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[schuelma]

SE has treated this game like a redheaded step-child since its conception - wouldn't talk about it, wouldn't present it at their shows - and it was only this year when they grudgingly released trailers for it, packaged in with another game that Japan didn't give two shits about.
.

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.


The problem in my opinion is they tried to go after the casual market and completely discarded the more reliable market that would have at least given this title decent sales.

 

[GaussTek]

[WII] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Square Enix) - 35,000

PSP go - 6,600

Yep, I'm late, but.... what the hell is going on here?!

 

[cw_sasuke]

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.


The problem in my opinion is they tried to go after the casual market and completely discarded the more reliable market that would have at least given this title decent sales.

To little, to late.

 

[Majmun]

Yep, I'm late, but.... what the hell is going on here?!

Wow, indeed. How horrible.

I kinda understand the GO numbers. But FF?

 

[Vinci]

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.

Yeah, advertising wasn't the problem. That's just an excuse.

The problem in my opinion is they tried to go after the casual market and completely discarded the more reliable market that would have at least given this title decent sales.

All sarcasm aside: What was the market this game was trying to sell to? Was the advertising leaning one way or another?

 

[Stumpokapow]

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.

also bon jovi

 

[markatisu]

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.

The problem in my opinion is they tried to go after the casual market and completely discarded the more reliable market that would have at least given this title decent sales.

Well how are they to attact the casual market when even the core group for CC did not understand the game.

Its not like the casual players are some alien entity, when core players are saying WTF is going on with this game that does not bode well imho.

Take E3 for example, the demo of the game they were showing off to the industry was filled with long cutscenes and no real apparent reason to play it (did not showcase anything that would help word of mouth, it was just another game)

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I was under the impression that some people were implying that the game couldn't have sold better. For me, a game with the Final Fantasy name and under normal circunstancies (i.e new game, advertised, exclusive, looks good) CAN'T sell below, let's say, 75k in the first week.

I knew the FF brand was damaged after so many spinoff but I'm really surprised by that number

Just for reference: browsing through the lower modern FF games that aren't Best rereleases or X360 editions of FF XI expansions or whatever, I think PSP's Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition has the lowest start, but Crystal Bearers looks to basically tie it. There are Chocobo games that have done worse, but unlike here in the States I don't think they attach anything like "Final Fantasy Fables" to them over there.

 

[schuelma]

All sarcasm aside: What was the market this game was trying to sell to? Was the advertising leaning one way or another?

I'm guessing they were going for a more casual audience based on SE outright refusing to call it an RPG. Makes me think they were trying to make the title seem very accessible.

 

[Vinci]

I'm guessing they were going for a more casual audience based on SE outright refusing to call it an RPG. Makes me think they were trying to make the title seem very accessible.

That right there probably cut whatever they might have sold in half.

 

[charlequin]

I don't think that is fair- it received plenty of advertising- a lot of magazine spreads, a freaking billboard in downtown Tokyo.


The problem in my opinion is they tried to go after the casual market and completely discarded the more reliable market that would have at least given this title decent sales.

I'm not sure how the game is positioned as a casual title either. As far as I can tell, the issue is that Square had an opportunity to revitalize a fading but potentially valuable sub-brand ("Crystal Chronicles") with either a high-production-values 4-player co-op ARPG (like everyone both expected and wanted) or a relatively in-depth full-on ARPG that fully leveraged the FF brand, but instead they released some sort of ludicrous unappealing physics simulator garbage.

I'm quite certain that SE marketed this game a bunch. Hell, marketing it so much is probably what killed it -- every new release of information about the game turned people off compared to the early-on level of interest.

 

[schuelma]

I'm not sure how the game is positioned as a casual title either. As far as I can tell, the issue is that Square had an opportunity to revitalize a fading but potentially valuable sub-brand ("Crystal Chronicles") with either a high-production-values 4-player co-op ARPG (like everyone both expected and wanted) or a relatively in-depth full-on ARPG that fully leveraged the FF brand, but instead they released some sort of ludicrous unappealing physics simulator garbage.

I'm quite certain that SE marketed this game a bunch. Hell, marketing it so much is probably what killed it -- every new release of information about the game turned people off compared to the early-on level of interest.

Fair enough- I'm mostly basing that off SE explicitly saying this is not an RPG, which to me meant they were trying to appeal to the part of the Wii userbase that would think that would be too complex. Plus the game mechanics at least on first glance seem relatively simple as well.

 

[Xeke]

Maybe it sold 35k cause it's a shitty game? Why is that never a consideration in these sales threads...?

Why does there always have to be some greater problem with the platform or the populace or the marketing?

 

[schuelma]

Maybe it sold 35k cause it's a shitty game? Why is that never a consideration in these sales threads...?

Why does there always have to be some greater problem with the platform or the populace or the marketing?

I think most people are saying it sold shitty because it probably deserved to.

 

[Xeke]

I think most people are saying it sold shitty because it probably deserved to.

I guess, but how a shitty game being shitty garners up like 200 posts is beyond me. I know it was "FINAL FANTASY" and all, but...really.

 

[donny2112]

Maybe it sold 35k cause it's a bad game? Why is that never a consideration in these sales threads...?

Because unless it's a sequel (e.g. Deca Sports 2), they likely don't know anything about the quality of the game and, thus, can't base a purchasing decision on its quality. The result for most of the market is then that they look at the title to see if it's a familiar series, the cover (maybe, but they'd actually have to go into a store a pick it up for that), and then advertising to get the awareness out to the public.

 

[charlequin]

Maybe it sold 35k cause it's a shitty game? Why is that never a consideration in these sales threads...?

That's actually pretty much my position. Or rather, it at least looks like a shitty game and a game of a type that no one could really be expected to care about.

 

[LazerRanger]

Really bummed about Crystal Bearers, it deserved to be a hit a lot more than Dragon Quest Swords did.

 

[donny2112]

Or rather, it at least looks like a bad game and a game of a type that no one could really be expected to care about.

That could be it, too. Advertising gets awareness out, but that doesn't mean it has to be positive awareness. :lol

 

[wrowa]

Because unless it's a sequel (e.g. Deca Sports 2), they likely don't know anything about the quality of the game and, thus, can't base a purchasing decision on its quality. The result for most of the market is then that they look at the title to see if it's a familiar series, the cover (maybe, but they'd actually have to go into a store a pick it up for that), and then advertising to get the awareness out to the public.

I actually wonder how many people were turned off by the Famitsu review. I know, I know, Famitsu reviews aren't worth a thing; we know that, and the Japanese know that too. But especially because of that, people will wonder what the fuck went wrong that a freakin' Final Fantasy got a score of 30/40 (which isn't a bad score per se, but an awful score for a Final Fantasy) - in the end they might possibly come to the conclusion that it has to be a bad game.

 

[gerg]

I actually wonder how many people were turned off by the Famitsu review. I know, I know, Famitsu reviews aren't worth a thing; we know that, and the Japanese know that too. But especially because of that, people will wonder what the fuck went wrong that a freakin' Final Fantasy got a score of 30/40 (which isn't a bad score per se, but an awful score for a Final Fantasy) - in the end they might possibly come to the conclusion that it has to be a bad game.

The Famitsu score is probably more indicative of the fact that the game had limited appeal in the first place.

 

[wrowa]

The Famitsu score is probably more indicative of the fact that the game had limited appeal in the first place.

That it had a limited appeal to begin with is obvious. But this doesn't mean that the Famitsu review couldn't have had limited the appeal even further.

 

[gerg]

That it had a limited appeal to begin with is obvious. But this doesn't mean that the Famitsu review couldn't have had limited the appeal even further.

Perhaps. I'd just suggest that it's a symptom rather than an illness.

 

[farnham]

I actually wonder how many people were turned off by the Famitsu review. I know, I know, Famitsu reviews aren't worth a thing; we know that, and the Japanese know that too. But especially because of that, people will wonder what the fuck went wrong that a freakin' Final Fantasy got a score of 30/40 (which isn't a bad score per se, but an awful score for a Final Fantasy) - in the end they might possibly come to the conclusion that it has to be a bad game.

famitsu still has a big influence in the buying habits of japanese people... moreso then american or european publications.. i mean famitsu is pretty much the only major gaming magazine out there with a readership of about 800k.. its no wonder that famitsu gets paid for good reviews

 

[Khrno]

famitsu still has a big influence in the buying habits of japanese people... moreso then american or european publications.. i mean famitsu is pretty much the only major gaming magazine out there with a readership of about 800k.. its no wonder that famitsu gets paid for good reviews

I'll agree with that, since it would be like denying the fact that many people in America or Europe go to IGN, 1UP or Gamespot, etc, to check reviews before buying a game.

 

[Bebpo]

That's actually pretty much my position. Or rather, it at least looks like a shitty game and a game of a type that no one could really be expected to care about.

That's a much better position. It looks like a shitty game, but everyone (including myself) whose played it has said it's a pretty solid title, especially for the Wii library. It deserves to sell better, but oh well they marketed it to look terrible.

 

[ethelred]

That's a much better position. It looks like a shitty game, but everyone (including myself) whose played it has said it's a pretty solid title, especially for the Wii library. It deserves to sell better, but oh well they marketed it to look terrible.

I don't know about that. The impressions I've read from you guys have mostly confirmed my suspicions about the game, so I'm pretty much passing on it at this point.

 

[donny2112]

Famitsu Nov 2-8

01./00. [PS3] World Soccer Winning Eleven 2010 (Konami) - 234,508 / NEW
02./05. [WII] Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo) - 65,636 / 798,239 (-10%)
03./08. [NDS] Tomodachi Collection (Friend Collection) (Nintendo) - 65,576 / 1,518,577 (+24%)
04./06. [NDS] Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver (Nintendo/Pokemon Co.) - 55,637 / 2,895,709 (-19%)
05./04. [PSP] Persona 3 Portable (Atlus Co.) - 43,720 / 152,063 (-60%)
06./09. [NDS] Inazuma Eleven 2: Threat of the Invaders - Fire/Blizzard (Level 5) - 37,129 / 572,900 (-8%)
07./03. [NDS] Final Fantasy Gaiden: 4 Warriors of Light (Square Enix) - 34,891 / 154,525 (-71%)
08./01. [PS3] Bayonetta (SEGA) - 29,120 / 167,550 (-79%)
09./00. [NDS] Summon Night X: Tears Crown (Namco Bandai Games) - 26,592 / NEW
10./00. [WII] Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo) - 24,476 / NEW

11./02. [PS3] Tekken 6 (Namco Bandai Games) - 21,492 / 141,796 (-82%)
12./00. [PS3] Infamous (SCEI) - 17,179 / NEW
13./13. [WII] Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo) - 16,864 / 1,318,421 (-4%)
14./12. [PSP] Dissidia: Final Fantasy - Universal Tuning (Square Enix) - 16,066 / 36,209 (-20%)
15./07. [360] Bayonetta (SEGA) - 12,232 / 78,443 (-82%)
16./00. [PS3] 3D Dot Game Heroes (From Software) - 11,854 / NEW
17./00. [NDS] Tamagotchi no Narikiri Channel (Namco Bandai Games) - 10,913 / NEW
18./00. [360] World Soccer Winning Eleven 2010 (Konami) - 9,073 / NEW
19./20. [NDS] Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Starry Sky (Square Enix) - 8,894 / 4,013,913 (-8%)
20./21. [PSP] Monster Hunter Portable 2 G (BEST) (Capcom) - 8,612 / 1,064,066 (+2%)
21./14. [NDS] Fresh PreCure! Asobi Collection (Namco Bandai Games) - 7,364 / 22,548 (-52%)
22./15. [PSP] Shin Sangoku Musou 5 Special (Koei) - 6,563 / 42,652 (-50%)
23./16. [NDS] Rune Factory 3 (Marvelous) - 6,395 / 63,588 (-48%)
24./22. [PSP] Gran Turismo Portable (SCEI) - 5,582 / 228,248 (-31%)
25./27. [PSP] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 4 (Konami) - 5,197 / 212,640 (-14%)
26./17. [PS3] Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (SCEI) - 5,127 / 88,813 (-52%)
27./00. [WII] Monster Hunter 3 (Capcom) - 4,819 / 939,707
28./19. [NDS] Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (CyberFront) - 4,599 / 15,054 (-56%)
29./00. [PS3] NBA Live 10 (Electronic Arts Victor) - 4,594 / NEW
30./00. [WII] Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) - 4,359 / 2,355,816

*. [360] Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity (5pb) - 4,200 / NEW
*. [360] Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade (Namco Bandai Games) - 3,300 / NEW
*. [PSP] NBA Live 10 (Electronic Arts Victor) - 2,900 / NEW
*. [NDS] Sakura Note: Imanitsu na Garu Mirai (The Future Connected to the Present) (Marvelous) - 2,000 / NEW
*. [PS3] Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (Codemasters) - 1,800 / NEW
*. [PSP] Suikoden I + II (BEST) (Konami) - 1,800 / NEW
*. [PSP] Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (BEST) (Konami) - 1,600 / NEW
*. [360] Fallout 3 (BEST) (Bethesda Softworks) - 1,400 / NEW
*. [360] Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (Codemasters) - 790 / NEW
*. [NDS] More Rika-Chan DS! Girls' Lesson: Oshare Oshigoto Otetsudai Daisuki! (Fashion, Work - Love to Help!) (Takara Tomy) - 520 / NEW


Bar Chart Nov 2-8 (thanks to JoshuaJSlone/garaph.info)

Note: Image may be delayed from the time of this post, but will automatically show once the data is ready.


Recent Famitsu Top 30s

Oct 5-11, 2009
Oct 12-18, 2009
Oct 19-25, 2009
Oct 26-Nov 1, 2009

 

[jrricky]

Terrible, terrible numbers for Crystal Bearers. :/

PSPGO.......................:lol :lol