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[LiquidSolid]

It was PSN/Steam on the same day.

Specifically US PSN. EU/PAL PSN users didn't get it until a couple of weeks after XBLA.

But does it really matter? You can make excuses for XBLA all you like but they're just that, excuses. The fact is, if Microsoft wanted the release to be day and date, it reflects badly on them and it's their responsibility to correct it. Do the people making these kind of arguments make the same excuse when the PS3/WiiU receive a delayed or shitty port?

 

[immortal-joe]

Really refreshing to see him post some actual numbers, as opposed to the "our game sold well within expectations for all platforms" we usually get.

 

[MarkusRJR]

I thought Nintendo restricted releasing digital sales info, especially for games on the Wii/DSi.

I picked up the game on my Wii U but I have been playing other games so I haven't had a chance to play it yet. Is it any good?

 

[zroid]

Seems like he has a pretty good shot of meeting the WiiWare payment threshold. Glad for the guy.

 

[Noogy]

Glad to see it doing well for him, I really enjoyed it (makes for a great Vita game). The staggered release skews the breakdown a bit, but either way it's a great success.

 

[vocab]

The delays, and the game not living up to the hype has something to do with low pc sales.

It's very polished for a indie game, but its just mediocre, and straight up rips the most annoying levels from nes classics. I like some things about the game, but I was glad to be done with it after one playthrough. The references are just....not even references. They are like the real thing in the game.

 

[Hero]

Because he'd have to port it.

Probably wasn't worth the extra thousands for development kits and certification on top of thousands more for the development costs to port it.

He was prepared to lose money (20,000 dollar gift to fans and all) on the Wii Ware release, not sure how releasing a game on a dead platform with a shitty payout structure is a better alternative than investing in a new indie-friendly platform that will be around for the next few years. I mean props to him for keeping his promise but just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[ramoisdead]

He was prepared to lose money (20,000 dollar gift to fans and all) on the Wii Ware release, not sure how releasing a game on a dead platform with a shitty payout structure is a better alternative than investing in a new indie-friendly platform that will be around for the next few years. I mean props to him for keeping his promise but just doesn't make sense to me.

It's all in the interview he did with Nintendo Life.

NL: On that note, did you consider switching to the Wii U eShop at any point, or is a future release on the platform a possibility?

BP: The problem is that the Wii U is a completely different system. You can’t just plop Wii code onto it, add some Wii U features and call it a day. It would need to be completely ported from scratch. On top of that, it means a new round of paperwork, platform requirements, e-manuals, game ratings, store metadata and assets, submission and certification. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t simply be a week’s work or such. Much of this was already done for the WiiWare version when the Wii U came along, so switching platforms still would’ve meant almost double the work. I’ve already ported the game to more systems than any one man developer has in history, and it’s left me very drained and physically sore after the long hours at the computer – over three years without a vacation or a day off. My mousing shoulder and neck is seized up right now from all of the time at the computer. So, no plans for more ports, I need to let my body rest without putting in the long hours for a while. Fortunately, WiiWare games can still be purchased and played on the Wii U.

 

[Shady859]

Wow lotta hate here, I personally haven't had the chance to play it yet. Bought it yesterday on Steam for $5 I thought people here liked it at launch. I almost biught it way back then but never pulled the trigger.

 

[Wario64]

@RetroCR 11:16 PM
Clarification: WiiWare version of Retro City Rampage has not generated dev revenue or hit the threshold, still a "gift to the fans".

 

[zroid]

@RetroCR 11:16 PM
Clarification: WiiWare version of Retro City Rampage has not generated dev revenue or hit the threshold, still a "gift to the fans".

Last I heard, it was 6000 in North America. I think he'll probably make it though.

 

[Hero]

It's all the interview he did with Nintendo Life.

Gotcha, never saw this interview. Makes sense now.

 

[kenjisalk]

The game was okay. What hurt it was the staggered release dates (didn't it not appear on the Euro PSN store for weeks?), Hotline Miami on PC which overshadowed this game on Steam (HM sold something like 135k copies on Steam, more than this did with every platform combined), and the lukewarm critical reaction.

This information is extremely vindicating to me, as someone who found Hotline Miami mechanically entrancing and artistically fascinating, whereas RCR was hyperactive, obnoxious and pandering.

 

[Wario64]

Last I heard, it was 6000 in North America. I think he'll probably make it though.

He said it's not even close to hitting the threshold

 

[zroid]

He said it's not even close to hitting the threshold

I thought he said less than 5000? Unless he meant way less.

 

[Rad-]

If I was an indie console developer, I wouldn't release my game this late to the gen. All of those numbers are very low if you ask me. People just don't care that much when the next gen is closing in.

 

[Salsa]

had this on Steam for ages, still need to play it

I played that old early version tho

 

[Sinatar]

Is the game actually good?

No, it's completely wretched.

 

[SuomiDude]

What, it actually got released on WiiWare? I thought I read long time ago that the game got canned on WiiWare, I actually had interest in the game back then. I might still check it out though.

 

[flaxknuckles]

I would have played it more but for some reason Sony removed the Vita version I got from PS+ off of my account.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

I would have played it more but for some reason Sony removed the Vita version I got from PS+ off of my account.

Did your PS+ expire?

 

[Keslord]

This and Dead Island are two of the biggest, over-hyped pieces of shit released last generation.

 

[Caddywompus]

The game got me to sign up for PS+ last Dec. but I also got a Wiiware version since Nintendo tied points to Wii/DS and are unusable on the eShop.

That being said, I'd get 3DS version too if it was made available.

 

[flaxknuckles]

Did your PS+ expire?

Nope. The ps3 version is still available for me to download and that's the one I didn't even activate. I downloaded the Vita version as soon as it was available in PS+, deleted it later and then saw I couldn't play it anymore without a purchase.

 

[dallow_bg]

@RetroCR 11:16 PM
Clarification: WiiWare version of Retro City Rampage has not generated dev revenue or hit the threshold, still a "gift to the fans".

That is just so fucking sad.

 

[pants]

So not worth it? I havent been paying attention to this game, but the title implies it is like River City Rampage? Is this the case?

 

[Brashnir]

It was strange to watch this game get completely overshadowed by Hotline Miami, at least on PC. Almost no one seems to talk about it. I have no idea if it was any good, although I did hear some rumblings that it was a minor disappointment.

Edit: for comparison, Hotline Miami had sold 130,000 copies by December 11, 2012. Both games launched the same week.

Hotline Miami got attention because it's a good game with a great soundtrack.

Retro City Rampage got attention because it's a series of memes and references.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

I thought he said less than 5000? Unless he meant way less.

Worldwide sales. The threshold is 6000 NA alone (less for Europe).

 

[Mpl90]

Wait. Nintendo has never allowed developers to release official sales data, no? And now we have someone talking freely about digital sales with numbers. A signal of another change in digital environment policy or just neither Nintendo care about WiiWare anymore? :lol

 

[GRW810]

Have Nintendo relaxed their stance on developers revealing sales figures? He has said before how much he loves Nintendo, that he has enjoyed working with them and is looking forward to doing so again. So I doubt he has just recklessly sabotaged relations with Nintendo by breaking rules. He must have got permission surely? Does this open the door for WiiWare game sales? Would love to know this info.

What with this and Beril discussing sales performance of Gunman Clive on eShop (though not actual numbers) Nintendo seem to be more lenient. They even promoted Beril's info themselves. I guess if they have loosened the rules it's part of their more open and welcoming policy towards indies.

 

[Saty]

Wasn't the XBLA release date solely Microsoft's fault with it's shitty policies? I remember reading the game was ready but that there weren't 'open slots' for the game on the service for weeks.

 

[serplux]

Eh? WiiWare numbers? Someone go ask beril/skullomania for sales figures for their eShop/DSiWare releases.

 

[saunderez]

Wasn't the XBLA release date solely Microsoft's fault with it's shitty policies? I remember reading the game was ready but that there weren't 'open slots' for the game on the service for weeks.

I'm not willing to blame MS 100% because the game was rejigged after the US PSN and PC releases. Without the rejigging who knows when the other versions would've released.

 

[War Peaceman]

Wasn't this originally supposed to come out first on Wiiware, only to come out very late for it? The long development cycle and confused platform releases definitely didn't help its cause. Nor did its quality.

 

[GRW810]

Eh? WiiWare numbers? Someone go ask beril/skullomania for sales figures for their eShop/DSiWare releases.

Excuse my ignorance but who is skullomania? I know of Beril as the developer of Gunman Clive but what has skullomania made? Haven't come across the name on here before.

 

[Drencrom]

@RetroCR 11:16 PM
Clarification: WiiWare version of Retro City Rampage has not generated dev revenue or hit the threshold, still a "gift to the fans".

Utter bullshit

 

[BHK3]

So what exactly is bad about the game? All I see here "it's shit its a bad game" with no real explanation. I haven't been able to play it due to other games but from what I did it was pretty enjoyable, only complaint I had was it gets kinda hard to see what is what because LOL PIXELS.

 

[Mpl90]

Just asked to him about WiiWare numbers through Twitter. Hopefully, he'll read my tweet

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Specifically US PSN. EU/PAL PSN users didn't get it until a couple of weeks after XBLA.

But does it really matter? You can make excuses for XBLA all you like but they're just that, excuses. The fact is, if Microsoft wanted the release to be day and date, it reflects badly on them and it's their responsibility to correct it. Do the people making these kind of arguments make the same excuse when the PS3/WiiU receive a delayed or shitty port?

That's an odd way to look at the situation. What can Microsoft do if the game isn't ready for their platform due to failing cert or not being submitted in time? Allow them to release a broken game and see the number of complaints flood in about a broken game?

It's the same reason it was delayed on EU PSN, cert issues.

 

[madmackem]

I guess it adds to the growing list of small devs being unhappy with ms. They need to get there shit right for next gen or all the work put in on xbla will be lost.

 

[madmackem]

That's an odd way to look at the situation. What can Microsoft do if the game isn't ready for their platform due to failing cert or not being submitted in time? Allow them to release a broken game and see the number of complaints flood in about a broken game?

It's the same reason it was delayed on EU PSN, cert issues.

It was done though wasnt it it was just the case of not having a slot for it. EU psn cert is bonkers, we still dont have csgo ffs.

 

[saunderez]

It was done though wasnt it it was just the case of not having a slot for it. EU psn cert is bonkers, we still dont have csgo ffs.

I'm not sure it was done, the controls were changed and some missions were shuffled around after the original release. You can't put a game through cert and change it like that without certifying it again.

 

[GRW810]

I guess it adds to the growing list of small devs being unhappy with ms. They need to get there shit right for next gen or all the work put in on xbla will be lost.

It's pretty ironic that Microsoft pretty much introduced digital downloading to consoles. XBLA certainly pushed Sony and a reluctant Nintendo to embrace online stores and indie titles.

 

[serplux]

Excuse my ignorance but who is skullomania? I know of Beril as the developer of Gunman Clive but what has skullomania made? Haven't come across the name on here before.

He made Go! Go! Kokopolo for DSiWare and is currently making Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D: Space Recipe for Disaster under the company name Tanukii Studios.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Is the game actually good?

I didn't particularly like it from the demo, but sounds like my opinion there isn't far off the mark judging by everyone else here.

 

[@MUWANdo]

I thought he said less than 5000? Unless he meant way less.

There isn't/wasn't a solid threshold, plus there are individual thresholds for each region. 5k wouldn't even be enough to cross it in one region, let alone two.

 

[LiquidSolid]

That's an odd way to look at the situation. What can Microsoft do if the game isn't ready for their platform due to failing cert or not being submitted in time? Allow them to release a broken game and see the number of complaints flood in about a broken game?

It's the same reason it was delayed on EU PSN, cert issues.

We obviously don't know exactly what happened, so we can't get into specifics, but we do know bits, like how it was held up waiting for a slot for months and that it was the most expensive version. You don't think Microsoft can improve themselves in that regard?

Also, cert != QA. SCEE do seem to have some sort of crossover but Microsoft and SCEA are far more concerned with developers complying with their standards than running perfectly. So long as they tick all their boxes, they don't give a shit about crippling bugs (which is why Skyrim PS3 still got released, even in Europe).

 

[Usobuko]

PSN

- $600,000 earned across over 35,000 units

PC

- $400,000 from over 40,000 copies sold

Effect of steam/gog sales.

 

[Kenshin001]

That's an odd way to look at the situation. What can Microsoft do if the game isn't ready for their platform due to failing cert or not being submitted in time? Allow them to release a broken game and see the number of complaints flood in about a broken game?

It's the same reason it was delayed on EU PSN, cert issues.

The game wasn't released on XBLA because MS were taking their time allocating a slot and he got fed up waiting. Ironically it launched in the US on PSN on the same day as Machinarium, Joe Danger 2, Walking Dead pt 4, Derrick the Deathfin and a couple of other PSN games so he faced a fair bit of competition.

 

[Night_Trekker]

I don't at all understand the incredible hate this game is getting. It's not bad at all.