Devil May Cry 4 XBL demo surpasses 1 million downloads.

...damn shame the demo is terribly put together and doesn't really reflect any of the interesting aspects of the -actual- game (upgrade system, boss fights, dante, depth, challenge) but hey a lot of people downloaded it and quite a few seemed to enjoy it, certainly moreso than most other demos which seem to hurt moreso than help.

http://blog.capcom.com/archives/877

Usually, software and hardware publishers keep their numbers close to the vest, out of concerns that info could be spun against them. The Microsoft LIVE guys, however, are much smarter than that, and were very pleased to share with us the recent news that, as of Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, the Devil May Cry 4 demo had been downloaded over a million times by 360 players worldwide! According to the LIVE crew, not only is this the first demo of the year to hit a million downloads, but it’s also one of the fastest downloads to hit the one million mark in the history of the LIVE service. The demo dropped on January 24, and was averaging over 25,000 downloads a day. That’s a lotta devil bringing, folks. Thanks for making the DMC4 demo — and the game! — popular like a donut shop next door to a Weight Watchers.

No mention of PSN activity for DMC4.
 
The demo, while poor in comparison to the actual game, did a good job at portraying the gameplay to be found in Devil May Cry 4. It was one of the few demos that actually pushed me to buy a game that I hadn't really intended to get.
 
Zefah said:
The demo, while poor in comparison to the actual game, did a good job at portraying the gameplay to be found in Devil May Cry 4. It was one of the few demos that actually pushed me to buy a game that I hadn't really intended to get.

People who played the demo for what it is -- and intelligently understood what a demo can have and can't have, took away a lot from it.

Asshats who are saying, "that's it, where are the comboz like there was in dmc3 or ninja gaiden, this game suxx, its too eazy."
 
How much is that in bandwidth costs? I've always wondered about this, what a company usually spends per MB/GB/TB uploaded. It varies obviously depending on their isp's, deals..etc but I'm curious.
 
Are these unique downloads because I redownloaded this demo at least 1 million times.

Wollan said:
How much is that in bandwidth costs? I've always wondered about this, what a company usually spends per MB uploaded. It varies obviously depending on their isp's, deals..etc but I'm curious.
I've always wondered what Valve's bandwidth costs are. They're pushing gigs for most games, it is nuts. I've downloaded all my Valve games multiple times as well when I reformat my PC and I'm sure I'm not the only one to do so.
 
Possibly a good sign that the 360 version of DMC4 performed well.

Coupled with the fact that DMC still has a large Playstation fanbase, and DMC4 should do pretty nice numbers in the February NPD.
 
a Master Ninja said:
A million people giving a hardcore franchise like DMC a chance is always a good thing.

I agree. The 360 has the stereotype that it's for frat boys addicted to Mountain Dew and first person shooters. To see a more hardcore - indepth oriented Japanese game do well bodes well.
 
C- Warrior said:
I agree. The 360 has the stereotype that it's for frat boys addicted to Mountain Dew and first person shooters. To see a more hardcore - indepth oriented Japanese game do well boads well.
I'd give them the benefit of the doubt if only they'd learn to spell.
 
C- Warrior said:
People who played the demo for what it is -- and intelligently understood what a demo can have and can't have, took away a lot from it.

Asshats who are saying, "that's it, where are the comboz like there was in dmc3 or ninja gaiden, this game suxx, its too eazy."

How could someone who has played DMC3 be completely convinced that the difficulty of DMC4 would never ramp up past the demo? I don't think the demo really did any real harm
 
Gigglepoo said:
So less than 10% of the user base opted for free content? I'm not sure that's a good thing.

As noted, it's one of the fastest hitting that point. That number only goes higher and higher.

The question is whether or not 10% getting it in less than 3 weeks is a bad thing...I really don't think so. A million downloads in 18 days, that's not bad if you ask me, but I suppose this is open to debate.
 
C- Warrior said:
I agree. The 360 has the stereotype that it's for frat boys addicted to Mountain Dew and first person shooters. To see a more hardcore - indepth oriented Japanese game do well boads well.


Yep, didn't Ninja gaiden do over 1 million on Xbox? and that one was pretty damn hardcore.
 
Weird that I've only seen a few people on my friend's list playing the full game. The demo definately doesn't seem to have worked the same wonders like the demos for Lost Planet or Bioshock.
 
FightyF said:
The question is whether or not 10% getting it in less than 3 weeks is a bad thing...I really don't think so. A million downloads in 18 days, that's not bad if you ask me, but I suppose this is open to debate.
Numbers mean nothing because it all depends if people like the demo or not. It could be like Blue Dragon was to me when I canceled my pre-order after actually playing it. I guess the only way to find out is when the NPD rolls around to see how much of an impact it has.
 
C- Warrior said:
I agree. The 360 has the stereotype that it's for frat boys addicted to Mountain Dew and first person shooters. To see a more hardcore - indepth oriented Japanese game do well boads well.
This is only pushing the stereotype deeper. Devil may Cry is not the quintessential japanese property.
 
Zophar said:
I'd give them the benefit of the doubt if only they'd learn to spell.
Zing!

And these downloads probably aren't all unique, companies spin numbers all the time. Something interesting as well is that this is the only multiplatform title that I can think of that MS is openly talking about. They must really be trying to bury the PS3 version by talking about a demo.
 
Darkman M said:
Yep, didn't Ninja gaiden do over 1 million on Xbox? and that one was pretty damn hardcore.

No. It was at around 450,000 to 500,000 -- I'm not sure what expansion packs [hurricane, black, sigma, etc. etc.] added.
 
Zophar said:
I'd give them the benefit of the doubt if only they'd learn to spell.

ZING! Indeed. Though, in med school - spelling isn't really a requirement to get the residency program you want. I'll work on it though to hopefully match the intelligence levels of other GAFFers.
 
Tiduz said:
oh snap, dmc5 confirmed?
It was confirmed when DMC4 outsold DMC3 in Japan on a lower userbase (PS2 to PS3). Now we are getting reports that its the #1 seller in the European countries with both the PS3 and 360 versions at the top (360 is the one at #1 in UK).

Yeah... DMC5 is coming folks.
 
C- Warrior said:
No. It was at around 450,000 to 500,000 -- I'm not sure what expansion packs added.


You're right but how does doa3 do 1 million and ninja gaiden didn't?:lol Hopefully Ninja Gaiden 2 can reach the pinnacle.
 
Darkman M said:
You're right but how does doa3 do 1 million and ninja gaiden didn't?:lol Hopefully Ninja Gaiden 2 can reach the pinnacle.

Dead or Alive is Tecmo's biggest franchise. It always has and will probably always will be.
 
C- Warrior said:
ZING! Indeed. Though, in med school - spelling isn't really a requirement to get the residency program you want. I'll work on it though to hopefully match the intelligence levels of other GAFFers.
Didn't you edit it out in your last post that you were studying science?

Either way I'm glad you're confident that it's not necessary in school because it sure as fuck is in the real world.
 
Zophar said:
Didn't you edit it out in your last post that you were studying science?

Either way I'm glad you're confident that it's not necessary in school because it sure as fuck is in the real world.

Not really. And I've actually realized that writing -- literally, writing something on a piece of paper is actually difficult for me. My handwriting is terrible...

As a biotech major, all I did in the 4 years at ucla was look at power point slides and take scantron based tests. And then for the MCAT, more computer circle filling fun.

Spelling is also relatively inconsequential in real life, most surgeons I know can't spell or even write properly worth for shit.

But again, I am proud of the fact that you know how to spell on a message board Zophar, extremely proud. Spelling is crucial for having that respectable six digit salary career is it not?
 
a Master Ninja said:
A million people giving a hardcore franchise like DMC a chance is always a good thing.
Hell yeah it is and the more people that try it out and buy the game the better.
 
Although it remains to be seen if the demo actually sold people on the game, this is great news as it shows the interest was high.

I've only got a handful of friends with the game, but one of them was ranked 72,000 or something last time I checked. So it's sold at least that amount already on 360.
 
Sean said:
Although it remains to be seen if the demo actually sold people on the game, this is great news as it shows the interest was high.

Yeah, hopefully the majority of this million actually buy the game and not just go back to halo.
 
Slow season + decent demo and a high quality production, and Capcom has a winning formula. They should do a big release every year in late January or early February.
 
vilmer_ said:
Yeah, hopefully the majority of this million actually buy the game and not just go back to halo.

With Xbox Live Arcade, the demo to purchase conversion is on average around 25-30%, higher on some great titles, lower on some meh titles. DMC4 should at least chart on 360 this month, and will be PS3's top game.
 
Illuminati said:
Numbers mean nothing because it all depends if people like the demo or not.

I agree, but I was responding to the point that 10% of a user base getting a FREE DEMO was possibly not something very positive.

Sales are another issue entirely.

CrushDance said:
Zing!

And these downloads probably aren't all unique, companies spin numbers all the time.

No, when it comes to demos it's rare that you're gonna have people take the time to download them over and over again.

Something interesting as well is that this is the only multiplatform title that I can think of that MS is openly talking about. They must really be trying to bury the PS3 version by talking about a demo.

I don't think so at all. DMC4 isn't a big name Xbox franchise. For it to be one of the fastest downloaded demos on the 360 says a lot in and of itself. Nevermind the PS3.

Even if there wasn't a PS3 version, I'm sure this news release would have went out.

One point I haven't seen mentioned yet was the fact that the advertising for the demo has been out for a LONG time before the demo came out. I think in the end they had to delay the 360 demo from December to January to get the PS3 one ready for a simultaneous release (not so for Silver dudes). But the advertising stuck through the delay, and so I would garner that it was the most heavily advertised demo on the 360 (though even if it was unintentional). With that many ads, it better get a lot of downloads.
 
hell yeah to this news

...I can only imagine how many cats got to try out the franchise for the first time, realized there's nothing like it on the platform, and are hopefully out to their local shop to pick it up :D


.....wishful thinking I know
 
C- Warrior said:
Dead or Alive is Tecmo's biggest franchise. It always has and will probably always will be.
If Microsoft gives the game a strong marketing push they've got an easy million with NG2. The over-the-top violence and really, really easy selectable difficulty level will speak to the "God of War" masses. The question is what song should Microsoft use in the commercial?
 
FightyF said:
I agree, but I was responding to the point that 10% of a user base getting a FREE DEMO was possibly not something very positive.

Sales are another issue entirely.



No, when it comes to demos it's rare that you're gonna have people take the time to download them over and over again.



I don't think so at all. DMC4 isn't a big name Xbox franchise. For it to be one of the fastest downloaded demos on the 360 says a lot in and of itself. Nevermind the PS3.

Even if there wasn't a PS3 version, I'm sure this news release would have went out.

One point I haven't seen mentioned yet was the fact that the advertising for the demo has been out for a LONG time before the demo came out. I think in the end they had to delay the 360 demo from December to January to get the PS3 one ready for a simultaneous release (not so for Silver dudes). But the advertising stuck through the delay, and so I would garner that it was the most heavily advertised demo on the 360 (though even if it was unintentional). With that many ads, it better get a lot of downloads.

Xbox.com and 1UP were also plastered with Devil May Cry 4 ads recently. Capcom wants people to give it a chance, and it seems like they are doing just that.

1 million people trying a demo of what appears to be a niche game in a genre not traditionally big on the Xbox is a pretty good start. It was an accessible demo, and it looked cool. With nothing else big releasing around the same time (except Lost Odyssey, which is a much slower paced game), I wouldn't be surprised if it does decent sales. It might not be as big as Lost Planet, but it's also not a shooter.
 
Well this game is going to get a +1 on sales for me 2 weeks ahead of schedule this friday. So yeah DMC4!
 
I know I wasn't sold on this game until the Live demo (my Gold expired a few days after it came out, so I lucked out). I've never really played 3D action games, and as interested as I was due to GAF, I was afraid because I also hear people associate these games with insane difficulty. The demo showed me that there would be at least 1 difficulty I could handle with some challenge, and that combined with the presentation is why I bought the game on day 1.
 
Chrono said:
Capcom has been really smart this gen with going multi-platform.
Capcom is the only Japanese publisher I can think of that has really brought it home on either the 360 or the PS3. Nice work, Capcom!
 
fistfulofmetal said:
I wonder how it did on PSN.

Don't fail me, Triple owners. This is your game.

It has to sell good. People must've bought the PS3 for games other than Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed. Most of them didn't want Heavenly Sword, Lair, Ratchet or Uncharted, so we can only presume they are waiting for the big Japanese games like DMC4/MGS4/FF13.
 
DMC4 360 crushing the PS3 version in sales (which it most likely will looking at the demo DL numbers), means a higher likelihood of MGS4 making its way to 360, IMO.

No matter how bad the 360 does in Japan, Japanese 3rd parties will always have great U.S. sales, which more then make up for the lack of sales in Japan.
 
Kastrioti said:
DMC4 360 crushing the PS3 version in sales (which it most likely will looking at the demo DL numbers), means a higher likelihood of MGS4 making its way to 360, IMO.

No matter how bad the 360 does in Japan, Japanese 3rd parties will always have great U.S. sales, which more then make up for the lack of sales in Japan.

I still don't think the 360 will crush PS3 sales for DMC4. I really think this is the first big multiplatform game that will sell better on the PS3, even if only by a small margin. It's exactly the kind of game that has a built in fanbase for PS3 owners, and it's a niche newcomer for the 360.
 
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