that conclusion?

sergeriver wrote:

Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.
Exactly. Even if those figures were for the US only, rather than the whole world, only about 3% of people have bought the game (rather than the actual 0.17% of people who actually bought it globally).

These figures reveal nothing about the US economy, other than it getting a very slight boost from one company doing fairly well.
B.Schuss
I'm back, baby... ( sort of )
+664|7265|Cologne, Germany

sergeriver wrote:

Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.
But isn't that what most statisticians do ? They take a certain part of the group they are looking at, take sample stats, and then make conclusions on the bigger picture.

Now, I don't know if video games sales are a valid indicator, but if things like groceries are, why not video games ?
You know, just theoretically speaking...
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|7181|Argentina

B.Schuss wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.
But isn't that what most statisticians do ? They take a certain part of the group they are looking at, take sample stats, and then make conclusions on the bigger picture.

Now, I don't know if video games sales are a valid indicator, but if things like groceries are, why not video games ?
You know, just theoretically speaking...
I bought Crysis, Bioshock, Orabge Box, I even changed the car and bought another LCD TV...Argentina must be doing great.
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|7005|SE London

B.Schuss wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.
But isn't that what most statisticians do ? They take a certain part of the group they are looking at, take sample stats, and then make conclusions on the bigger picture.

Now, I don't know if video games sales are a valid indicator, but if things like groceries are, why not video games ?
You know, just theoretically speaking...
Because those stats are global, yet (in this thread) are being used to demonstrate local economics. Very wrong.
B.Schuss
I'm back, baby... ( sort of )
+664|7265|Cologne, Germany

Bertster7 wrote:

B.Schuss wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

Those figures are worldwide.  But even if they were from the US alone, you can't measure the economy of a whole country based on 10 million guys spending 50 bucks on a videogame.  There are 290 million people that didn't buy the game.
But isn't that what most statisticians do ? They take a certain part of the group they are looking at, take sample stats, and then make conclusions on the bigger picture.

Now, I don't know if video games sales are a valid indicator, but if things like groceries are, why not video games ?
You know, just theoretically speaking...
Because those stats are global, yet (in this thread) are being used to demonstrate local economics. Very wrong.
well, ok then, how about we take only domestic US sales of video games as an indicator for how well or bad the economy is doing. Would you say that is feasible ?

Or is the product just too special for that ( you know, as opposed to groceries, or gas ) ?
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|7005|SE London

B.Schuss wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

B.Schuss wrote:


But isn't that what most statisticians do ? They take a certain part of the group they are looking at, take sample stats, and then make conclusions on the bigger picture.

Now, I don't know if video games sales are a valid indicator, but if things like groceries are, why not video games ?
You know, just theoretically speaking...
Because those stats are global, yet (in this thread) are being used to demonstrate local economics. Very wrong.
well, ok then, how about we take only domestic US sales of video games as an indicator for how well or bad the economy is doing. Would you say that is feasible ?

Or is the product just too special for that ( you know, as opposed to groceries, or gas ) ?
It's a bit limited....

You really need to look at overall consumer purchases by quite large categories. Large amounts of spending on luxury items (like games) could mean the economy is doing well, or it could not. It's all relative and connected to other factors. For example, consumer spending in the US has driven the economy fairly well for the 1st quarter, but has in turn been driven in part by tax rebates designed to do exactly that. These tax rebates increase the budget deficit which is bad for the economy, generally speaking. This can give a wrong and inflated view of the economy.

As with anything, looking at isolated examples is not representative of anything much.
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|7025|132 and Bush

B.Schuss wrote:

Kmarion wrote:

GTA is a bargain.. at least we can pretend like we can afford to drive.
come on. we have had that before. Gas prices in the US are laughably low compared to most of the western world.

what kind of car do you drive, btw ?
Americans drive more and further (Especially truckers and the shipping industry.) 20% of our total fuel consumption is just getting food from one side of the country to the other. Our population isnt piled up sitting on each other (yet). We also lack any type of real mass transit.

A Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Agent_Dung_Bomb
Member
+302|7160|Salt Lake City

When this game was released they asked economists why the game is selling so well when the economy isn't so good.  They said it's because the economy isn't so good.  Rather than dropping $50-60 (and usually more) on a single night's entertainment, they are buying something that can provide substantially longer entertainment value.
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|7005|SE London

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:

When this game was released they asked economists why the game is selling so well when the economy isn't so good.  They said it's because the economy isn't so good.  Rather than dropping $50-60 (and usually more) on a single night's entertainment, they are buying something that can provide substantially longer entertainment value.
Makes sense.
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|7025|132 and Bush

Turquoise wrote:

Just wait...  We'll see conservatives bellyaching about the economy if Obama gets the presidency.

It's politics.  Bitch and moan when the other party has the power.
Shouldn't we be doing that now with a Democratic majority in Congress? mmkay. When are we going to take the blinders of party loyalty off?
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Ajax_the_Great1
Dropped on request
+206|7070
Cost me about $33 to fill up my little toyota corrolla the other day. I don't see what the problem is.
Phrozenbot
Member
+632|7039|do not disturb

GTA4 sales is our best indictaor of the economy's health? Brilliant, why didn't I think of that! Hurry and tell Ben Bernanke before he cuts interest rates again!
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6607|Ireland

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

NEW YORK: Take-Two Interactive Software Inc scored over $500 million in global sales of criminal action game "Grand Theft Auto 4" in its first week, marking what it called one of the most lucrative entertainment events in history. [...]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/New … 019494.cms
Wow, those soaring gas prices and the horrid mortgage industry [and the great international food shortage] must really be hitting big time. I'm speechless.
I hear what you are saying, but the economy is going to effect teenagers and the unemployeed welfare stay at home playing PS3 while collecting welfare ilk last.

To the people willing to line up for this game when it was released, it was more important than food and when you are on welfare or smoking weed and living in your parents basement, it is not that hard to sell their prescribtion drugs to get the cash to buy the game.
d4rkst4r
biggie smalls
+72|6877|Ontario, Canada
Every single one of you is missing a point. The OP is right, it's not the fact that they all bought a $70 game, but in order to play that game they needed to buy a $500 system, plus other games etc. etc.
"you know life is what we make it, and a chance is like a picture, it'd be nice if you just take it"
Agent_Dung_Bomb
Member
+302|7160|Salt Lake City

d4rkst4r wrote:

Every single one of you is missing a point. The OP is right, it's not the fact that they all bought a $70 game, but in order to play that game they needed to buy a $500 system, plus other games etc. etc.
You can't really do that though.  Many of these people may have had their console before the economy really started to go sour.  Unless there was a specific item that had to be purchased along with the game, just to be able to play it, then this isn't something you can really compare.  That's like saying the computer I have now, and have had for over a year now should be figured into the economic impact for R6V2 that I just purchased a few weeks ago?
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6953|Global Command
Punk ass kids buying video games will save the economy.
Sure.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,072|7196|PNW

Most of you still don't get it. The OP wasn't meant to be the only damn facet of the economy; it was one taken as an example. I still have my reservations for a mule-drawn van, though.

ATG wrote:

Punk ass kids buying video games will save the economy.
Sure.
Those punk-ass kids let John Carmack buy sweet vehicles and give the computer industry more excuses to advance technology. People should be more responsible with their 'throw-away' cash if they want to whine about things like gas prices.

If it came between college and a gaming rig, I'd keep the one I already had.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2008-05-08 15:30:54)

BVC
Member
+325|7119

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:

When this game was released they asked economists why the game is selling so well when the economy isn't so good.  They said it's because the economy isn't so good.  Rather than dropping $50-60 (and usually more) on a single night's entertainment, they are buying something that can provide substantially longer entertainment value.
50-60 on one night?  Seems quite cheap...how much do drinks cost over there?
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|7025|132 and Bush

Pubic wrote:

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:

When this game was released they asked economists why the game is selling so well when the economy isn't so good.  They said it's because the economy isn't so good.  Rather than dropping $50-60 (and usually more) on a single night's entertainment, they are buying something that can provide substantially longer entertainment value.
50-60 on one night?  Seems quite cheap...how much do drinks cost over there?
You are supposed to down a couple bottles of nyquil before you go out. Budget man Budget.
Xbone Stormsurgezz
BVC
Member
+325|7119

Kmarion wrote:

You are supposed to down a couple bottles of nyquil before you go out. Budget man Budget.
No thanks, my cheap student days (codeine + raro + cheap vodka) are long gone!
Reciprocity
Member
+721|7005|the dank(super) side of Oregon

Bertster7 wrote:

Reciprocity wrote:

and a $100m Iron Man opening.  We have plenty of disposable income, we just don't wanna spend it on something as disposable as gasoline.
Hmmmm......

So global sales figures demonstrate that the US economy isn't in a mess?

How do you come to that conclusion?
Iron Man did $98.5 million DOMESTICALLY


so shut the fuck up.
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6829|North Carolina

Kmarion wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

Just wait...  We'll see conservatives bellyaching about the economy if Obama gets the presidency.

It's politics.  Bitch and moan when the other party has the power.
Shouldn't we be doing that now with a Democratic majority in Congress? mmkay. When are we going to take the blinders of party loyalty off?
I bitch about the economy regardless of who's in power, although admittedly, Clinton and the Republican Congress worked well together.

For me, it's not about party.  For most people it is though.  Since most people fixate on the president and falsely assume he has total control over the economy, you won't see the conservatives bitching until Obama gets the presidency (if he does).
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|7025|132 and Bush

Turquoise wrote:

Kmarion wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

Just wait...  We'll see conservatives bellyaching about the economy if Obama gets the presidency.

It's politics.  Bitch and moan when the other party has the power.
Shouldn't we be doing that now with a Democratic majority in Congress? mmkay. When are we going to take the blinders of party loyalty off?
I bitch about the economy regardless of who's in power, although admittedly, Clinton and the Republican Congress worked well together.

For me, it's not about party.  For most people it is though.  Since most people fixate on the president and falsely assume he has total control over the economy, you won't see the conservatives bitching until Obama gets the presidency (if he does).
Well then you are one of the few that get it here. We tend to have the need to place a single face on our problems. It's easier to vilify an individual rather than three entire branches of government. Even the presidency itself is made up of groups of cabinet members and staff. The urge to dumb down politics in not constructive.
Xbone Stormsurgezz

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