Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

5 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

Yeah but lets be honest you didnt just pay 250 and to say 200 to 250 made a difference.  Really? Did adding another 60 dollars for 1 game make a difference?  Or another controller at a minimum of 45 buck for a 3rd party controller make a difference?  Because I have a switch and using the joycon isn't great as 2 controllers. So 250 for a console that has 2 controllers the option to add 6 more at not cost and 6 added games and a whole list of games at launch that dont cost 60 bucks but 10 or less. The total cost to own a switch and  the games will well exceed the Amico by nearly double.  So its obvious price isnt the issue.  

Yeah it made a difference. And no, the $60 game didn't make a difference (she already knows two games she would love and easily get her money's worth in those.). Nor extra controllers mattered as no one needs 8 pairs of extra controllers. So yeah price of the console is the issue. You might not want to believe it but that's what it is.

17 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

Love to see this one 

I like these cover arts. I wish someone makes Art of Intellivision -book. Like this one:

8 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

See I disagree. Once it hit the $250 in my household it changed. $200 vs $250 made a big difference.

 

Switch games may be higher but there are certain games that you know are high quality polish, you will enjoy them for sure, and can get your money worth of that $50 to $60. One of the benefits of being a company that has pumped out games consistently over the years is that trust in first party games being good.

 

Wife hasn't seen anything to dictate the price at $250 when she knows she can find some simple games on the Switch she would like. When it was $150-$200 she was more positive on it. So yeah it can make a difference.

Like I said, it takes a tremendous amount of marketing to convince Americans the concept of value beyond the initial price point.

1 hour ago, MrBeefy said:

Yeah it made a difference. And no, the $60 game didn't make a difference (she already knows two games she would love and easily get her money's worth in those.). Nor extra controllers mattered as no one needs 8 pairs of extra controllers. So yeah price of the console is the issue. You might not want to believe it but that's what it is.

Don't you already have a Switch? Are you talking about getting a second one?

Just posting this here for Tommy to add to his file:

“The developer of the wildly controversial shooter game Hatred recently announced that the game was coming to Nintendo Switch. This game follows a trend of violent third-party titles seeing release on the Switch, in something of a first for Nintendo.“

https://screenrant.com/hatred-game-nintendo-switch-violence-controversy-why-release/

2 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Yeah it made a difference. And no, the $60 game didn't make a difference (she already knows two games she would love and easily get her money's worth in those.). Nor extra controllers mattered as no one needs 8 pairs of extra controllers. So yeah price of the console is the issue. You might not want to believe it but that's what it is.

If she wants to play switch games then she should choose the switch, price is not the issue.  Others will choose Amico games.

2 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Yeah it made a difference. And no, the $60 game didn't make a difference (she already knows two games she would love and easily get her money's worth in those.). Nor extra controllers mattered as no one needs 8 pairs of extra controllers. So yeah price of the console is the issue. You might not want to believe it but that's what it is.

28 minutes ago, mr_me said:

If she wants to play switch games then she should choose the switch, price is not the issue.  Others will choose Amico games.

I’d agree. A Switch with two games and an extra controller is $480+. If Amico is $200 you save $280. At $250 you save $230. I don’t really get the availability of the few Switch games being worth spending an extra $230 but not an extra $280. 

I suppose you could chalk it up to people not wanting to pass up a good deal. I think, regarding the Amico, that says people who want something else might buy the Amico at $200 as it is too good of a deal to pass up, but I think it will still be worth it to the target audiences that are not pre-disposed towards a different console. 

9 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

See I disagree. Once it hit the $250 in my household it changed. $200 vs $250 made a big difference.

 

That is totally accurate for one persons price to value equation. The problem is projecting this assumption on others. If you have ever suffered through price elasticity or demand curves in economics (I inflicted those onto many a student in a former life of cruelty as a Eco/Fin instructor) the whole point of those is that it is a range of values shown as a curve. Different consumers perceive value completely differently, for example a family with 2 kids may see a console with 6 games and two controllers as more of a $125 purchase per child than say a $250 purchase, so it may fit their Christmas gift budget of $150 per kid, while the Switch doesn’t. Also maybe Mary being able to stay a bit active by playing Corn Hole inside during a Chicago winter is a lot more appealing to her than Susan who lives in Florida, even if she is equally Corn Hole obsessed (well that didn’t sound right). Anyway what is the demand curve for the Amico? Nobody really knows but Tommy has done focus groups which is about the best way to get an early indication. Also there is some demand at $250 and higher prices with the pre-orders (and no real advertising to boot). Would $199 be better for adoption assuming the same product? Sure, but be careful about projecting personal price/value considerations (for or against) on Amico. One person does not a market make.

This is just a part of the original interview that was made for this premiere.  

1 hour ago, Swami said:

Don't you already have a Switch? Are you talking about getting a second one?

Don't own a Switch and haven't ever owned one.

1 hour ago, mr_me said:

If she wants to play switch games then she should choose the switch, price is not the issue.  Others will choose Amico games.

If that was the case I wouldn't have mentioned my experiences. She didn't mention us getting a Switch until the price rise. When it was $180 to $200 she thought the games looked okay for Amico, but didn't think the games looked worth it at the $250 price point. Just being 'cheaper' isn't enough to sell the console/games.

Like someone mentioned it is going to take more to push the value of it. But yeah she was for getting an Amico around the $180-$200. 

19 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

If that was the case I wouldn't have mentioned my experiences. She didn't mention us getting a Switch until the price rise. When it was $180 to $200 she thought the games looked okay for Amico, but didn't think the games looked worth it at the $250 price point. Just being 'cheaper' isn't enough to sell the console/games.

 

Like someone mentioned it is going to take more to push the value of it. But yeah she was for getting an Amico around the $180-$200. 

No offense MrBeefy, but it seems like you're creating an imaginary secondary persona that doesn't want the Amico. Like a "Good cop, bad cop" kind of thing. 

It feels more like you are using "her" to state your actual opinion so it doesn't seem like you're the one saying it. So in that manner you can voice your price concerns without being targeted directly. Like using a ventriloquist dummy. 

I'm not buying it. Based on your past behavior and actions in other threads, it seems like you're here again to stir up drama about the price point which you know by now is pretty much a done deal and set in stone. It's perfectly fine to say the current offering of games don't look suitable for a $250 dollar piece of hardware /to you/. In 5 months when the games are finished and are shown off they may be just fine for families and casual gamers. 

Also, since the price is fixed - what would you do about it to lower the price? Do you want @Tommy Tallarico to offer an Amico package with one controller or something? Do you have any advice that isn't just picking at the price further? 

21 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

If that was the case I wouldn't have mentioned my experiences. She didn't mention us getting a Switch until the price rise. When it was $180 to $200 she thought the games looked okay for Amico, but didn't think the games looked worth it at the $250 price point. Just being 'cheaper' isn't enough to sell the console/games.

 

Like someone mentioned it is going to take more to push the value of it. But yeah she was for getting an Amico around the $180-$200. 

I am in the same boat.  For me, having the Amico in the $180 to $200 range seemed to be pretty enticing.  But at the $225 to $250 range, not so much as you are starting to get into Xbox, PS, and Switch territory there.  Granted, I know the Amico is not gunning to be like those consoles and is trying to forge their own path.  Still, the Amico is a games machine and people (for better or worse) will compare and contrast the Amico straight up against the others.  That all being said, I continue to with Tommy, IE, and the Amico the best of luck going forward as I do understand and appreciate what they are trying to do and setting out to accomplish.

6 minutes ago, Hwlngmad said:

I am in the same boat.  For me, having the Amico in the $180 to $200 range seemed to be pretty enticing.  But at the $225 to $250 range, not so much as you are starting to get into Xbox, PS, and Switch territory there.  Granted, I know the Amico is not gunning to be like those consoles and is trying to forge their own path.  Still, the Amico is a games machine and people (for better or worse) will compare and contrast the Amico straight up against the others.  That all being said, I continue to with Tommy, IE, and the Amico the best of luck going forward as I do understand and appreciate what they are trying to do and setting out to accomplish.

I'm not going to compare this to the Switch directly since they are different markets technically. But from a hardcore gamer perspective, I am going to say that everyone, especially the negative people I saw on Resetera, said that the Switch was enticing at a $249.99 price point but since it was announced at 299.99 it was no longer competitive... It was no longer a value... They all said Switch was "DOA" which is their favorite term and they also love to say "flop." A lot of "Nintenflop" posts. 

And lo' and behold, the Switch is dominating right now at it's 299.99 price point. They also levied all the same arguments. "Underpowered, tablet hardware" and "kiddie games." And said that $299.99 is the price of an Xbox One or PS4. 

24 minutes ago, 1001lives said:

No offense MrBeefy, but it seems like you're creating an imaginary secondary persona that doesn't want the Amico. Like a "Good cop, bad cop" kind of thing. 

 

It feels more like you are using "her" to state your actual opinion so it doesn't seem like you're the one saying it. So in that manner you can voice your price concerns without being targeted directly. Like using a ventriloquist dummy. 

 

I'm not buying it. Based on your past behavior and actions in other threads, it seems like you're here again to stir up drama about the price point which you know by now is pretty much a done deal and set in stone.

I've noticed this too, and frankly, it wouldn't surprise me a bit.  I certainly hope it doesn't continue.

7 hours ago, Cranker said:

I completely agree and am exited  to get the complete package being offered. I was beginning to wonder if the price was around 179 with one controller and 1 game, would it be an easier sell ? People are bitching about the price so much it just made me wonder. But I think including 6 hand picked  games and 2 controllers is the right move ! The average casual gamer will appreciate it I think. It’s nice to get a variety of games right out of the box with no immediate pressure to buy games and wonder what games to start with.

Yeah... we did a lot of focus testing on this and the folks we are attracting MUCH prefer the full package out of the box.  It's one of the reasons they like it so much... SIMPLICITY.  It's not... "Here, buy this starter package and then figure out what you want later on and hope other controllers aren't sold out or which games you think you may like/try without ever playing a single one."

It's also what makes us DIFFERENT and stand out from everyone else.  Just the ability to say... there hasn't been a video game console in 30 years (Super Nintendo) that comes with 2 separate controllers and the ONLY game system that has come with 6 complete high quality games is a HUGE selling point.  Zero reason for us to take 2 big advantages off the table for ourselves.

1 hour ago, MrBeefy said:

If that was the case I wouldn't have mentioned my experiences. She didn't mention us getting a Switch until the price rise. When it was $180 to $200 she thought the games looked okay for Amico, but didn't think the games looked worth it at the $250 price point. Just being 'cheaper' isn't enough to sell the console/games.

 

Like someone mentioned it is going to take more to push the value of it. But yeah she was for getting an Amico around the $180-$200. 

Exactly, in your case price is not the issue.  If she wants a switch what difference does it make what Amico's price is.  Others would not buy a Switch even if it was cheaper than Amico.  Personal anecdotes are interesting but statistically mean nothing.

8 minutes ago, 1001lives said:

I'm not going to compare this to the Switch directly since they are different markets technically. But from a hardcore gamer perspective, I am going to say that everyone, especially the negative people I saw on Resetera, said that the Switch was enticing at a $249.99 price point but since it was announced at 299.99 it was no longer competitive... It was no longer a value... They all said Switch was "DOA" which is their favorite term and they also love to say "flop." A lot of "Nintenflop" posts. 

 

And lo' and behold, the Switch is dominating right now at it's 299.99 price point. They also levied all the same arguments. "Underpowered, tablet hardware" and "kiddie games." And said that $299.99 is the price of an Xbox One or PS4. 

100% - that is the danger of one market segment 'deciding' the appeal based on their own perceptions. Here is the hard facts, the retro/knowledgeable gamer market (i.e. your typical AAer) is literally a 3rd tier market for the Amico. We are the *garnish* on the steak (parents with young kids) dinner with a side of mash potatoes (the casual gamer). The eventual consensus (after all I have bought multiple Amicos at the highest price point it will likely ever see - $300) of this market will only decide what (likely comparatively small) fraction of sales this segment will make up.

3 hours ago, MinerWilly said:

I like these cover arts. I wish someone makes Art of Intellivision -book. Like this one:

 

Been speaking to various folks about this.  Including Tim Lapetino!

2 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

Just posting this here for Tommy to add to his file:

 

“The developer of the wildly controversial shooter game Hatred recently announced that the game was coming to Nintendo Switch. This game follows a trend of violent third-party titles seeing release on the Switch, in something of a first for Nintendo.“

https://screenrant.com/hatred-game-nintendo-switch-violence-controversy-why-release/

Not surprising... but definitely not "something of a first for Nintendo".  People may think that because they are just finding out about it... but isn't the case.  It's been like this for the past 3 years.  Most people don't realize that the Switch has full frontal nudity, sex scenes, graphic murder, rape, illegal drug usage, degrading girl content, and children in compromising sexual positions.  Yet one more HUGE reason we are different from the Switch.  Where is all of this discussion when certain "YouTubers" tell their followers that no one needs an Amico in the family when the Switch already exists?  Sounds like it would be YouTubers WITHOUT children.

I noticed this comment that someone just left today on one of our Intellivision videos (cut & pasted exactly how it appears):

"It's crazy I watched q video these 2 guys just hating on this machine one thing the world doesn't need is 2 assholes hating a positive system that is something that can brighten this world I'm sick of being the bad guy are having the bad guy win all the time for ounce we have a good guy and it's the amico i.truly hope it wins in a world full of bad guys"

7 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Been speaking to various folks about this.  Including Tim Lapetino!

 

 

Excellent! 

1 hour ago, GrudgeQ said:

Anyway what is the demand curve for the Amico? Nobody really knows but Tommy has done focus groups which is about the best way to get an early indication.

I'm looking at it right now.

And it's very much in our favor.

Also... our research shows that the average consumer does NOT view the Switch as a family device.  It's something for their kids... not for them.  They view Amico as being for THEM and the kids.  Huge difference.

44 minutes ago, Hwlngmad said:

Still, the Amico is a games machine and people (for better or worse) will compare and contrast the Amico straight up against the others.  That all being said, I continue to with Tommy, IE, and the Amico the best of luck going forward as I do understand and appreciate what they are trying to do and setting out to accomplish.

Thank you for your support!  And I truly do understand that initial pricing is an issue for some folks.  Once others see the finished product and the potential fun... they will make the decision on their own if it is something for them at a certain price point or not.

I also agree with your statement that people will compare and contrast it to the others.  But that is a HUGE point in our favor!   Here's a machine that is simple, affordable games, lots of content for our entire family and SAFE for our children at $249.  Or.... something the family won't play, has $60 - $80 violent games and I'll need to buy 2 or 3 extra controllers that will drive the price up another $170.

With the audience we're attracting... we win that comparison every time.

Also important to note that when we hit the market we will be a NEW console.  Not a 7 year old console (PS4, XBOX One) or 4 year old console (Switch).  We will be considered part of the "next generation" of gaming consoles.  And the other "next gen" consoles will easily be in the $700 - $900 range if you are looking to get extra controllers and a few new games for it. 

41 minutes ago, 1001lives said:

I'm not going to compare this to the Switch directly since they are different markets technically. But from a hardcore gamer perspective, I am going to say that everyone, especially the negative people I saw on Resetera, said that the Switch was enticing at a $249.99 price point but since it was announced at 299.99 it was no longer competitive... It was no longer a value... They all said Switch was "DOA" which is their favorite term and they also love to say "flop." A lot of "Nintenflop" posts. 

 

And lo' and behold, the Switch is dominating right now at it's 299.99 price point. They also levied all the same arguments. "Underpowered, tablet hardware" and "kiddie games." And said that $299.99 is the price of an Xbox One or PS4. 

Great point!  The same was said about the Nintendo Wii as well.

23 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Not surprising... but definitely not "something of a first for Nintendo".  People may think that because they are just finding out about it... but isn't the case.  It's been like this for the past 3 years.

Maybe it is because I come from "the Bible belt" but I can't help but think that the Amico 100% family friendly stance is going to get noticed by religious followers. If someone at Christianity Today magazine sees an article about how the Amico is the only true family friendly game console and writes an article themselves about the current state of games consoles - about a quarter of a million people will suddenly think that the Amico is the only console they should, as good God fearing family, have. Even me, looking at getting a system for my relatives with young kids - I know I won't be the 'bad uncle' who got them something not appropriate for their ages. There is a huge advantage to having a policy like this. Yes, there is a disadvantage too, in that you might exclude gamers who want more hard core games, but you also 'locks in' a market who is looking for specific things like safety from sex & violence (and of course concern for that goes way beyond any religious belief - pretty much ask any new parents).