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Ni no Kuni (NDS - PS3) has sold 1.4 million units worldwide
- Thread starter Bruno MB
- Start date
Well.... did just pick it up last week and am a couple hours in...reminds me of my earlier gaming years....but as for the price...its $20 new at Gamestop Canada so not sure about the 'keeps price' part of things.
GeekyDad
Member
Yeah, when they were doing the voting on Facebook or whatever it was, that's what I wanted. Guess I'm on Japan's rhythm in terms of my gaming habits. I just prefer playing on my DS/3DS over my consoles. We have the PS3 version, but I haven't touched it myself. My kids seem to enjoy it, though.
airmangataosenai
Member
I'm sure other people have explained it bu the numbers here are deceptive. The DS numbers are high so people assume that it was a big hit in Japan when it wasn't: Both the PS3 and DS versions didn't sell through their inital shipments. Also the DS version required the very expensive book to be coupled with the game and had less content than the PS3 version along with coming out after the system was alread dead in all territories. Going with that version of the game would've been a horrible move, they did the right thing in going with the PS3 edition because now we have a chance at a sequel.
Either way it's miraculous but it indeed appears that NnK was indeed saved by the west. Well deserved.
thewhitehawk
Member
I wish it had sold a bit better to motivate them to continue bringing software to home consoles, but alas, their focus is on mobile right now, and right now I have to admit it kind of makes sense.
It has a huge usebase, the development costs and risks are lower and it's relatively easy to port games between mobile platforms.
Hopefully if the PS4 is successful and continues to be liberal with it's publishing methods it will motivate more japanese developers like Level 5 and Mistwalker to return to home consoles. But for the next couple of years, at least, it seems like their efforts will be focused on mobile devices unless they are funded by a publisher.
I'm not pleased with how things are turning out for two of my favorite game developers, but I understand this is what they feel they have to do to survive.
It has a huge usebase, the development costs and risks are lower and it's relatively easy to port games between mobile platforms.
Hopefully if the PS4 is successful and continues to be liberal with it's publishing methods it will motivate more japanese developers like Level 5 and Mistwalker to return to home consoles. But for the next couple of years, at least, it seems like their efforts will be focused on mobile devices unless they are funded by a publisher.
I'm not pleased with how things are turning out for two of my favorite game developers, but I understand this is what they feel they have to do to survive.
Glass Rebel
Member
I searched for more news of this and Siliconera says it's 6.5m total.
airmangataosenai
Member
Also, something that's being missed by people here is that the game isn't finished selling. We sometimes talk about it in the sales threads but NnK indeed continues to sell pretty well under the radar, it might even get a Greatest Hits run.
StoppedInTracks
Member
Amazing game tho the dungeons were pretty damn poor except the last one. To be fair they shouldn't even be called "dungeons" as they werer that weak except the Glittering Grotto, Nevermore and The White Tower.
And the combat system could use some work so running around as Oliver spamming Astra/ Evenmore wasn't the only viable strategy for bosses.
And the combat system could use some work so running around as Oliver spamming Astra/ Evenmore wasn't the only viable strategy for bosses.
Rollo Lawson
Banned
.....there's a DS version?
My bad, I should have preface I was speaking about Western sales hence the word 'niche' to describe the genre. That means I was referring to just 1 game getting 650k sales in the West.
Blackage
Member
Now now, let's not get drastic. >.>
On the bright side, Aliens: Colonial Marines is the poster-child for not preordering games.
StealthGoblin
Banned
I'd love a PS3/PS4 sequel. I'd love to see a PS4 sequel more. Would look even more gorgeous.
Sales wise (850K worldwide for PS3 version), it is about far better than what JRPG's not named Final Fantasy do this generation in America. It does "look" expensive, but may not be as expensive as people think.
It's been a long time since I played it but was it even mentioned that there were worlds besides the two? What would be the point?
thewhitehawk
Member
Duke Nukem Forever says hi. Ironically, they were both co-developed by the same company...
silver.tongue
Member
During the Level-5 Vision 2013 press conference Hino announced that Ni no Kuni had reached 1.4 million units sold worldwide.
Sales breakdown:
Code:[B]Japan [/B] [NDS] Ni no Kuni: Shikkoku no Madoushi (Level 5) {2010.12.09} - 554,378 [PS3] Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Level 5) {2011.11.17} - 150,715 [PS3] Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (All-in-One Edition) (Level 5) {2012.07.19} - 17,328 Total sales as of December 30, 2012 - 722,421 (current shipped number is probably around 750,000) Source: Media Create [B]Rest of the world[/B] - About 650,000 (PS3 version) [B]Worldwide[/B] - 1,400,000
This game deserves a lot more than this.
You fucked up, World.
uncharted86
Member
Including/excluding PSN sales?
The12thGripper
Member
Now while I did not like anything about this game (thus I didn't buy it), I really was expecting it to sell at least 2M. Guess I wasn't alone.
zeopower6
Member
2 million of the PS3 version? Or in total? Either way, you should know that the only JRPGs that regularly sell millions in Japan/worldwide are Dragon Quest, Pokemon (?), and Fnal Fantasy. Almost everything else sells under a million in total units with a few exceptions.
These sales are great... Did people want Last of Us numbers or something?
To put this into perspective, Tales of Graces F sold maybe 100k total in the West. (And that is being generous, I think)
Extremely disappointing game that wasted the fantastic ghibli world and characters it had. It felt like a very poor quality JRPG from 10 years ago that would have been totally ignored were it not for the dearth of JRPGs on the next gen systems. It took everything that was wrong with JRPGs and dialled it up to 11 whilst ignoring all the ally great things the genre has done over the last decade.
StealthGoblin
Banned
What did it do wrong? I thought it was a breath of fresh air. I just wish that more of the dialogue was spoken and not just text.
Dragon1893
Member
Need to decide if I'm going to grab this on psn before the sale ends.
outunderthestars
Banned
This is kind of how I feel as well. So much potential wasted in poorly executed game mechanics.
Delicious Waffles
Member
Just put the DS version in a 3DS box and call it day. It doesn't have to be marketed as a DS game. Just make it work like a 3DS without any graphical updates. Not likely happen I guess but there are ways to release this outside of Japan.
If it was still a loss or close to one it's on them. They chose not to release the DS version outside of Japan but instead decided to spend even more money making the PS3 version and then localize that.
zeopower6
Member
The issue is that the game plus book is humongous. In Japan, I read retailers severely discounted stock of the game cause it took up so much room on shelves. (to like 1500 to 2000yen)
Dat ginormous regular edition...
Even setting the book aside, it would've been an expensive localization with high manufacturing costs (it was on the largest DS cart size available, if I recall).
The issue is that the game plus book is humongous. In Japan, I read retailers severely discounted stock of the game cause it took up so much room on shelves. (to like 1500 to 2000yen)
Dat ginormous regular edition...
Wow. Why would they even design something like that? Didn't realize the book was that big. The DS has a second screen. I wonder why whatever information that is in the book couldn't have been displayed on the bottom screen. You have to draw something right from the book in the game? Wondering if you could have easily flip back and forth between an in-game book and a drawing screen.
The PS3 version wasn't expensive to create and localize?
zeopower6
Member
The printing of the book would have added a significant amount to the price of localization that the PS3 version did not require unless you got a Wizard's Edition. It's pretty much the only reason why the DS one was skipped. (Translation issues tend to be mentioned but really it's because they did not want to bundle a physical book with all copies)
I guess the goal for the game was to really feel like Oliver casting spells and such which is why spells and other things for in game puzzles were in the book. The in game version on the PS3 takes up about a gig or two, I think.
Probably was, but in the case of the DS version that was on top of a lot of other stuff (cartridge manufacturing, the book, the fact that by 2011 - when a localization would have happened - the DS software market had declined heavily and it would be tough to get shelf space).
Funny how some people say it had everything wrong in JRPGs in it, while some say it went back to the old days when things were right.
I'm in the latter. Shorter cut scenes, good combat(I thought so anyway), and a likable protagonist and story.
Too much exposition(reminded me of Issun from Okami), light on difficulty(also, like Okami...but harder than that game), and overly simple dungeons were it's problems. But that's because it was aimed at younger players.
Good game though.
Actually, the story got pretty interesting at the end.
I'm in the latter. Shorter cut scenes, good combat(I thought so anyway), and a likable protagonist and story.
Too much exposition(reminded me of Issun from Okami), light on difficulty(also, like Okami...but harder than that game), and overly simple dungeons were it's problems. But that's because it was aimed at younger players.
Good game though.
Actually, the story got pretty interesting at the end.
Are you serious? DS is dead and wasn't that viable a platform due to piracy even before its death.
Because Hino has more HEART than sense.
No one is allowed to add "or talent" here, do you hear me duckroll???
It may have tanked for them (in Japan!) but at least I'll have my big beautiful book to keep forever~
we.are.the.armada
Member
Great sales for a crybaby bunting.
