You mean they haven't done that yet? Wow.
Although I do think it'd be difficult to monetise it. Buy hints for the puzzles with real money? Get one chapter free and buy the rest? I don't know how I'd go about doing it myself to be honest.
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Media Create Sales: Week 27, 2014 (Jun 30 - Jul 06)
- Thread starter Chris1964
- Start date
You mean they haven't done that yet? Wow.
Although I do think it'd be difficult to monetise it. Buy hints for the puzzles with real money? Get one chapter free and buy the rest? I don't know how I'd go about doing it myself to be honest.
BlowoverKing
Banned
Pretty nice hold for Freedom Wars. Vita hardware also holds at a decent level. I hope Freedom Wars can at least pass 300k before sales really die off.
I think buying hints or bypassing picaret blocks without solving puzzles would probably be the most effective.
And yes, the only iOS game they have is Layton Brothers which was a one-off spin-off title that played differently.
They also announced Layton 7 which seems to be a simulator where you play a dog who walks around an isometric town barking at people, and a mobage game where you fuse cards and put furniture in a house.
Level 5's ability to launch a franchise is very strong, and I like that they keep shooting for the stars in an industry that really needs more of that attitude, but their ability to steer a series or react to changing market conditions is quite poor.
Yeah I agree. I think in general these types of experiences are better suited to a different type of distribution model like you said. A single app/hub that grows via the f2p model for example would make sense for games like Layton and Nintendogs and such. Games that did extremely well on DS but not so well on 3DS. Experiences that in my opinion still have a market to cater to but in a different model to what they were once packaged as. Nintendo kinda sorta acknowledged it with how they started off with Wii Sports on the Wii U but the game wasn't diverse enough in my opinion. If Nintendo continued too add more novel sports games that expand that game it'd work well in its favour.
I think overall the market just doesn't see the sense in sense in making games like Layton a series of full priced, boxed titles that come out and iteratively expand on the previous title when the experiences with each instalment seems to be more or less the same anyways. No doubt Layton is still a viable IP, one that L5 should work hard to reorganise and get back on track but it's previous business model with the series doesn't make much sense in this post iOS/Android world full of similar experiences that scratch the same itch but in a package that's easier to dive into.
I feel I should note that one of the most successful mobile games in Japan, that's likely pulling in nine digit revenue numbers per year, is Quiz RPG, a game where you go dungeoning by answering trivia questions about Sports, Entertainment, Science, Geography, or Lifestyle, and then have some RPG social-mobile systems built around it like monster collection and evolution.
The game has over 26 million downloads in Japan alone, which is almost as much as Puzzle & Dragons. There's clearly still an astronomically large audience for puzzle type games like this, but they're on mobile in at least the local market.
Infinite Xero
Member
Freedom Wars selling through its stock again so good job Sony.
Yeah those numbers are insane. You'd be mad not to look at them and feel the need to take experiences like Layton in that direction when it seems ripe for the platform. There's always been this sentiment floating around since games like Layton and Nintendogs and Brain Training didn't sell as well as people expected on the 3DS that the audiences just disappeared. But taking one look at the app store charts shows that in fact the audience just moved on.
I know a lot of people who play games like P&D and Quiz RPG never played similar types of games on dedicated platforms like DS. There's obviously a lot of overlap for sure but a large majority of these are people who just happen to be new to the whole thing. Nearly everyone has a smart phone of some sort on them and by proxy also have a device that's capable of delivering such experiences. By putting these games on iOS and Android for Free for example, it allows you to hook these people and get them spending money before they know it. Mobile has been a blessing for such genres. The whole setup just makes so much sense.
KillerMan91
Member
Me neither. I still remember how people laughed at Take Twos 600k target before the launch. Crow was eaten.
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Considering how quickly L5 kills of its franchises it isn't debatable at all.
Acti has had some mishaps but they've still managed to keep colossal franchises like WoW and COD going strong. Now they have Skylanders as well and Destiny coming up with a 10 year life span.
I can't think of a single L5 franchise that is still going strong.
Skylanders is the top dog though. How can it be irrelevant?
So far I only see one competitor to Skylanders and thats Infinity. Don't see any flooding.
Sammy Samusu
Member
Code:
[B]Persona 4 Golden (PSV) Persona Q (3DS) [/B]
152,499 | 186.398
18,069 | 31.166
12,261 | 10.914
5,953 | 6.402
4,630 | 4.272
(out, less than 3,893)
= 193,412 = 239.152Psycho_Mantis
Banned
I don't understand how P4G got to 350k but its there lol
Wait now that I look at it......a Persona spin off on the Vita has somehow managed to become the second best selling Persona game in the series in Japan.
A bit premature to start looking forward to this no? At the rate things are going, it will take the 3DS around 2 more years to finally pass the PSP.
Kresnik258
Member
Surprised to see Vita pretty much flat last year vs. this year on Media Create. Last year had Toukiden + bundle; this year had Freedom Wars + no bundle. Toukiden bundle peaked it a lot higher last week but seems to have fallen a lot quicker too.
Better second week than I was expecting for Freedom Wars. Good Taiko legs. Good GTAV legs.
But Akiba's Trip & Island Days bombing isn't so fun. At least Demon Gaze charted... which I honestly wasn't expectin.
Better second week than I was expecting for Freedom Wars. Good Taiko legs. Good GTAV legs.
But Akiba's Trip & Island Days bombing isn't so fun. At least Demon Gaze charted... which I honestly wasn't expectin.
Bitanator
Member
Well when there is nothing else to eat, let them eat cake. Enhanced editions are spin offs now?
Resident Evil, if you ignore the Saturn and Director's Cut editions:
[PS1] Resident Evil (Capcom) {1996-03-22} - 148,904 / 1,194,779
[SAT] Resident Evil (Capcom) {1997-07-25} - 68,130 / 148,369
[PS1] Resident Evil: Director's Cut (Capcom) {1997-09-25} - 144,349 / 514,122
[PS1] Resident Evil 2 (Capcom) {1998-01-29} - 1,389,733 / 2,154,975
Yu-Gi-Oh IV after III, although its first week didn't best the original LTD:
[NGB] Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Konami) {1998-12-17} - 683,948 / 1,522,971
[NGB] Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II (Konami) {1999-07-08} - 401,533 / 984,862
[NGB] Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters III (Konami) {2000-07-13} - 327,686 / 726,519
[NGB] Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters IV (Konami) {2000-12-07} - 1,228,599 / 2,210,163
Monster Hunter Portable if you ignore the Best release:
[PSP] Monster Hunter Freedom (Capcom) {2005-12-01} - 118,317 / 668,964
[PSP] Monster Hunter Freedom [PSP the Best] (Capcom) {2006-08-03} - 12,314 / 290,904
[PSP] Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (Capcom) {2007-02-22} - 746,313 / 1,723,187
There are others that fit the criteria, but with smaller sales (100k, 50k) which I suppose makes it easier to happen. Nothing on the 1 million level (from what I can see since 1996, according to Famitsu)
bigmit3737
Member
Vita needs a lot more of these 200-300k games .
Youkai Watch 2 - 800k first week.
What was P&D first week?
I don't think it will sell more than PD firs week.
Youkai Watch 2 - 800k first week.
What was P&D first week?
I don't think it will sell more than PD firs week.
350k? I thought it was 300k? I wonder if Freedom Wars can pass that.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
I am returned to this world if only to bear witness to the coming of Yokai Watch 2, clearly.
Console shit-show continues. Does any company even have the stamina or good-will to bother trying to save it really?
Console shit-show continues. Does any company even have the stamina or good-will to bother trying to save it really?
Does anyone besides Nintendo even care? Japan is 10% of the console industry and fading. Vita is a big miss worldwide, and I doubt Sony is going to try their luck in the dedicated handheld market a third time. Microsoft cares so much about Japan that Japanese customers have to wait 10 months to get the One in their territory.
Japan is clearly transitioning to a mobile gaming market.
It's an enhanced port. A remake implies the game isn't 98% lifted from PS2.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
I guess the final hail mary is VR really. Does Namco have the balls to make a full on Sword Art Online like their AX tease? Probably not.
Cosmo Clock 21
Banned
Unfortunately I think the unmitigated success of the "dragonesque" model has created a chilling effect where publishers have become reluctant to experiment with alternate viable business models. As a result you get games wholy unsuited to the model getting card battle or dungeon stamina management or whatever system grafted onto them, which really sucks cause a lot of the mid-budget tier titles that you would have seen on MC charts last gen are now F2P Dragonesque garbage.
SS
ßig
Unconfirmed Member
Where are you getting 350k from? Don't say digital, because the comparison is physical vs physical. This was posted in this thread:
vinnygambini
Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
Level-5 is still very much in its infancy and much smaller comparatively to Activision.
Furthermore, Activision mishandled many properties such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Prototype and True Crime before rising to the colossal publisher that it is today.
In addition, World of Warcraft does not belong to Activision publishing, but rather Blizzard Entertainment - they have no say in the daily operations of that company.
I'd argue that Activision is a successful publisher because of the merging of Vivendi Games (Blizzard Entertainment).
Well, maybe because there isn't anything in Japan that can reach the scale of GTA and they like having a big playground where they can shoot, drive and do stuff.
The brand sells well there historically iirc.
Well, if the game sold consistently 1000-1500 units each week for 2 years, with some peaks in the 2000-3000 range in the busiest weeks of the year and digital downloads (some at a discounted price), you can get there.
It's curious how much it sold yet anybody knew it.
Vita needs games with a selling power above the 200-300k range. Phantasy Star Nova could be there. An eventual God Eater released exclusively on the system (if it happens) could be there. Or FW / Toukiden 2 if the series takes off.
Now that I read my post. Wow. They're all games in the same genre.
Yokai Watch?
PADZ opened with 540K and all signs point to YK2 having a bigger opening.
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Oh yeah got mixed up.
Persona 4G is an enhanced port. Like DD Dark Arisen or DkS AotB etc
ßig;120206923 said:
http://www.siliconera.com/2014/04/08/persona-4-golden-shipments-japan-cross-350000/
Pretty crazy.
Waluigilicious
Member
The Wii U needs
in Japan, fast.
Mario Party 10
numbers are this poor across the board. when are people going to finally accept that this is the state of the industry and stop looking to the past?
I mean what's the point of crying wolf when the wolves are walking in the streets, sleeping in our living rooms, eating meals with us, and have just generally moved in, etc?
I think it's next week
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
That franchise is just 1 year old lol
Are you following the convo we're having?
Crash and Spyro pretty much lost all their appeal as soon as they left Naughty Dog and Insomniac respectively.
Maybe the crashes of those series should not of been that bad but I think it was inevitable there was going to some crash in quality and sales.
Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero are fair cases. Prototyope and TC were never big enough in the first place.
Activision at the very least has managed to keep COD going strong for what 6 years now.
Sweet. Game looks cool.
Spyro had some "decent to good" games in the PS2/GBA era. It vanished for a few years and now it has been transformed into Skylanders and it seems to work nicely. It surprises me that Activision hasn't tried to release a TV series or some other multimedia project.
They need to do something faster or Disney Infinity and other properties with bigger impact in other media could beat them ("Pikachu y sus amiibos" game?).
People love to bash Call of Duty or World of Warcraft subscription fees, but in the end human beings love routines. A good part of the Call of Duty audience probably doesn't buy too many games a year. But they know they can spend hundreds of hours there so they don't mind paying 60-120 a year since they know it's worth. Guitar Hero was the same but they went too far. Here is a list with all the games released
Given this suggests 100K digital sales in Japan and how it did at retail in other regions, I think ~50% of this game's 700K might have been digital sales.
Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard since 1991, is actually the guy who came up with the entire annualization business plan for Activision and is in charge of both the Blizzard and Activision Publishing divisions.
Blizzard is actually adopting this model as well, now developing multiple World of Warcraft expansion packs with separate teams in parallel so they can come out faster (presumably with an annual target given they were already every two years).
Vivendi actually bought Activision because they saw huge value in the way the company was run, and put Activision's board members and management in charge of the entire operation. Vivendi Games by comparison was very unsuccessful outside of Blizzard, and almost all of their legacy studios and content were shut down immediately during or within a few years of the merger.
Now, Activision did bleed a lot of studios in refactoring, but that's true of almost every major Western publisher as the market went from pushing tons of content to pushing much less content, but at a much higher quality per game. They're one of the only traditional publishers across the board to actually come out of last gen with major profits and a stable of successful franchises.
Level 5 was founded in 1998. This is younger than Activision, but I wouldn't really consider it a company in its infancy. Perhaps in the relative infancy of being a notable publisher of software.
A yearly expansion? That is excesive when people is already paying a monthly fee.
It is a lot. Given they have that alternative business model test store though, I'm wondering if they're intending on dumping those and going with annual expacs plus microtransactions.
Here are their stated intentions though:
Digital Spy said:
incgamers said:
Magicpaint
Member
It's not quite remake, but it's really meaty even for an enhanced port. There's new music, new moves, new personas, new social links, new story events, new locations, new character(s) etc.
True, but the franchise is starting to show fatigue with the recent game being a huge drop off from the last couple of entries. Maybe the next gen reset will breathe life into the franchise unlike Layton and Inazuma Eleven, though.
To me the issue that Level 5 faces is not that their games go down, but that they never come back up.
Like Assassin's Creed goes up and down based on what's releasing, but Ubisoft shows strength in that they can raise it up when it dips.
Activision dug Spyro out of the closet and created a multi-billion franchise with Skylanders.
EA took Battlefield and relaunched it as a behemoth.
In general the trick is that when something starts to slide, you need to be able to reinvent it back to success with some consistency. Not everything needs to last forever, but if you frequently lose your brands, you can never get ahead unless you create new successful brands at a tremendous rate.
Yagami_Sama
Member
Good sales for Mario Kart 8 and Yo-kai watch. Wii U doing "better" than PS4 it is something good.
I am curious to see if Yo-kai Watch 1 and 2 will sell next week.
I am curious to see if Yo-kai Watch 1 and 2 will sell next week.
Magicpaint
Member
Yeah, I agree. They seem content in letting a franchise run its course for the short term while replacing them with new successful IPs. There is no attempt to reinvograte them. It's a risky strategy but they've shown to a reasonable extent now that they can make that business model sustainable. They're probably thinking of what is going to replace Yokai Watch once it runs its inevitable course
Sammy Samusu
Member
It sold 300k at retail according to MC.
Yeah, I agree. They seem content in letting a franchise run its course for the short term while replacing them with new successful IPs. There is no attempt to reinvograte them. It's a risky strategy but they've shown to a reasonable extent now that they can make that business model sustainable. They're probably thinking of what is going to replace Yokai Watch once it runs its inevitable course
While I think they have a healthy enough income that they're not facing any financial issues, I do still feel they're likely making quite a bit less on just Yokai Watch than Layton + Inazuma Eleven.
If they had grown even larger, or if Yokai Watch hadn't taken off when it did, that could have been a rather large issue.
Of course, one advantage is I don't imagine anything they make costs that much to develop.
Ah I see. The Famitsu LTD must be a bit old on LTDRANK or we just never got an update from them.
Because it was for a long time THE Vita game to get? I see Vita games drop in price (usually down 75%) very quickly here, but P4G was seemingly always full price and is right now down 25%.
Edit:
That sounds way too high.