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[PS2 KID]

I don't think their advertising for this game was that big anyway. It's already a budget title and you surely will not see tv ads for this. However, it is a welcome surprise for them and let them have their moment and milk it for all it's worth. Plus word of mouth and any publicity can only raise the awareness of Katamari Damacy and increase sales, thus giving us a chance at a sequel. Let's keep the ball rolling.

 

[Kobun Heat]

Chris? Not to dispute your facts or the thoroughness of your research, but does the corner of Powell and O'Farrell count as part of the "greater San Francisco area"? It's downtown, about six blocks as the crow flies from the Gamespot offices.

It does count, actually, and they were totally sold out when I went down there to check.

 

[MetatronM]

Plus word of mouth and any publicity can only raise the awareness of Katamari Damacy and increase sales, thus giving us a chance at a sequel. Let's keep the ball rolling.

There was word back during the summer that a sequel was in the making already, but there hasn't been any news on that front for a while now.

 

[Go Go Ackman!]

I wonder how Gungrave OD is selling. I wonder what the real factor is here, good reviews, the price..?

 

[akascream]

For not recognizing it as what?.. a game with rolling garbage? I think retailers are correct in assuming the game doesn't have much appeal.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Whitewash! It was Nintendo's fault! Eidos knows this to be true!

 

[Mrbob]

For not recognizing it as what?.. a game with rolling garbage? I think retailers are correct in assuming the game doesn't have much appeal.

:lol :lol :lol

I still need to get this game.

 

[Deg]

Retailers get wrong it all the time. You cant tell how much a game will really end up selling. Although retailers tend to get certain games wrong all the time amongst other stuff.

 

[akascream]

I still need to get this game.

I want to try it too (if I could wrench myself from WoW), but its not hard to see why retailers aren't stocking this game.

 

[WarPig]

It does count, actually, and they were totally sold out when I went down there to check.

I'm gonna save this copy I bought there and hock it on Ebay.

DFS.

 

[jarrod]

"Blaming retailers" is just silly. If Namco wanted to reach mainstream buyers they should have marketed it as a mainstream game, not as the nichiest of niche titles with an obscure name and virtually nonexistent advertising support.

Maybe they should've released Katamari on the US GameCube instead?

 

[Wario64]

I cringe at the thought of using the C-stick in combination with the D-stick to move around.

I wouldn't want to press a button just to do a 180 turn either. GC's analog stickers aren't clickable

 

[ravingloon]

This article is praised, but IGN flamed. Pff! Spend half the article talking about Zelda references that are pointless and base the sold out on 1 store. Outstanding.

 

[Makura]

Just got my copy. We've certianly come a long way haven't we? I never thought such a game would be published in the states, certainly not with it's original Japanese name and cover.

 

[Duckhuntdog]

Who will Namco blame when BK bombs in November? I say we nip it in the bud and blame Nintendo right now.

 

[Kiriku]

For not recognizing it as what?.. a game with rolling garbage? I think retailers are correct in assuming the game doesn't have much appeal.

I see your point but...let's face it, Katamari Damacy is far from the only game published in the US with "exotic" premise. How about a game featuring a fat, italian plumber crashing his head against freakin' stoneblocks while occasionally talking to MUSHROOMS? Yeah, that sounds reeeeal promising.

 

[Kobun Heat]

I see your point but...let's face it, Katamari Damacy is far from the only game published in the US with "exotic" premise. How about a game featuring a fat, italian plumber crashing his head against freakin' stoneblocks while occasionally talking to MUSHROOMS? Yeah, that sounds reeeeal promising.

Or a game where you're a disembodied yellow mouth running from ghosts eating dots, flashing dots, and pretzels. C- BOMB BOMB

 

[WarPig]

Who will Namco blame when BK bombs in November?

I blame CREEPING SOCIALISM!

DFS.

 

[Baron Aloha]

I picked up a copy for $14.99 at BB with a gamers gift card. They had a ton of them... as usual.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I wonder how Gungrave OD is selling. I wonder what the real factor is here, good reviews, the price..?

From my observation, Gungrave OD has been showing up in limited supply and being lost on the shelves. Despite the price, lost on the shelves is somewhat respectable given how badly the lock-on system in the game works - the game plays like it has a tenth of the value of Katamari Damacy.

With so many superior greatest hits titles, I'm not sure the 14.99 price tag will make much headway.

 

[WarPig]

There wasn't an OPM demo of this, was there? That would've gotten more people talking...

That would have been the smartest possible marketing move for this game. Getting some kind of demo in people's hands, anyway. Like I say, it doesn't really make sense until you play it.

DFS.