LittleBigAgendas: Why didn't the mass market overlook LBP?

Phife Dawg said:
Expectations are specified: Their biggest title this year in all regions and system seller.

Outside of the launch window they haven't released that many heavy hitters really. Lair, HS bombed, R&C, Uncharted had a very bad start. GT5:P did around 250k in the US at launch iirc but that had a PSN release as well, so that was probably their most successful non-launch window release on launch. Maybe the biggest title this year in all regions wasn't really such an ambitious goal after all.

Why is it so hard to believe that LBP is going to be their biggest title this year?

It really wouldn't surprise me at all. The game will surely have way more legs than GT5:P, and my guess is that it may even do better than Resistance 2 (it'll be close between those two).
 
Did they say they have six firgure marketing budget? Isn't that a bit small for what is supposed to be their mass appeal game even assuming it hits close to a million especially on a worldwide scale?
 
wmat said:
Well, if 750k PS3s played LBP, this thread is kind of fucked.
If 750k PS3s/PSN users had played a community level, you can bet your ass that Sony would be trumpeting the sales of a million units, etc. etc. Clearly that number is not indicative of reality.
 
Waiting for someone to list specifics sales figures outlined by Sony and how many unit were actually shipped. Or are we just creating an imaginary number in our mind that we decided it failed to reach.

This thread is like when people argue over European sales figures.
 
frAntic_Frog said:
but if everyone is saying that Resistance2 isnt selling well (a fps) or Motorstorm 2 isnt selling well (a casual racer)....and games like Valkyre Chronicles arent selling well (jrpg) then just what kind of game will sell to the demograph on PS3?

Little advertising in a crowded month. Sony does a bad job at advertising their games/system.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Why is it so hard to believe that LBP is going to be their biggest title this year?
You mean EXCLUSIVE title, right? 'Cause GTA4 surely smacks this game to the floor on the PS3 sales-wise.
 
wmat said:
You surely mean EXCLUSIVE title, right? 'Cause GTA4 surely smacks this game to the floor on the PS3 sales-wise.

Yes, of course I mean exclusive, 1st party title....that's the context in which that Sony executive's statement was made.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Yes, of course I mean exclusive, 1st party title....that's the context in which that Sony executive's statement was made.
See, I think it's actually a disappointment if it can't overtake a multiplat title on its platform as an exclusive.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Why is it so hard to believe that LBP is going to be their biggest title this year?

It really wouldn't surprise me at all. The game will surely have way more legs than GT5:P, and my guess is that it may even do better than Resistance 2 (it'll be close between those two).

LBP will have legs, but is Sony actually going to advertise this game. Although Sony says it has a marketing campaign behind LBP their history suggest they won't heavily advertise the game. If Sony actually advertises and has a big marketing push I can see this game selling 3 mil, but come on its Sony they don't advertise well.
 
wmat said:
See, I think it's actually a disappointment if it can't overtake a multiplat title on its platform as an exclusive.

Is this a joke?

GTA4 is a gigantic third party title. I'm not even sure Gears 2 will outsell it on the 360. Does that mean Gears 2 is a disappointment?

So much failed logic in this post it's incredible.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Is this a joke?

GTA4 is a gigantic third party title. I'm not even sure Gears 2 will outsell it on the 360. Does that mean Gears 2 is a disappointment?

So much failed logic in this post it's incredible.
Yeah, in that sense, Gears 2 would be a disappointment. Of course.

Okay, GTA4 is a tough enemy, but let's take Fallout 3 (as has been done before). That should put things more into perspective, GTA4 has a crazy extra-boost considering the sales history of the series.
 
wmat said:
Yeah, in that sense, Gears 2 would be a disappointment. Of course.

Okay, GTA4 is a tough enemy, but let's take Fallout 3 (as has been done before). That should put things more into perspective, GTA4 has a crazy extra-boost considering the sales history of the series.


LBP DID outsell Fallout 3 on the PS3.
 
How does LBP calculate number of plays? It's normally way higher than the number of hearts, but I guess it's because most people don't actually put hearts. It can't be once for every play-through since some levels should get several attempts, so it should be unique players.

In that case, there are levels that have been played by 400k people. If you include those that actually don't go online, and those that simply haven't gotten around to playing for example World of Colour, then it should have sold quite a bit...
 
Dash Kappei said:
I hate to do this but...

:lol :lol :lol :lol

Well... it's true. There are more multi-console owners than you must think. The 360 version of Fallout is indisputably the better version. The math isn't hard.
 
To have 750k unique users play one user created level you would need like 3 million sales, there is no way that number doesn't include multiple replays.
 
YuriLowell said:
This is probably the 10th post I have read from you that you don't like the game.
I think we get the idea by now.

If I make a statement saying my opinion hasn't changed once for every 50 PS3 fanboy replies of BUBUBUBU REVOLUTIONARY about this game, are we equal?

You're never going to change people's opinion or make this more than a marginal game. That's the way it is with this game and the system. Perfectly sustainable and completely independent of quality. Quit trying to make it something it isn't and making excuses for the way things are.
 
heres another one:

user created anything is for hardcore gamers only.

how do we know that the casuals want to play anything from other stupid people? maybe they just want to play stuff that actual professional game designers make?
 
The game performed as well as I expected. Which isn't that great.

Personally, I'm enjoying it a SHITLOAD more than I expected to, but at the same time, I never expected this to be a huge hit. The creation aspect is too deep for the market it's trying to reach, and the ACTUAL platform mechanics/gameplay aren't exactly NSMB level of quality.

So the game sit's in niche limbo, not knowing where it really belongs.

Destined for cult status imo. I love it though, now that I've been through the tutorials (got the trophy :D ) just need to make something decent.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Why is it so hard to believe that LBP is going to be their biggest title this year?

It really wouldn't surprise me at all. The game will surely have way more legs than GT5:P, and my guess is that it may even do better than Resistance 2 (it'll be close between those two).
No chance in the UK, as I already mentioned. And this is just factoring in GT5:P's retail sales. Seeing that in most other European countries GT5:P performed just as well as in the UK, when going by what we have (chart positions) and LBP did worse I can see it being no different for Europe as a whole either.

No chance in Japan unless WKC tanks, which is pretty much impossible in those dimensions (LBP hasn't even made it to 100k yet).

As I said, there is a possibility in the US, if R2 tanks and GT5:P didn't gain a lot of sales after the launch month (highly unlikely, but I don't have an update).

gtj1092 said:
Waiting for someone to list specifics sales figures outlined by Sony and how many unit were actually shipped. Or are we just creating an imaginary number in our mind that we decided it failed to reach.

This thread is like when people argue over European sales figures.
Biggest title this year in all markets. Shipments depend on retailers. Oh and system seller.

wmat said:
See, I think it's actually a disappointment if it can't overtake a multiplat title on its platform as an exclusive.
Uh we're talking about GTA here.
 
The mass market hasn't latched on to the PS3 yet, so it is impossible for them to play it. I think people that would be in the market for it outside the hardcore are probably all Wii owners. If this was a nintendo published Wii game it would have sold 3 times as much in week 1 (sad but probably true).

I am sure as the PS3 becomes more attainable for the masses the sales will continue to grow, I would like to think that it has a very long tail and that Sony will keep pushing it.
 
Private Hoffman said:
LBP DID outsell Fallout 3 on the PS3.
When all it's said and done, Private, what's the total number that you think will make LBP a success?
Because it's been trupeted as the "game to save PS3" for so long that... some sort of target is probably on your mind.
Share it with us.
 
Bojanglez said:
If this was a nintendo published Wii game it would have sold 3 times as much in week 1 (sad but probably true).
You see, my problem is that I have doubts that LBP is really the right game for the truly casual gamers market. It's not so easy to play, it's not so accessible.
 
cedric69 said:
When all it's said and done, Private, what's the total number that you think will make LBP a success?
Because it's been trupeted as the "game to save PS3" for so long that... some sort of target is probably on your mind.
Share it with us.

It has? I think it was trumpted on here as a revolutionary title and a great game, and that's what it is.

The total number of units sold that would be considered a success is turning a profit for the title, which it's undoubtedly already done.
 
Private Hoffman said:
It has? I think it was trumpted on here as a revolutionary title and a great game, and that's what it is.

The total number of units sold that would be considered a success is turning a profit for the title, which it's undoubtedly already done.
No, Sony said it was the most important game of the Year of PS3, I've read 100+ words posts about how this game would set the world on fire and that it would appeal to gamers of all ages in all regions. Now that it's dropping off the charts already this is suddenly not the case anymore. The game was in short supply, only on sale for 4 days and out of stock because of the recall. Supply problems and all that.

Untill you guys found that 750k number on one of the levels and now it's a hit again. We only have the 215k number for NA(which is probably the highest it'll ever do considering all the other releases this season), the 80k number from Japan(which will end up around 100k at best because it's gone from the charts and the 100k+ from the UK. The other info we have is the massive drop from all the other European charts.

But-but-but Sony is going to continue to push it next year!! it'll have legs, Believe!!. Yeah, how can they continue to push it when they never pushed it to begin with? Sony will push Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 and not LBP.


Banjo is totally not a bomb, I mean it didn't even chart at the GameCube hut, but it'll continue to sell under the radar untill it eventually reaches 10 million+!
 
[Nintex] said:
No, Sony said it was the most important game of the Year of PS3, I've read 100+ words posts about how this game would set the world on fire and that it would appeal to gamers of all ages in all regions. Now that it's dropping off the charts already this is suddenly not the case anymore. The game was in short supply, only on sale for 4 days and out of stock because of the recall. Supply problems and all that.

Untill you guys found that 750k number on one of the levels and now it's a hit again. We only have the 215k number for NA(which is probably the highest it'll ever do considering all the other releases this season), the 80k number from Japan(which will end up around 100k at best because it's gone from the charts and the 100k+ from the UK. The other info we have is the massive drop from all the other European charts.

But-but-but Sony is going to continue to push it next year!! it'll have legs, Believe!!. Yeah, how can they continue to push it when they never pushed it to begin with? Sony will push Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 and not LBP.


Banjo is totally not a bomb, I mean it didn't even chart at the GameCube hut, but it'll continue to sell under the radar untill it eventually reaches 10 million+!


He asked me what my definition of success would be for the title.

Secondly, the Sony executive said it was their biggest title over the year as a first party game. It remains to be seen if that's the case, but obviously there have been much bigger titles (GTA4/MGS4).


This discussion is getting ridiculous. Yes, some people said it would set the world on fire and sell 20 million copies and appeal to housewives. But for everyone of those people, I've heard 20 people saying it would be a GIGANTIC BOMB, and that's DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE.
 
LBP will surely be a hit in the end. Even Uncharted has sold reasonably well now and it more or less bombed the first month.

It will just take longer than people (gaf?) expected.
 
Private Hoffman said:
He asked me what my definition of success would be for the title.

Secondly, the Sony executive said it was their biggest title over the year as a first party game. It remains to be seen if that's the case, but obviously there have been much bigger titles (GTA4/MGS4).


This discussion is getting ridiculous. Yes, some people said it would set the world on fire and sell 20 million copies and appeal to housewives. But for everyone of those people, I've heard 20 people saying it would be a GIGANTIC BOMB, and that's DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE.
If I look at Japan and Europe except for the UK it is a bomb, for the US we'll have to wait for the next NPD.

Yes, the backpeddling is getting ridiculous.

I'm sure Sony is happy that the game they talked about this E3 and build their hype machine around sold just about 215k. Nintendo is thrilled that Wii Music sold less than any other "Wii_" title before it and RARE is throwing a party because Banjo sold about hundred copies worldwide.
 
gofreak said:
It's fairly impossible to tell, because others could be playing the level at the same time as you, but my intuition is that it counts replays for the 750k+ style figures to be true..

Finally finished your level btw...one of the longest user levels I've played, I think! I enjoyed it.

I tried giving my own test level some "plays" by using another psn account. It did not count replays as far as I could tell.
 
Private Hoffman said:
Is this a joke?

GTA4 is a gigantic third party title. I'm not even sure Gears 2 will outsell it on the 360. Does that mean Gears 2 is a disappointment?

So much failed logic in this post it's incredible.

Oh trust me, it will.
 
It released at a very bad time on the PS3. If the rest of the world is any indication of its acceptance rate. I dont think we need to wait for November NPD to declare this game a bomb among its initial expectations. A resonance of its actual selling power would have been felt in the last few weeks in the rest of the world markets. And as some have pointed out it dropped off quick.
 
Phife Dawg said:
No chance in the UK, as I already mentioned. And this is just factoring in GT5:P's retail sales. Seeing that in most other European countries GT5:P performed just as well as in the UK, when going by what we have (chart positions) and LBP did worse I can see it being no different for Europe as a whole either.

No chance in Japan unless WKC tanks, which is pretty much impossible in those dimensions (LBP hasn't even made it to 100k yet).

As I said, there is a possibility in the US, if R2 tanks and GT5:P didn't gain a lot of sales after the launch month (highly unlikely, but I don't have an update).


Biggest title this year in all markets. Shipments depend on retailers. Oh and system seller.


Uh we're talking about GTA here.

So you don't know and they didn't outline specifics. Its funny because whenever we get financial reports from companies they seem to outline their shipment goals and are very specific in the units they project to ship.

I mean since we are just setting arbitrary bars and coming to quick conclusions I could easily say LBP was a system seller, I mean sales were up yoy in October the same month LBP was released amirite.
but im not intentionally obtuse
 
cedric69 said:
You see, my problem is that I have doubts that LBP is really the right game for the truly casual gamers market. It's not so easy to play, it's not so accessible.

Agreed. I really don't think things would have been much different had it been a Nintendo game.
 
gtj1092 said:
So you don't know and they didn't outline specifics. Its funny because whenever we get financial reports from companies they seem to outline their shipment goals and are very specific in the units they project to ship.

I mean since we are just setting arbitrary bars and coming to quick conclusions I could easily say LBP was a system seller, I mean sales were up yoy in October the same month LBP was released amirite.
but im not intentionally obtuse
I don't know what's so hard to understand. They set a clear goal, for this title to be their biggest this year and a system seller, obviously they didn't attach a number to it. I don't see any arbitrary lines either, since that line is set by them.

I don't recall Sony doing projected shipments for their titles and it doesn't matter either. They went on public with their expectations for this title. That's it really.

But you can rest assured, we'll see PR down the road proclaiming this to be an all out success even if it does indeed not hit their goals. The corresponding thread might ease some people's pain.
 
[Nintex] said:
If I look at Japan and Europe except for the UK it is a bomb, for the US we'll have to wait for the next NPD.

Yes, the backpeddling is getting ridiculous.

I'm sure Sony is happy that the game they talked about this E3 and build their hype machine around sold just about 215k. Nintendo is thrilled that Wii Music sold less than any other "Wii_" title before it and RARE is throwing a party because Banjo sold about hundred copies worldwide.

:lol
 
Meier said:
If 750k PS3s/PSN users had played a community level, you can bet your ass that Sony would be trumpeting the sales of a million units, etc. etc. Clearly that number is not indicative of reality.

if you asked me how many people would have to buy LBP to play 750k times (not unique), one online, community level, 2 days ago... I would say 10-15 million.

but obviously, LBP has gone to completly another level when it comes to what is possible by user created content on consoles...
 
Phife Dawg said:
I don't know what's so hard to understand. They set a clear goal, for this title to be their biggest this year and a system seller, obviously they didn't attach a number to it. I don't see any arbitrary lines either, since that line is set by them.

I don't recall Sony doing projected shipments for their titles and it doesn't matter either. They went on public with their expectations for this title. That's it really.

But you can rest assured, we'll see PR down the road proclaiming this to be an all out success even if it does indeed not hit their goals. The corresponding thread might ease some people's pain.

So basically they can sell however many copies and claim success because PR is PR pre and post launch of games. Who would of thunk it?

And what pain?
 
Number of plays is the number on the right.
Number of people who added the level to their favorites is the number on the left.
Sry for the bad quality.

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There is one thing in the UK at least that tells me this game isn't doing what either Sony or the retailers expected it to do... the price has tanked from the initial £49.99 RRP to ~£25 in places.

It's not the first game to have this happen over here though, plenty do it. So much so that it's hardly ever worth getting on release date when you consider the discounts you can usually get a couple of weeks later.
 
gtj1092 said:
So basically they can sell however many copies and claim success because PR is PR pre and post launch of games. Who would of thunk it?
Yes, proclaiming this to be their biggest title and system seller was not an expectation because in the end Sony knew that this wouldn't happen.

And what pain?
The hurtings of butts in this thread.

dralla said:
number of plays is the number on the right.

what exactly is the point of posting those pictures
That people play the user generated content I guess. Beats me.
 
dralla said:
number of plays is the number on the right.

what exactly is the point of posting those pictures
If i'm not mistaken, 1 play shows 1 user, which means that like 766.000 people have played one of those levels. Well, it might be 1 play pr. PSN account though, so it is not sure that there are like 766.000 different people who have played one of those levels.

EDIT: I forgot to say, i guess the point with posting those was to show that quite a few people have bought and played the game :) I guess LBP will sell atleast 1 million copies before within this year.
 
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