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Is Little Big Planet Series successful ? [8.5 million units, 60M DLC downloads]

Alec

Member
I own and have enjoyed every single LBP game (LBP, LBP2, LBP-PSP, LBP-PSV, LBPK).

But I have no idea if it's successful. It kinda seems like it is. When I think of "Sony's Mascot," I think of Sackboy.
 

Beth Cyra

Member
You'd think Sega All-Stars Racing was a failure too if you compared it's sales to Mario Kart.

I don't believe Sega All Star racing or Little Big Planet Racing are failure's because of Mario Kart.

I just don't see the Brand or Franchise being all that strong when standing alone.
 

Epcott

Member
I thought LBP was a success, while LBP2 was moderate (but I could be wrong).

I just hope the eventual LBP3 moves forward into fully 3D levels. I would love to finally make a Super Mario 64/Jumping Flash style game with Sackboys.
 
Doesn't actually mention sales but still mentions alot of LBP accomplishments. It's also pretty cool.

gaming_little_big_planet_infographic.jpg
 

saunderez

Member
Came in here thinking this was a thread about Little Big Adventure.

Was disappointed when this guy was nowhere to be found.

177631-twinsen_super.gif
 
Demand for a stand alone title is a little different than demand for a console plus game.

Seems that every LBP not bundled with a console does poorly, up to and including the spinoffs like karting.

Do we have numbers for them? Tons of other games are bundled aswel. Karting is something else, its a spinoff title with nonexistantial marketing.
 

Himself

Member
Best 20 I've spent in a while, easily the best in the franchise. I would gladly buy the next one if there is one on Vita for full price.

See this is what I'm hearing, but when i downloaded the demo the first like 5 fucking stages were tutorials. Turned me off big time so I haven't picked it up.
 

Noi

Member
I don't believe Sega All Star racing or Little Big Planet Racing are failure's because of Mario Kart.

I just don't see the Brand or Franchise being all that strong when standing alone.

Oh, that's not quite what I mean. I'll admit that I don't know how Karting sold, since I was never interested in it, but comparing any Kart racer's sales to Mario Kart would make them look like failures. It's still possible for the game to be a success based on how much it cost to develop.
 

SykoTech

Member
as i already answered Andre:

because i'm dumb and it's 1:30 am and for whatever reason i thought that writing Planet in the title i'd have excluded little big planet karting >.<

Yeah, my bad. That's what I get for trying to post and do other stuff at the same time. :/
 

El-Suave

Member
It created a family friendly mascot for Sony that's pretty much universally liked. Of course it's not as huge as Mario, but establishing anything that sticks these days is hard.
As for the sales and quality of LBP Karting - not every Mario spin off game on Nintendo platforms gets good reviews and makes big sales news either, especially those that are outsourced, like some of the sports games.
 

GorillaJu

Member
NPD doesn't make it look like a success but Sony continues to hawk the game and develop sequels so somewhere along the line it's considered a success. I'd imagine that it's got decent legs and that collectively it sells well around the world, but it's just not grabbing headlines because it doesn't chart well in its opening weeks.

Anyway every single LBP game to date has been fantastic. It's both critically & apparently commercially successful and has a lot of fans too.
 

Takao

Banned
The Vita, and Karting releases may not be big unit sellers, but they can still be profitable. I suspect Double Eleven, and Tarsier didn't exactly have to build LBP Vita from scratch, but rather used what Media Molecule had created for PS3. LBP Karting has to have a foundation from the remnants of Modnation Racers (and yes, before someone comments, I do know they control differently and other stuff) because when the same developer made both, why wouldn't it? Then there's the fact that both are compatible with every piece of existing LBP DLC and suddenly you have two more vehicles to sell content with.
 
I do think Sony should push Sackboy better as a mascot, and they really had a good opportunity when LBP was around. Problem is, LBP as a game is too damn complicated for kids and casuals. I had to explain it to some guests at my house and they were confused as hell. The planes and the jumping are just bad mechanics for casuals.

That said, I think Sackboy should be put in more.

I'd LOVE a 3D Sackboy Adventure, and there isn't any reason Sony can't do a Sackboy Party a la Mario Party or Sonic Shuffle.

And, while we're at it, I don't see why Sony hasn't used Ratchet and Clank in spin off games like a 2D sidescroller on VITA with the comic-art style seen in the game.

RatchetCartoon.jpg


I feel there is some easy money to made with these franchises that Sony doesn't take.
 
In my mind, yes. To be honest, I'm not that interested in the karting game, and I think that keeping LBP and ModNation separate would have been, I dunno, cooler, but the platformers have succeeded in not making me want for Mario. I know that Mario is awesome and I would certainly enjoy it if I had a Nintendo console. What I'm trying to say is that LBP gets the job done for me, and leaves me satisfied with my single console / single handheld setup.
 
Yep, sold a lot and the games are great.

They just need to push the whole concept of games as a platform and make LBP 3 a free game with weekly DLC packs and a big level pack every quarter. Also go the angry birds route and make a cartoon and more merchandising.
 

goldenpp72

Member
I feel LBP as a series had an amazing start, very appealing game, but the game itself just isn't very fun. Very few people I know who played the original cared to play the sequel, I myself never beat the first because it's just very slow and boring. Had the game been immensely fun as a game (Mario, Klonoa, etc) I think the IP would be amazingly strong today, as is, I don't think it will survive as a long term IP.
 

Carl

Member
Yep, sold a lot and the games are great.

They just need to push the whole concept of games as a platform and make LBP 3 a free game with weekly DLC packs and a big level pack every quarter. Also go the angry birds route and make a cartoon and more merchandising.

I don't like the idea of a freemium LBP

but i have to say i am very surprised they haven't made a cartoon or anything like that featuring Sackboy. Could do really well.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
I don't think handheld iterations or spin-offs of alternate genres are generally good indications of the strength of a brand, or can be used to indicate it's "dying."

But didn't the second game in the series sell half the amount the first did? I thought I read that on GAF.
 
I don't like the idea of a freemium LBP

but i have to say i am very surprised they haven't made a cartoon or anything like that featuring Sackboy. Could do really well.

Why not? Just imagine a full game like LBP2 but free and with 5x more dlc. I don't think the core gameplay would be hurt at all.
 

pvpness

Member
Problem is, LBP as a game is too damn complicated for kids and casuals.

Say what? My kid loves LBP and hasn't had any problems with any of it. It took him a minute to get up and running on making his own levels but he was only 4 when he first started playing it. Sadly, most of his buddies would rather be playing my copy of CoD or Saint's (which I find ridiculous). Shit you not, I heard a 7 year old kid refer to LBP2 as kiddie when my son asked if he wanted to co-op.

As far as I'm concerned, it's been a huge success in my family. Kid is psyched cause he knows that he's getting LBP Karting for christmas. Much to my dismay, Sackboy is my son's Mario. (I still love playing LBP with him, but it took me forever to adjust to the physics.)
 

nickcv

Member
Why not? Just imagine a full game like LBP2 but free and with 5x more dlc. I don't think the core gameplay would be hurt at all.

i honestly agree with him.
the coolest thing about LBP are the user created levels.
how can you do that in a freemium?

would they make people pay for the actual tool to build the level?
would they make people pay to actually play the user created level?
would they turn it into some kind of apple store with prices decided by the level creators and sony would get a 30% cut out of it?

i don't like any of these solutions
and know that i wrote it i'm afraid sony could go with the 3rd one
 
But didn't the second game in the series sell half the amount the first did? I thought I read that on GAF.
I only have first month NPD for each. The timeframes and release months are different though.

LittleBigPlanet (Oct 27th - Nov 1st 2008) - 215K

LittleBigPlanet 2 (Jan 18th - Jan 29th 2011) - 353K
 

Mondriaan

Member
Molyneux thought LBP was too ambitious, so no matter what happens with the franchise in the future, it will always have that.
 

Derrick01

Banned
Seems like each one that comes out sells less and has less of an impact on the gaming community. At this point Sony should cash in and forget the franchise, and certainly stop wasting press conference time on it.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
I only have first month NPD for each. The timeframes and release months are different though.

LittleBigPlanet (Oct 27th - Nov 1st 2008) - 215K

LittleBigPlanet 2 (Jan 18th - Jan 29th 2011) - 353K

That tells us nothing. I'm fairly certain the new one didn't sell anywhere near the first one. Even if it was half of LBP1, it's still successful, just fading fast. My guess is the horrible physics turned people off.

I kid, although the game does have horrible physics.
 

Kacho

Member
I think it is a successful franchise for sure, though the general interest in the series seems to be waning.
 
Say what? My kid loves LBP and hasn't had any problems with any of it. It took him a minute to get up and running on making his own levels but he was only 4 when he first started playing it. Sadly, most of his buddies would rather be playing my copy of CoD or Saint's (which I find ridiculous). Shit you not, I heard a 7 year old kid refer to LBP2 as kiddie when my son asked if he wanted to co-op.

As far as I'm concerned, it's been a huge success in my family. Kid is psyched cause he knows that he's getting LBP Karting for christmas. Much to my dismay, Sackboy is my son's Mario. (I still love playing LBP with him, but it took me forever to adjust to the physics.)

Well then they are smarter than the ones I had over :/

Actually that's not fair, come to think of it, I'm unsure if these people ever picked up a controller in their short lives. When LBP is successful, it usually is due to everybody just running and dying and just being silly. But two guests I had over couldn't flipping run and jump, and then there's more complicated things like those slings. Actually, LBP IS complicated, it's a little janky and cumbersome, and I wish they'd tighten it up. Seeing Sackboy run and jump in PSBR feels so good.

That's the problem when the game is made around DIY mechanics. I'd love to see spin off games without the create mechanic to see what Mm could do.
 
That tells us nothing. I'm fairly certain the new one didn't sell anywhere near the first one. Even if it was half of LBP1, it's still successful, just fading fast. My guess is the horrible physics turned people off.
How does it tell us nothing? And what is your inference based on?
 

pantsmith

Member
I feel LBP as a series had an amazing start, very appealing game, but the game itself just isn't very fun. Very few people I know who played the original cared to play the sequel, I myself never beat the first because it's just very slow and boring. Had the game been immensely fun as a game (Mario, Klonoa, etc) I think the IP would be amazingly strong today, as is, I don't think it will survive as a long term IP.

Yes, because when I think of wildly successful IPs, I too immediately think of Klonoa :p

Little Big Planet is a series that could potentially appeal to pop culture if it was on phones and/or multiplatform. It has all the pieces there, it's just held back by being a Playstation exclusive. A lot of the people who would love the game (creative folk, kids, "casuals") are on their phones, tablets and computers even moreso than whatever console their household happens to own.

It's all there, just not accessible in the ways it needs to be.
 
If I'm looking at just LBP 1 and LBP 2 yeah, but as a franchise including LBP PSP, LBP Vita, and LBK no I wouldn't. The real judge will be LBP3 on the next Playstation, if it doesn't move the needle that will be most telling.
 

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
I think the series is fantastic but it requires a little too much time investment to ever reach broad appeal. Based on my admittedly limited observations, it seems like the majority of players only tried the story mode. I've played the series a lot and it really shines when you're a. using the level creator to it's maximum potential, or b. online, jumping from user level to user level with friends. The problem is that the creator takes some patience to learn, and it's not always easy to find great user levels without doing some research. It's not a particularly great 2D platformer, but it's an amazing and endlessly amusing sandbox and outlet for creativity. But it seems a lot of people never really experienced those aspects of the series.
 

ASIS

Member
I wasn't aware that its success was ever in question considering that it was both critically and commercially acclaimed. I'm not sure how they want to evolve the franchise but there is a lot of room for improvement. I can certainly see it next generation and even the ones afterwards.
 

Agent X

Member
i'm not talking about the quality of the games, but of the franchise itself, from a sales point of view and it's appeal across gamers.

Yes, I'd say LittleBigPlanet is quite successful. It's one of Sony's top new franchises of the last few years. The first two games have sold several million, and they continue to have a following. The only other recent new Sony franchise that might eclipse LBP in both visibility and sales is Uncharted.

do you think sony is going to expand on it, making it a flagship franchise for both the younger and hardcore demographics or do you think it will go the way of the dodo next gen, like unfortunately other successful franchises from the ps2 and ps1 era?

I'm confident that Sony will bring back LBP for PlayStation 4. I would recommend they bring out LBP PS4 at or near the system launch, and treat it as a "platform within a platform".

For those who are complaining the old LBP or LBP2 physics model, they can tweak and improve the physics model for LBP PS4 (like they did for LBP PS Vita). They could still allow people to download LBP and LBP2 levels and play using a recreation of the old physics model.
 
i honestly agree with him.
the coolest thing about LBP are the user created levels.
how can you do that in a freemium?

would they make people pay for the actual tool to build the level?
would they make people pay to actually play the user created level?
would they turn it into some kind of apple store with prices decided by the level creators and sony would get a 30% cut out of it?

i don't like any of these solutions
and know that i wrote it i'm afraid sony could go with the 3rd one

Neither? just like the current games. Basic set of tools, creators have to pay to get more stickers, objects, costumes, etc. They are free to play to everyone. Just a focus on updating the game tools/premium levels with DLC instead of a release very two years. Community levels will still be there for everyone to play.

That would be a great way to revisit old franchises that have little to no opportunity to get a big budget release, especially next gen:

- An Ape Escape themed LBP Story pack with a net gadget
- A Medievil story pack with swords
- A Lemings themed game with PS Move controls
- A Jumping Flash pack with jumping boots, etc.
 

Currygan

at last, for christ's sake
It is indeed successful, but its popularity level is another thing, which is key to secure a consistent market. And I don't think LBP has any of this
 
The first one came out at a time when there wasn't terribly much to play on PS3 and this lent to it's success. It's mediocre gameplay killed its chances for the sequel to gain traction. Like many franchises this generation it's more style than substance (this one not as bad as others obviously).

I've spent probably three dozen hours in the creator so I feel like I got my value out of it. I never picked up 2 but I'll gladly give the PS4 version a go.
 
It tells us nothing because it's first month sales. Some games have great legs and others don't.
So are you implying the first game had better legs than the second game over the long term? If so how is this derived.

I found more data regarding the first game.
sony-exclusives-oct-dec-2008.jpg

With the benefit of the extra month of November it sold the same as LBP2 did in 12 days in January.

You didn't particularly answer the second question about what your assertions were based on. I'm still not seeing on what basis your "dying" "fading fast" "half the first" comments are based on, with regard to the two mainline games.
 
I don't like the idea of a freemium LBP

but i have to say i am very surprised they haven't made a cartoon or anything like that featuring Sackboy. Could do really well.

I've thought for a while they could make moneyloads by really pushing Sackboy as a kids character. The soft plush toys make him one of the cutest mascots in gaming. Oh as stopmotion, or puppetry, that'd be amazing. Forget the kids, I'd watch that.
 
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