The à¹ÛBronx
Member
OT1 is still at OT1
An unreleased and massively-hyped new IP has garnered more initial discussion than its sequel?
Colour me shocked.
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UK: Destiny 2 is year's biggest retail launch, but retail down 58% from Destiny 1
- Thread starter Kenzodielocke
- Start date
An unreleased and massively-hyped new IP has garnered more initial discussion than its sequel?
Colour me shocked.
AusRoachman
Member
UK market seems to have dropped off a cliff the last few years , every news article shows less sales for all franchises across the board.
Are there just less gamers now ? Or just too expensive ?
Are there just less gamers now ? Or just too expensive ?
irrotational
Member
Don't worry everyone - they'll make it back on people gambling for Exotic "flip the table" and "salt" emotes.
You can sleep easy tonight knowing that Bungie and Acti execs will still get their bonuses
You can sleep easy tonight knowing that Bungie and Acti execs will still get their bonuses
UC4, Horizon, Zelda, Persona 5, Overwatch, Forza Horizon 3 etc have all been big sellers in UK though.
funkystudent
Member
Destiny 1 burned a lot of people who wont come back.
Same shit happened with Watch Dogs and Titanfall. It's just hard to come back strong from a bad first impression no matter how good the second stab is.
Totally subjective here but Destiny 2 hasn't exactly dominated my friends list like the first game. Just seems like the people who kept playing all the DLC bought it.
Same shit happened with Watch Dogs and Titanfall. It's just hard to come back strong from a bad first impression no matter how good the second stab is.
Totally subjective here but Destiny 2 hasn't exactly dominated my friends list like the first game. Just seems like the people who kept playing all the DLC bought it.
Zeouterlimits
Member
Since we seem to be sharing anecdotal evidence - I went digital on the first game and didn't buy the second.
Might buy it on PC?
Might buy it on PC?
Sure, but this under selling big sequel is the biggest retail launch all year.OléGunner;248554919 said:
Toadthemushroom
Member
Anecdotally I haven't seen anything to suggest that is the case.
The few people I know who played Destiny 1 up until the Destiny 2 launch have continued with console stating:
-Destiny 2 using 'Global Play' region-matching on PC
-Worries about playerbase figures
-Being able to continue playing with friends who also own the game on XBL/PSN
Yes, the PC version of Destiny 2 will attract some players who would have bought the game on PS4 or Xbox One. But the cannibalisation will be nothing like the sales difference we're seeing here, even if you were to factor in a best case scenario for digital sales on top of the 175k sales sold as boxed.
PC Destiny 2 is going to mostly attract a new market of PC-only players around the world.
Rellik
Member
Keep in mind that this is retail. Maybe more and more are switching to digital?
rochellepaws
Member
Why would it be surprising that it's performing poorly? Destiny was regarded as a disappointment and reviewed poorly relative to high expectations from the Halo developers, is it not logical that its sequel would struggle to sell well as a result?
Yautja_Warrior
Member
Without digital numbers it's hard to say if less people are buying or more people are just buying digital, which is the case with a lot of my friends. Seen other people say the same too.
Although I think they are mad paying digital prices but plenty of people do it.
Although I think they are mad paying digital prices but plenty of people do it.
Id would imagine its a combination of people who didnt need like the 2nd one not buying again and digital sales affecting the figures.
They had 1.2 million CCU this weekend. Their first week is probably over 5 million at least. I dunno what struggling is in your book but I don't think this qualifies.
scoobs
Member
.... Never? It's been 3 years mate, digital adoption is much higher than in 2014. EA or Activision (can't remember who) mentioned in one of their conference calls that it's up to 30-35% of all their game sales.
Monkeyball
Banned
I doubt many new people start Destiny. It's like with other MMO's. Destiny 2 isn't suddenly going to interest people who didn't care about Destiny 1.
Brat-Sampson
Member
Once burned...
TatteredHat
Member
A lot of people (like myself) got burned on vanilla Destiny 1 and lost interest, this isn't surprising.
That poster was talking specifically about all franchise games in UK selling worse like its a complete trend, which is not accurate.
Could it cover that 58% drop though?
It bridges the gap but by how much is the intriguing question.
Kenzodielocke
Banned
Let's say digital was 15% back then, now it's 20% more, but sold 58% less than Destiny in the retail market. That doesn't look great.
Destiny 1, 417k
Destiny 2, 175k
You are saying the difference is made up digitally, lol. No.
dealer-
Member
D2 is 242,000 units down on Destiny so digital isn't making up the shortfall.
Probably a combination of factors. Digital being one of them. Some being turned off by the original game. Those waiting for the PC version. Also, the original was one of the first really big multiplat games of the gen so there was more hype and people buying into it.
xrnzaaas
Member
I personally wouldn't compare this to Titanfall's situation. 175k copies in the first week is still a great number even if the marketing costs for the sequel were insane. A lot will probably depend on their post launch support this time around. If they anger or disappoint enough people again then Destiny 3 might be in serious trouble.
Seganomics
Member
While I agree its too early to judge it's success, I'm sure Activision would have not have been expecting Destiny to be on a downward trend after only two games.
I mean, if you are creating a blockbuster franchise you'd expect it to be on an upward trend until you are are at least several games in to the series. It's hard to think of a long running series that has declined in sales game after game.
The timing of the release isn't the best. Lets release a multiplayer focus game just as kids are starting back a school/university (its quite a expensive time for parents).
Here in the UK game trade in are getting more expensive due lack of competition compared to 10-15 years ago.
Here in the UK game trade in are getting more expensive due lack of competition compared to 10-15 years ago.
The à¹ÛBronx
Member
Not originally but I'd be surprised if they didn't alter their expectations after the reaction to D1 and the development mess it had.
Team Andromeda
Member
https://venturebeat.com/2017/07/27/electronic-arts-digital-sales-jumped-23-last-quarter/
Electronic Arts generated $3.147 billion in sales from digital channels alone over the last 12 months. That is up 23 percent year-over-year, and that figure represents 63 percent of the publisher's total revenues through that period. While the company is still one of the most important publishers in terms of sales at retail chains like GameStop or Walmart, it is shifting along with its customer base to a digital-first distribution model.
Consoles continue to make up the biggest chunk of the digital sales for EA with $368 million last quarter, all platforms are growing. PC digital sales were up 23 percent from $133 million to $163 million. Mobile was up 6 percent year-over-year to $150 million from $141 million. And console digital jumped 25 percent to $368 million. But relative to the last 12 months, PC gaming is actually picking up momentum in terms of digital revenues.
MasterLeePhD
Member
My spending habits have totally changed as I've got older. I only buy digital, almost never buy games on day one and always wait for a sale.
I guess it's just a mixture of different factors to be honest.
Reineldinho
Member
I really enjoyed Destiny 1 but the content vs price ratio of the season pass, plus the The Taken King + Lord of the Iron's prices convinced me to wait at least 1 year or so before I consider jump in into Destiny 2
Very surprised of the by the huge drop in sales (even considering the higher digital attach rate nowadays than in 2014)
Maybe next time they won't ignore the switch audience.
Bought D1 at launch myself but am waiting to purchase D2 since I only play the story mode.
Also I think they waited too long for the sequel. People burned out on all the expansion packs. Only so much money you can extract from the same audience.
Bought D1 at launch myself but am waiting to purchase D2 since I only play the story mode.
Also I think they waited too long for the sequel. People burned out on all the expansion packs. Only so much money you can extract from the same audience.
The D1 launch was insane though, it was absolutely massive.
This is just a huge launch.
But it IS good to Bungie reaping what they sowed with D1, not just with the content, but with the way they completely disrespected their players time every opportunity they got.
Hopefully they won't make the same mistakes with D2, that alone will be enough to win a lot of players back.
This is just a huge launch.
But it IS good to Bungie reaping what they sowed with D1, not just with the content, but with the way they completely disrespected their players time every opportunity they got.
Hopefully they won't make the same mistakes with D2, that alone will be enough to win a lot of players back.
Toadthemushroom
Member
Thanks! Shame there isn't a breakdown on launch unit sales of boxed product that are also available digitally, since they are talking about revenue from any digital product, but that's interesting.
Succinct Verbosity
Member
You have to remeber the first Destiny was the first non-halo, third party game the studio had released in some time. At that point Bungie were one of the most respected developers out there (and probably the most respected when it came to console online) so the launch was always going to be magic. It's fair to say Bungie are no longer seen in the same way as they weee just five years ago.
I bought destiny 1 on disc. This year destiny 2 seems to be a digital purchse. This is infact one of the only AAA games that I have bought like this. There are a few reasons but, firstly, unlike a lot of games after the DLC comes out it renders the physical disk almost worthless. A lot of people who buy destiny know they have already bought into the DLC.
Second is the massive first update. A first week purchase with a looming raid in just a few days means a head start is valube. Some friends with the disk could not play it for 24 hours after recovering their copy on they day of release. Pre load is a big deal here.
Destiny 1 being an online only game, really shouted out that digital is the best way to be in a way that other games dont. There are a tonne of digital sales not accounted for here. But I'm sure you could getimate it with these numbers vs amount of online players. Vs numbers of destiny 1 week one playership and sales...
Second is the massive first update. A first week purchase with a looming raid in just a few days means a head start is valube. Some friends with the disk could not play it for 24 hours after recovering their copy on they day of release. Pre load is a big deal here.
Destiny 1 being an online only game, really shouted out that digital is the best way to be in a way that other games dont. There are a tonne of digital sales not accounted for here. But I'm sure you could getimate it with these numbers vs amount of online players. Vs numbers of destiny 1 week one playership and sales...
Graphics Horse
Member
I only learned that D2 means Destiny 2 today, I thought people were talking about an old horror remake or something.
meanspartan
Member
This may be exactly it. But then the game might have legs as people here about the good reviews and positive buzz.
The à¹ÛBronx
Member
Prior to this sequel, at least where I've been around, it used to refer to Diablo 2. In case you see it in that context at all.
Pjsprojects
Member
We had tv adverts for D1,not seen any for D2 but do believe digital is big,all my mates have gone digital and some like me when digital on both consoles
In Destiny 2's case not really.
The cheapest I've seen it in brick and mortar is £46. its not beyond the realm of reality to think £9 for the convenience of digital in an online only game where you would prob play it every day to do certain things is a no no. especially when trade in value for destiny 2 will be pretty much moot when the expansions start getting released.
Look i'm a massive Switch fan myself but don't be that guy, the system hasn't got the audience or the power to run Destiny 2 to even bother putting the effort in even though the idea of pick up and play destiny 2 is great.
Depends, I saw a lot of D2 adverts on Comedy Central (The Netherlands). So they did have TV ads.
Are you suggesting that 80% of all purchases were digital or what?
If one can get it for £10 less and there's no discernible advantage to having it digital-only, save not having to leave the house, I don't see any reason to think the 58% is anywhere close to being made up by digital sales.
Having bought a PS4/Destiny bundle and returned it about five days later, it was a case of once bitten twice shy for me, and it seems for a lot of others as well.
AnthonypUK
Member
Ahh digital sales, the saver of under performing games in the UK.
Uncharted 4 on one console sold more week 1 then Destiny 2 on PS4/XBO
This is a terrible result for a game that activision have so much invested in, the hype has seemed to be lacking for 2 and after 1's reception i'm not surprised its down, but i did at least expect it to match D1.
Between this and CO'ds haemorrhaging sales, its a good job Acitivsion have the blizzard side of the business making money.
Uncharted 4 on one console sold more week 1 then Destiny 2 on PS4/XBO
This is a terrible result for a game that activision have so much invested in, the hype has seemed to be lacking for 2 and after 1's reception i'm not surprised its down, but i did at least expect it to match D1.
Between this and CO'ds haemorrhaging sales, its a good job Acitivsion have the blizzard side of the business making money.
texhnolyze
Banned
Yeah, it's simple math, really. Digital sales would need a MASSIVE jump, like hundreds of percent (and more than physical which never happen in AAA space) to cover the total sales of Destiny 2 compared to the first game.