Skyward Sword sold to Zelda fans and Zelda is a much bigger brand. It has a built in audience that has been nurtured for decades. Just because it sold very well out of the gate doesn't mean a similar game will have repeat of it's success on another system. Who it's marketed to is still a factor and where those people are far more likely to be. It will have it's fans on the PS3/360 but I do think this is a good opportunity for THQ to really sell the Wii U version as there is a void wide open for them to fill if they play their cards right. If only Nintendo let them talk about that version.
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Vigil: If Darksiders 2 sells 4-5 mil copies, [Updated with dev comments]
- Thread starter shinobi602
- Start date
Skyward Sword sold to Zelda fans and Zelda is a much bigger brand. It has a built in audience that has been nurtured for decades. Just because it sold very well out of the gate doesn't mean a similar game will have repeat of it's success on another system. Who it's marketed to is still a factor and where those people are far more likely to be. It will have it's fans on the PS3/360 but I do think this is a good opportunity for THQ to really sell the Wii U version as there is a void wide open for them to fill if they play their cards right. If only Nintendo let them talk about that version.
Pyrrhus
Member
4 to 5 million? This puts a pall over the game before it even comes out. Since there isn't going to be a sequel to this chapter, which is part of a larger, interlocking story featuring all four Horsemen, it's fair to ask why one would want to deliberately get invested in a story that will end on a cliffhanger that will never be resolved.
Moral Panic
Member
I'll be very surprised if the game can sell 2 million.
I can imagine that Darksiders 2 will sell decently on Wii U, considering that it's Zelda-like nature should resonate rather well with the Nintendo fanbase and that it's probably one of the few solid titles available at launch. It's not going to be a smash-hit though, obviously.
I'm not sure if you are serious.
Seriously as long as I can get SP I'll be happy. There projection for SP are even crazier then their DS2 projections if you ask me, it would seem to have a built-in fan-base but not broad appeal. Darksiders should appeal to more gamers, I think they could squeeze out 4M.
Cmon now, lets not get carried away. It has excellent mind-share with the public and it launches on the same day on 3 platforms [fourth one will come on the launch of the Nintendo's brand new home console].
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire...e-titles-join-list-of-2012s-most-anticipated/
It will break 2 million easily.
Very serious. One of the most anticapated games of the year, multi-platform, releasing in a month with no competition, and essentially re-releasing with a new consoles launch later this year, yeah crazy to think it can sell 4M.
Sleeping Dogs, same day, man. Do not take it lightly.
Er ... they've seen how most games sell these days right? 4 - 5m ... they must be hoping WiiU version does well then.
Don't doubt it'll break 2m easily, but those rankings are naff, Transformers is also at a high % and that's going to bomb.
Don't doubt it'll break 2m easily, but those rankings are naff, Transformers is also at a high % and that's going to bomb.
F1 Race Stars is not an anticapated title at all. Darksiders is a game people actually know about.
It's funny, Darksiders II is the kind of game that makes me think of how games used to be because of it's old school approach in design and content. So it is ironic for me to see these modern day publisher expectations placed upon it that it almost certainly will not meet. I call a 1.5 million max, maybe 2 million, if it's lucky. I just don't see this selling like hot cakes come October and onward, no matter how great. But I know I did my part and pre-ordered, and make no mistake, I think it truly will be great.
Silas Lang
Member
True, they do have some big stuff coming out. Let's just hope they don't all have to sell 4-5 million copies. :/
Vermillion
Banned
Well. Darksiders 2 looks fun 
Forever disrespected
Until a week ago I didn't even know the game existed. Now I want to buy it just as much as Darksiders 2.
Barack Lesnar
Banned
I've always thought this game would bomb, like a Max Payne 3 type of bomb.
People may have heard of F1 but it's not on any most anticapated games list, whether it be a study of consumers (nielsen) or a media list.
Also do people seriously not know what thread I was refrencing? Gaf is slipping.
And many people wont know about Sleeping Dogs even a year from now. Darksiders II has much wider reach after 3+ years of marketing put into that franchise.
Fox Mulder
Member
Good luck with that THQ.
I kind of want the crash to happen. Good games shouldn't have to be made to appeal to everyone and sell 5 million copies to exist.
I kind of want the crash to happen. Good games shouldn't have to be made to appeal to everyone and sell 5 million copies to exist.
Tylahedras
Banned
We don't really know the time frame he's referring too for the 4-5 million number. If he's talking about the first couple months of sales though there's no way. If they sell 3 million copies of this I would be quite surprised.
You know what revisiting what i said it may be able to do 3 - 4 million.It's weird how all the would probably get "90 on metacritic games" got pushed to 2012.Sleeping dogs looks like ass to me and DS1 already has established 1.2 million fanbase( probably higher since those numbers are old).I have no idea how nintendo fans will treat 3rd party games now even if it's a better quality some might scream zelda rip off.. because you know that's how all fanboys are.Hell you even see journalist doing it when DS2 has it's own concepts.
good luck on hitting those numbers
Reads like Dalton was just pulling a number out of his ass, rather than explicitly saying "if we don't sell 4 mil, there won't be a Darksiders 3".
Still, :lol. Good luck with that. Has any single player action title in this vein sold that amount? I don't even think God of War 3 has reached those numbers, yet.
Still, :lol. Good luck with that. Has any single player action title in this vein sold that amount? I don't even think God of War 3 has reached those numbers, yet.
Here is the thing, no matter how fantastic this game is, it is still going to be an underdog going into the holiday season. It may get glowing reviews and be a breakout hit, but once October rolls around, the staus quo will move on to the usual suspects and sales for this will slow down. They may realistically hit 2 million or so tops, but 4-5 million in this market? Not going to happen. Sad to see such a promising series in such an unfortunate situation.
Agreed, it was definitely a hypothetical example rather than "Jason said we had to sell 4-5 Million".
Q
qizah
Unconfirmed Member
How well did the first game do commercially?
Also ... this is basically the biggest test for THQ right now, it has to perform well in order for them to stay alive, sadly.
Also ... this is basically the biggest test for THQ right now, it has to perform well in order for them to stay alive, sadly.
You're right, I did just pull the number out of my ass. I wanted to drive home that this needs to be a commercial success for us to do another one.
H
Portal isnt niche. It has more general appeal than DS thats for sure
Let me just make this clear, Jason or THQ, have not set a ridiculous high target of 4-5 million units to sell..because, well, that's just insane. Our goal as developers is to make the most fun games. Publishers have to make money with commercially viable product. It's not rocket science. If Darksiders II comes out, more than covers it's costs and is considered a great success by the Publishers, it makes a very compelling reason to do something else with that franchise.
Simple as that.
H
Simple as that.
H
Honestly i don't think so,despite being similar to zelda in terms of gameplay it doesn't have the kiddy presentation or is a long running nintendo franchise,i still think the wiiu port won't be much of a help and dks 2's fanbase would most likely buy the ps3/360 or pc version or even pick up a ps3 or 360 for dks2 and due to their ps360's libraries and the wiiu port being a late one further dampens it's chances to sell well
It's obvious beyond a shadow of a doubt that you guys went all out on this game in just about every area. In an age of 4-5 hour shooters with emphasis on multiplayer dominating the market, it's always nice when a content-packed single player experience with an old school approach comes around to stir the pot and remind people of what games used to be like. I'll be pulling for you guys at Vigil and am really looking forward to the game.
You're probably not allowed to talk about this, but how much does the game actually have to sell to break even? I'm reading that most of THQ's games need to seel 2 million+ to be considered a success.
I don't like the sound of a smaller scaled Darksiders III, but it's to early to tell. Maybe Darksiders II is so big, it creates unreasonable costs.
Kickass667
Banned
Darksiders has sold 1.2M, I would guess they would hope to double that at least. I actually was surprised to see DS1 sell that well considering the lack of notice upon it's release. If the break-even point for South Park RPG is 2M I would guess it's similar for this.
I can't talk about numbers, but I can talk about my comments. I was mainly referring to the size of the world. Reducing overall physical size doesn't reduce the quality of the product, it helps the people you have, focus more on the content. The larger the content, the wider the spread. It's a simple equation.
H
Lots of bad decisions made with regards to some of their other divisions. I do hope that they stay afloat, if only because whatever happens or doesn't happen with Darksiders III, it'd be far worse if Vigil had to be sold off and the game got the Dead Space 3 treatment.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
4-5 million copies... Jesus!
They are releasing the title in late fucking August and it's going to fight against 3-5 titles with-in 2-3 weeks of it's release
Don't forget early September when Borderlands 2 comes out and wipes everyone's sales away
Then the usual October to Late November slaughter-fest occurs
If it even reaches 2 million by Thanksgiving it would be an outstanding achievement
There is 0 commercial appeal to casuals
It doesn't offer that "bandwagon effect", say a COD/BF
The game resonates with hardcore/core/zelda clone/WoW players
Problem now is WoW is releasing it's expansion in September... so some of those sales go away
If this game sells 5 million with-in this year, then no company can ever bitch about sales under-performing, because everyone will bring up DSII as the qualm to that issue
uDraw HD version (PS3/360, Wii sold very well) murdered them, they went from stable with a small bleeding wound to life support due to GSW (gun shot wound) to the brain
Also Homefront was pushed to the moon with budget + marketing... didn't work out as planned
They are releasing the title in late fucking August and it's going to fight against 3-5 titles with-in 2-3 weeks of it's release
Don't forget early September when Borderlands 2 comes out and wipes everyone's sales away
Then the usual October to Late November slaughter-fest occurs
If it even reaches 2 million by Thanksgiving it would be an outstanding achievement
There is 0 commercial appeal to casuals
It doesn't offer that "bandwagon effect", say a COD/BF
The game resonates with hardcore/core/zelda clone/WoW players
Problem now is WoW is releasing it's expansion in September... so some of those sales go away
If this game sells 5 million with-in this year, then no company can ever bitch about sales under-performing, because everyone will bring up DSII as the qualm to that issue
uDraw HD version (PS3/360, Wii sold very well) murdered them, they went from stable with a small bleeding wound to life support due to GSW (gun shot wound) to the brain
Also Homefront was pushed to the moon with budget + marketing... didn't work out as planned
Yeah... What am I to take away from that statement? Was it a troubled project? Did they have problems bringing their vision into the game? Is it low rez or jaggy because of the size of the world? Is the scope now something they regret? Will there be a lack of polish?
My inheirent anxiety allows me to form another twenty lines of questions like that.
shinobi602
Member
Pretty sure the first one sold over 2 million.