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[sonycowboy]

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 2004--

Latest Chapter in Franchise is Fastest Selling Game in Midway History

Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY), a leading software industry publisher and developer, announced today that Mortal Kombat(R): Deception(TM), the latest entry in the company's best-selling Mortal Kombat franchise, has shipped more than one million units to retail stores across North America. Slashing its way to an amazing start at retail, Mortal Kombat: Deception is the fastest selling game in the history of Midway outselling even its highly-successful predecessor, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, by more than 35% in its first week of release. Mortal Kombat: Deception is available for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox(R) video game system from Microsoft and is expected to release for the Nintendo GameCube(TM) in early 2005.

Mortal Kombat: Deception's online mode has also been a massive hit with consumers. Since the game's launch six days ago more than 130,000 matches have been fought online over PlayStation 2.

"Mortal Kombat is clearly a franchise that continues to deliver innovative gameplay along with the hardcore, intense fighting action that fans have come to know and love over the past 12 years," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "We're extremely pleased to see that Deception has been received in such a positive light by both the media and consumers since we first announced the title in March. It's a true testament to the Mortal Kombat team's hard work and dedication that consumer interest is high enough to make Deception the fastest selling game in Midway's history."

 

[Alcibiades]

when I first saw that number I thought it said 130,000 users had gone online...

Hmm, didn't Driv3r also ship like a million units?

Either way, October has pretty much been a MK vs. THUG2 situation.

I was putting my money on THUG 2, but MK seems to be ahead of the moment. I think the "Kollectors" edition really worked in their favor...

Does anybody know how much MK: DA sold in it's first week or first month?

 

[Matlock]

 

[sonycowboy]

Does anybody know how much MK: DA sold in it's first week or first month?

November 2002
PS2 MORTAL KOMBAT: DEADLY MIDWAY 202,592
XBX MORTAL KOMBAT: DEADLY MIDWAY 104,155
GCN MORTAL KOMBAT: DEADLY MIDWAY 38,169

 

[Alcibiades]

wow, a 35% increase on those numbers would indicate an improvement of like 122,500.

Doesn't look like it'll have trouble passing half a million for the month since the big competition from San Adreas is two weeks away...

 

[SyNapSe]

teh awesoma! IAWTS

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

 

[Razoric]

Go MK! This is one of my favorite games this year... Love the puzzle fighter!

 

[john2kx]

not enough eyebrow.

 

[evil ways]

The October sales charts will be intresting.GTA San Andreas, MK Deception and THUG 2 on the top 3 spots? I think so.

 

[Alcibiades]

The October sales charts will be intresting.GTA San Andreas, MK Deception and THUG 2 on the top 3 spots? I think so.

you misspelled Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

 

[jarrod]

you misspelled Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

Paper Mario has the disadvantage of being on only one platform... though it'll likely make the top 5.

 

[dark10x]

you misspelled Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

I think jarrod is right, PM should be in the top 5...but due to the fact that it is a GC only game, I doubt it will be in the top 3.

 

[sonycowboy]

Paper Mario has the disadvantage of being on only one platform... though it'll likely make the top 5.

That'll be tough. I expect Madden, Fable, THUG, MK, & of course, GTA:SA to be selling very well.

 

[jedimike]

Paper Mario has the disadvantage of being on only one platform... though it'll likely make the top 5.

Does anyone think Donkey Konga will break 100K for September? Seems like a popular game at the kiosks.

btw Sonycowboy, where's your NPD prediction/preview thread?

 

[evil ways]

you misspelled Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

:lol always the comedian.

Paper Mario will be lucky if it even goes past #6 or even #8 in the charts.

 

[Alcibiades]

Does anyone think Donkey Konga will break 100K for September? Seems like a popular game at the kiosks.

btw Sonycowboy, where's your NPD prediction/preview thread?

hard to tell...

I think my Best Buy didn't sell any for an entire week or something like that,

That said, I think word of mouth is strong with the game.

Some Gamestops are being crappy about it, lowering the volume on the machine or turning the game off (I had to turn on the thing myself and they told me they didn't have the remote).

I think word-of-mouth bodes well for the game and GCN for November and December...

 

[sonycowboy]

Does anyone think Donkey Konga will break 100K for September? Seems like a popular game at the kiosks.

btw Sonycowboy, where's your NPD prediction/preview thread?

I usually wait for the Wedbush preview and let people use that as a reference. He claims that they do random calls to ~100 stores as channel checks to create his preview.

It'll be Wed or Thursday.

Also, FWIW:

Paper Mario Nintendo 02/04/01 NA 472,127 (as of May 2002, still less than 500k as of today)

 

[jarrod]

That'll be tough. I expect Madden, Fable, THUG, MK, & of course, GTA:SA to be selling very well.

Paper Mario will outsell Fable for October. Madden sales will probably outdo it though (across 7 platforms no less).

 

[pilonv1]

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=11035

They will pay for this, oh they will pay sales wise for such a dumb decision, 2005? get a f''king clue idiots.

As a Nintendo fan, i feel betrayed and disrespected by shitway

Midway sure are paying for this! WITH MASSIVE BAGS OF MONEY FROM SELLING THEIR GAME ON NON-NINTENDO CONSOLES!

Glad to see Midway continue their rise to prominence again, they've put out some excellent titles lately.

 

[jarrod]

Also, FWIW:

Paper Mario Nintendo 02/04/01 NA 472,127 (as of May 2002, still less than 500k as of today)

It's a somewhat questionable comparsion though, as Paper Mario 64 released after the holidays and in N64's deathbed year (it was one of only 4 Nintendo N64 releases the entire year actually). Given Mario & Luigi's stellar sales (800k+ currently) and similar release timeframe I expect Paper Mario 2 to be well past 500k by year's end...

Oh and out of curiosity, what are Paper Mario's sales as of today? I sorta wonder how much last gen stuff moves as discount?

 

[Uno Ill Nino]

Alright. A big "fuck you" to all the snobs out there like Che that didn't wanna give this game the credit it deserves. Go MK!

 

[shoplifter]

Alright. A big "fuck you" to all the snobs out there like Che that didn't wanna give this game the credit it deserves. Go MK!

sales != quality, but i'll say no more. some people like MK and that's that.

 

[sonycowboy]

It's a somewhat questionable comparsion though, as Paper Mario 64 released after the holidays and in N64's deathbed year (it was one of only 4 Nintendo N64 releases the entire year actually). Given Mario & Luigi's stellar sales (800k+ currently) and similar release timeframe I expect Paper Mario 2 to be well past 500k by year's end...

I agree, that's why I wasn't comparing them in any way. The dynamics between the two systems, the release times, etc are all completely different. I just posted the numbers as a single point of reference to determine how many fans the original game had. Extrapolate how you'd like from there.

Oh and out of curiosity, what are Paper Mario's sales as of today? I sorta wonder how much last gen stuff moves as discount?

As I said, the total sales are ~ 500k. Monthly sales have been around the single digits and less than 20 units/per month for around a year. I'm missing some monthly totals, but they can't account for much.

 

[jarrod]

I agree, that's why I wasn't comparing them in any way. The dynamics between the two systems, the release times, etc are all completely different. I just posted the numbers as a single point of reference to determine how many fans the original game had. Extrapolate how you'd like from there.

Could we also get exact Mario & Luigi numbers then, for something a little more relevant?

As I said, the total sales are ~ 500k. Monthly sales have been around the single digits and less than 20 units/per month for around a year. I'm missing some monthly totals, but they can't account for much.

Okay.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Alright. A big "fuck you" to all the snobs out there like Che that didn't wanna give this game the credit it deserves. Go MK!

So I guess not liking piss mixed with grape juice would make me a wine snob. That's all I'll say.

 

[Uno Ill Nino]

sales != quality, but i'll say no more. some people like MK and that's that.

Don't put words in my mouth. Just happy to see the game enjoy some success despite some of the fighting game snobs turning their noses up at it because of its name.

So I guess not liking piss mixed with grape juice would make me a wine snob. That's all I'll say.

Hey, blow me. I didn't come into your DDR threads and do my best to bash it now did I?

 

[GDJustin]

http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8079

"Deception's $10 mil in Advertising Paying Off"

"The game's slogan "It Will Konsume You" could easily be applied to its marketing, thanks to the amount of TV, cinema, print, and point-of-purchase advertising Midway is employing. "We are spending over $10 million worldwide on the launch of MK Deception," Allison said. "

 

[mediabiz]

Shipped doesn't mean sold, so you know.... how many would be return back?

 

[Vargas]

It doesn't really matter how many copies are returned. Midway has already sold 1 million copies of the game.

 

[sonycowboy]

Shipped doesn't mean sold, so you know.... how many would be return back?

It's not like this is Fable

... which BTW only shipped 375k initially so MK >>>>> Fable.

 

[MarkRyan]

Depressing.

 

[cvxfreak]

Mortal Kombat: Deception Ships a million units - Fastest Selling Midway game ever! #1

So I wonder what the actual numbers are...

 

[sonycowboy]

So I wonder what the actual numbers are...

It's so strange that absolutely noone asked this question about Fable...

 

[shoplifter]

Don't put words in my mouth. Just happy to see the game enjoy some success despite some of the fighting game snobs turning their noses up at it because of its name.

I really was going to lay off, but some of us turn our noses up because of the shitty 'style over substance' gameplay. Don't get me wrong, I'll likely pick it up when it hits $20.