Would You Consider The ''Horizon'' Franchise A System Seller?

Do you consider ''Horizon'' Series a system seller?

  • Yeah

    Votes: 112 28.1%

  • No

    Votes: 286 71.9%
  • Total voters
    398
The first game is grossly overrated. I heard a lot of people talk about it, only to play 10-20 hours and realize it's just like every other open world game out there.
 
I don't care for these games, i got the same amount of enjoyment playing Horizon as many Ubisoft games(none)

But yes, they are definetly system sellers, you just didn't notice so much because it was cross gen, but that series has been selling plenty of consoles,and will continue to do so
 
Flutta said:
Let's make it simple.

Do you see/hear s large group of people say i'm getting a PS4/5 for Horizon?
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Yes I do. Not that it's relevant because this is purely anecdotal.
Flutta said:
When it comes to PS i've only seen this happen to games like GOW, Spiderman, MGS, FF etc etc.

When they talk system sellers they usually mean killer apps. Like Zelda, Mario, COD, GOW, MGS, HALO, GTA etc.

What do these games have incommon? A Hardcore fanbase. Something a game like Horizon doesn't have from what i've seen. Also it's a relatively new IP. Personally i hope GG starts working on a new IP and move on from Horizon.
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Horizon is 100% a killer app. It's one of the flagship franchises of the Playstation brand and one of their most popular games. It also sells more than Halo or MGS so I'm really not sure what you're saying here. A major AAA IP, one of the most marketed and best-selling games, yet it's not a system seller. Then what is?
 
AV said:
Sorry, my original post should have been clearer, will edit. The OP asked about the Horizon franchise being one and it isn't because Forbidden West did very well, but not system seller well. The franchise didn't pick up steam, it remained pretty much constant. Ragnarok moved mountains and Spider-Man 2 will do the same because those are the two definitive system sellers.

I'd also put Gran Turismo in there even with lower overall sales, because it'll sell consoles to people who play nothing but Gran Turismo.
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So, like I said, Playstation has two system selling franchises; Spider-Man and God of War now. The Last of Us, Uncharted, Ghost of Tsushima, etc, do similar numbers to Horizon so they're not system sellers either.
 
Gaiff said:
So, like I said, Playstation has two system selling franchises; Spider-Man and God of War now. The Last of Us, Uncharted, Ghost of Tsushima, etc, do similar numbers to Horizon so they're not system sellers either.
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I think I agree. But The Last of Us could get there after this TV show business. But as of right now, it's not.
 
Gaiff said:
So, like I said, Playstation has two system selling franchises; Spider-Man and God of War now. The Last of Us, Uncharted, Ghost of Tsushima, etc, do similar numbers to Horizon so they're not system sellers either.
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Spot on.
 
Punished Miku said:
I personally disagree, but as I've said it's all subjective so you're entitled to your opinion.

I think Sony traditionally had 3rd party system sellers, not 1st party. Final Fantasy Versus XIII was literally a system seller and it didn't even come out. And FFXV doesn't sell as well as Horizon. But they still know that for a certain hardcore segment of gamers, mainline FF is a system seller. That's why they pay for it to be exclusive.

I may be wrong, but I just don't think of Horizon in the same way.
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An opinion of the game is subjective. We're not talking about how we feel about the game personally.

If a game sells 18+ on a single platform, then there's a very good chance that a good portion of those gamers will buy a PlayStation because of Horizon.

Sony always releases collectors editions, special editions, limited editions etc. In most cases, you would need a good fanbase to sell these editions to. Now let's say the franchised moved over to Xbox and became exclusive; Do you think a lot of fans of the series would buy an Xbox because of Horizon 3?

We can guess, but there's a good chance that many who bought Horizon 1 & 2 will buy an Xbox if Horizon 3 was released exclusively on the platform.
 
Bumblebeetuna said:
No way. At their core, they are solid but extremely predictable open world games. The graphics are insane. So on those two factors, the games would still sell, but their sales have been dramatically inflated by bundles. Especially the first game.
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Wrong. Forbidden West was the 9th best selling game in north america in 2022 according to npd - whose data doesn't track bundles.
 
HZD or HFW for the PSVR2 would have been an absolutely killer app and 100% would have been a system seller. This abomination they are pushing as a Horizon game isn't. Once the launch is over, the smoke clears and dust settles, this won't be the game that pushes anyone to VR.
 
Oof85 said:
I'd say Animal Crossing is the more recent example of a system seller.

It might not be a hot topic on Gaf/Era but it was hugely successful in terms of both software and hardware movement.
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I mean it definitely sold gang busters...

But don't forget the time and place everyone was at when that game launched. I'd be surprised if it's sequel does as well whenever that may come. Especially with the franchises Pokémon-esque style of iteration.

But the game definitely sold ridiculously but covid was such a unique situation.

Among us would have remained fairly unknown if it wasn't for covid and streaming
 
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It's a great game that gets unfairly downplayed against the likes of other big successes. Forbidden West was released in the same year God of War Ragnarok and Elden Ring, which got most of the mainstream attention, but it stands out on its own.
 
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I dont think Horizon is a system seller YET.
When they iterate on it and return to the Monster Hunter-esque origins of the franchise with the crafting unique Armour/Weapons from the Machines, THEN it will be a system seller. Because I think the open world with its graphics and diversity mixed with hubs offering unique hunts etc would be a amazing AAA game.
 
It is for me so it has to be for some people. Do I think it sells systems like god of war or an exclusive destiny would? No. But even if it sells 50k systems it's still a system seller.

It's a pretty rare game in that it's a graphically impressive, female led game that doesn't pander and has great gameplay usually. First had a rockstar story too.
 
StueyDuck said:
It was an entire generation ago and literally released the same week as horizon and as people have said has gone on to sold 20million copies.

The idea of a flagship single game to save a console is kind of dead since we have an abundance of quality games unlike just a couple like the old days
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Theres always been an abundance of quality games regardless.

A few System sellers (killer apps back in the day) that i bought the system for:


Summer Games II (C64)
Stunt car racer (Amiga)
Ghouls n Ghosts (Megadrive)
Mario bros 3 (Nes)
Street fighter II ( Snes)
Goldeneye (N64)
MGS (PS)
Uncharted 2 (PS3)
Halo (xbox).

Obviously the bonus is that pretty much every machine you buy delivers many more gems after.

That where PS5 and Xbox this gen fall short. Nothing you cant play elsewhere.
 
StueyDuck said:
I mean it definitely sold gang busters...

But don't forget the time and place everyone was at when that game launched. I'd be surprised if it's sequel does as well whenever that may come. Especially with the franchises Pokémon-esque style of iteration.

But the game definitely sold ridiculously but covid was such a unique situation.

Among us would have remained fairly unknown if it wasn't for covid and streaming
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Yeah but I'll never understand why AC gets an asterisk as if that was the only playable game or title sold in 2020?

A bunch of other games released in 2020, they just didn't capture the zeitgeist the way AC did.

Which proves the point.

Some games drop. Some games move the market.

I don't see that with Horizon but what do I know?
 
I think to truly be a system seller, a game has to be good enough to merit a new console purchase by itself and not as part of a decision purchase alongside other games or features for that console.

I don't see Horizon being that for very many people, but I knew it does have a pretty loyal fanbase. So for some it absolutely is a system seller, but not enough for it to be deemed as such by the majority I should think.

EDIT:

Games that made me purchase a console:

NES - Super Mario Bros.
Super Metroid - SNES
N64 - Ocarina of Time
GCN - Super Mario Sunshine
Switch - BoTW

Xbox - Halo CE
Xbox - CoD 2

PS1 - Metal Gear Solid
PS2 - Metal Gear Solid 2
PS3 - Metal Gear Solid 4
PS4 - Bloodborne
PS5 - Demon's Souls Remake
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
 
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It wouldn't be the franchise I would base my buying decision on, but the games are solid entries in the library.
 
I mean for me, yeah I think it's the premier Playstation franchise right now, but I get that not everyone shares the love.
 
Oof85 said:
Yeah but I'll never understand why AC gets an asterisk as if that was the only playable game or title sold in 2020?

A bunch of other games released in 2020, they just didn't capture the zeitgeist the way AC did.

Which proves the point.

Some games drop. Some games move the market.

I don't see that with Horizon but what do I know?
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Animal Crossing is an ancient franchise by modern standards and has never sold that well. The DS new leaf was kind of the only time it saw mainstream success

But covid mostly sold AC and it does get an asterisk because we don't have covid every year. If pandemics happened every second year then sure you'd have a point but anyone pretending like Nintendo had some sort of foresight is smoking some wild crack.

Again as for horizon 20 million units sold is apparently nothing to gaf I see. Because you anecdotally don't like the game I suppose

clarky said:
Theres always been an abundance of quality games regardless.

A few System sellers (killer apps back in the day) that i bought the system for:


Summer Games II (C64)
Stunt car racer (Amiga)
Ghouls n Ghosts (Megadrive)
Mario bros 3 (Nes)
Street fighter II ( Snes)
Goldeneye (N64)
MGS (PS)
Uncharted 2 (PS3)
Halo (xbox).

Obviously the bonus is that pretty much every machine you buy delivers many more gems after.

That where PS5 and Xbox this gen fall short. Nothing you cant play elsewhere.
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This is apples to oranges. Gaming has grown in both the number of users and the number of releases. And the quality of releases. Elden ring and hogwarts have done more to sell systems than any exclusive

The previous Gen had pretty average launch games too. But destiny became a "system seller" for both platforms.

It is not the same as the Mario 64 days where your install base is drastically smaller than what we see today.

The ps5 is breaking records and the series x is doing so for the Xbox brand. It's just not the same market where 1 game will get majority of the marketshare
 
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My problem with the game is the fact that I only cared about the ancient ones I didn't care for the main characters or any of the characters in that world
 
SEGA_2012 said:
No. It is the Metroid of Sony. People love it but it is not a game with "power" enough to sell a system for the masses.
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I don't quite understand how you can make that comparison. Have you seen the amount of copies Horizon sells vs Metroid?

The term system seller is rather undefined anyway. Is horizon a game that people buy a console for JUST to play that one game? Probably not. Is it a game that people take into consideration when they pick a system as one of the titles they would like to play? Most definitely. It also helps that it will always serves as a tech showcase.
 
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MiguelItUp said:
Honestly, not at all. I personally really don't understand the push of the IP. I feel like Sony is really forcing it on its fan base.
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The first one sold 20+ million (apparently).
DEI is so hot right now.
The IP looks like Avatar + Star Wars.

Forbidden West was pretty disappointing but doesn't the IP push make a ton of sense?
 
For casuals and fans yes.

For me

Wkwkwkw Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
 
StueyDuck said:
Elden ring and hogwarts have done more to sell systems than any exclusive
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Horseshit. You can play Elden ring on any console sold in the last 10 years. Same for Hogwarts soon enough.

Exclusives sell systems full stop, they are the only reason why I have a Switch. Watch when tears of the kingdom comes out and tell me they don't sell systems. Nintendo built their entire brand on experiences you cant play anywhere else. Its why Sony are fighting tooth and nail to keep COD and why MS are willing to pay so much.

I
 
Men_in_Boxes said:
The first one sold 20+ million (apparently).
DEI is so hot right now.
The IP looks like Avatar + Star Wars.

Forbidden West was pretty disappointing but doesn't the IP push make a ton of sense?
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For fans sure, for others no, lmao.

Clearly fans exist, I'm just saying, it's interesting that from everywhere I frequent, they're not NEARLY as plentiful as the IP makes them seem to be.
 
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clarky said:
Horseshit. You can play Elden ring on any console sold in the last 10 years. Same for Hogwarts soon enough.

Exclusives sell systems full stop, they are the only reason why I have a Switch. Watch when tears of the kingdom comes out and tell me they don't sell systems. Nintendo built their entire brand on experiences you cant play anywhere else. Its why Sony are fighting tooth and nail to keep COD and why MS are willing to pay so much.

I
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ah i see, we just gonna pretend these games aren't megahits as big as or bigger than Tears of the kingdom (which by the way probably isn't going to hit the same sales numbers for a while as breath of the wild did, it's not a console launch title, alot of people got suckered into the first game being told it's literally the second coming and came out the experience going "eh" and finally the game has a smell of Sequelitis)

i know stupid amounts of people, non gamers even, who have bought into hogwarts legacy, and i know others who bought the next gen consoles purely for elden ring when that released.

and because a gamer is multiplatform it now all of a sudden doesn't count that it sells on a system, come on this is moving goal posts here.
 
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Forbidden West got a huge amount of promotion and was forgotten about shortly after it launched.

I think the Horizon series resonates among the Playstation fanbase, but generally, it doesn't move the dial.
 
If something moving well past 20 million isn't a system seller, I have no clue what that term could then mean.

Thats an easy yes.

That many bought the first game, I'd have to believe that is a massive amount that will determine their next system purchase based on that IP.

W Woggleman I greatly disagree. The 3 games you listed, only 1 of them moved over 20 million units their first game and not even close to the speed that HZD moved 20 million.
 
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StueyDuck said:
Animal Crossing is an ancient franchise by modern standards and has never sold that well. The DS new leaf was kind of the only time it saw mainstream success

But covid mostly sold AC and it does get an asterisk because we don't have covid every year. If pandemics happened every second year then sure you'd have a point but anyone pretending like Nintendo had some sort of foresight is smoking some wild crack.

Again as for horizon 20 million units sold is apparently nothing to gaf I see. Because you anecdotally don't like the game I suppose.
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The DS was also the only time it was a major release on a popular system as well, before NH on Switch.

Every other time?

N64 and Gamecube weren't the dominant platforms in their gen, and AC didn't even come west in the N64 era.

Nobody said anything about foresight, all my question was is how come this one title seems to get the asterisk, when for all intents and purposes all software got a boom due to the pandemic?

As to what you said about Horizon, idek.

It's a simple thing to measure. Did the hardware sold increase the month it dropped?

Was it flat from the prior month? Year over year?

In September, the Switch unit sell rate jumped up drastically in Japan and maintained for several weeks after. Why?

Splatoon 3 is a system seller in Japan.

Same thing happened months later in November with Pokemon S/V. Why?

Again because it's a system seller in Japan. Very elementary stuff my guy.
 
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diffusionx said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Zero Dawn was IMO a fantastic game, loved it, 10/10. It didn't sell as well as they hoped, but I think Forbidden West was a great opportunity to break through. Unfortunately, they blew it. It's not nearly good enough, and in terms of a major franchise, has fatal flaws like an obnoxious and unlikeable main character. I think it is now firmly second-tier. Yet it will continue to get games and investment because the guy who chooses where to make the investments just happens to be the same guy who was in charge of the studio that makes the game.
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Zero Dawn sold 20M copies. It's one of the highest selling games from last gen.
 
It's a mediocre series that plays like the new Assassin Creeds, but without the cool historical setting, so no.
 
Oof85 said:
The DS was also the only time it was a major release on a popular system as well, before NH on Switch.

Every other time?

N64 and Gamecube weren't the dominant platforms in their gen, and AC didn't even come west in the N64 era.

Nobody said anything about foresight, all my question was is how come this one title seems to get the asterisk, when for all intents and purposes all software got a boom due to the pandemic?

As to what you said about Horizon, idek.

It's a simple thing to measure. Did the hardware sold increase the month it dropped?

Was it flat from the prior month? Year over year?

In September, the Switch unit sell rate jumped up drastically in Japan and maintained for several weeks after. Why?

Splatoon 3 is a system seller in Japan.

Same thing happened months later in November with Pokemon S/V. Why?

Again because it's a system seller in Japan. Very elementary stuff my guy.
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these are just moving the goal posts, now it's

"was it a system seller at launch"

then you will get stats that will prove that wrong then it will be

"was it a system seller at launch and had a console pack in"

if we keep moving the goalposts then sure of course it doesn't fit into the 50 caveats needed in order to fit your own unique version of a system seller.

20 million people bought the game on PS4, again the idea of a "system seller" is an archaic one because most humans by consoles today for many games or even for gamepass, not because a singular title exists.

and the asterisk for AC will always exist. because it didn't release outside of a global pandemic where everyone was locked in, you can't just ignore that fact, that's just silly.
 
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