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[PepsimanVsJoe]

SO4 could have used some better commercials. I thought the "White Rabbit" LO ad was brilliant. It's certainly better than the flashes of random cutscenes/characters + maybe some gameplay footage that makes up every other JRPG commercial I've seen.

 

[jeremy1456]

SO4 could have used some better commercials. I thought the "White Rabbit" LO ad was brilliant. It's certainly better than the flashes of random cutscenes/characters + maybe some gameplay footage that makes up every other JRPG commercial I've seen.

I don't remember the Lost Odyssey commericial(s). Maybe I'll check 'em out on youtube.

Seems to me the Sci-fi setting for Star Ocean 4 would have struck a cord with the Xbox crowd (given what seems to sell on the system). Guess not.

 

[AnnSwag]

awwwwweessssoooome

But I can tell you all that for March NPD it's going to be huge seeing that halo wars already moved 1 million in sales. But we will see.

http://tinyurl.com/cdk6rc

 

[SimpleDesign]

How much did Star Ocean: Till the end of time sell in it's first month? It should be in either August 2004 or September 2004.

 

[AnnSwag]

How much did Star Ocean: Till the end of time sell in it's first month? It should be in either August 2004 or September 2004.

About 396,046 units sold first week. about 1.4 million in total with a US release date of 08/31/04.

 

[GavinGT]

If it demonstrates the off-chart legs that the series usually shows (and that SEGA's lightgun games on the Wii have shown), it should end up with a pretty nice total.

Agreed. Even if people weren't lining up for this one on launch day, they'll still see it in stores and say, "I have to have this", no matter when it came out.

About 396,046 units sold first week.

I don't even understand why the Star Ocean series switched platforms. It's a niche series with little to no fanbase on 360. What was the logic behind making it 360 exclusive?

 

[SimpleDesign]

About 396,046 units sold first week.

In America?

 

[AnnSwag]

In America?

Japan and America.

 

[GreyMatter]

In the last three games of the series Star Ocean hasn't gone multiplatform (save for the remakes on the PSP), so it's nothing new.

This isn't the most convenient time to be sticking to the tried-and-true on one side of things, while being adventurous, for lack of a better word, in the others. From a pure profit standpoint, I can't really fathom exclusivity for a title on a system whose market is either too small to sustain it (Japan) or has no interest in it whatsoever (North America). I could just be missing something. I was going to pick it up eventually, but I don't want it to do this badly.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Agreed. Even if people weren't lining up for this one on launch day, they'll still see it in stores and say, "I have to have this", no matter when it came out.



I don't even understand why the Star Ocean series switched platforms. It's a niche series with little to no fanbase on 360. What was the logic behind making it 360 exclusive?

Maybe it was a nice fat check from Microsoft? That is the only reasonable explanation I can think of. I can remember when the Last Remnant developers stated that they loved how easy it is to make games on the X360. Maybe it had something to do with the ease of development or maybe SquareEnix doesn't like Sony and Nintendo anymore?

 

[AniHawk]

What would you predict worldwide? Is the game even being released in Japan?

I think upwards of a million, a million being an extreme longshot. More realistically, around 500k-750k or so.

 

[SimpleDesign]

In situations like that it's up to the platform holder to take action and subsidize development. You can't have the audience without the games, so it's up to Microsoft to get as many as possible.

In the case of Star Ocean 4, Microsoft and tri-Ace got together at the start of this generation to make a game called Infinite Undiscovery. It was funded by Microsoft and the engine Star Ocean: The Last Hope uses is the same as Infinite Undiscovery. Which made starting development on the Xbox 360 relatively easy, add in some royalty breaks and advertising support and you'll see why it's Xbox 360 exclusive*. (Likely timed exclusive?)

Microsoft's ex-internal studio (Feel+) also did a lot of work with both Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean: The Last Hope.

Slowly but surely this plan will work, however I think securing one big exclusive and throwing a huge amount of money at advertising is the way to go. (Final Fantasy VII - $100 million spent in advertising.)

 

[legend166]

I wonder why the highest selling piece of fitness equipment is (specific, not 'treadmill') and whether Wii Fit will outsell it.

 

[Lebron]

SO4 could have used some better commercials. I thought the "White Rabbit" LO ad was brilliant. It's certainly better than the flashes of random cutscenes/characters + maybe some gameplay footage that makes up every other JRPG commercial I've seen.

That and LO had a more mature(dark) tone from first glance. I know that's why some of my friends went out and bought it, and they weren't even JRPG fans prior to purchasing the game. SO4 sadly didn't have that going for it. Oh well, it's still my favorite SO game.

I guess we have to wait till XIII comes out till we see a console JRPG clean up WW, like Lost Odyssey. Well LO didn't really clean up, but it's done the best out of all that's been released so far. Think it was around 750-800K last I remember.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

SO4 sadly didn't have that going for it.

What gets to me is that it easily could have. I mean, obviously not a dark tone, but it's incredibly easy to make a space adventure relatively appealing. They flat out nailed the box art, and they did get a good number of ads out. It's just the actual thing being shown off was a trainwreck. I mean it's seriously bad. I know it would be a bit decieving, but they should have just used any of the awesome trailers the game had that didn't in any way show the character models.

And yea, that White Rabbit ad is one of the best videogame adverts ever.

 

[GreyMatter]

In situations like that it's up to the platform holder to take action and subsidize development. You can't have the audience without the games, so it's up to Microsoft to get as many as possible.

I'd agree with this, had it been a year ago or earlier.

I can't say I blame them for trying, but I think the 360's identity is established for the most part. I don't recall any other time in consoles passed when such a drastic attempt at "rebranding" occurred. If it works, it works and good for them. If not, we'll see what happens.

In the case of Star Ocean 4, Microsoft and tri-Ace got together...

Alright, that minimizes some of the cost. The margin of loss is lessened quite a bit, but it still stings seeing the 'Star Ocean' legacy tainted by a failure this big. I'm not a big fan, but negative perception of this release can hurt its NA sales potential in the future unless they do something dramatic. I'm more concerned with Tri-Ace's future under Square rather than SE as a whole. I'd hate to see their teams entirely dissolved because of two large disappointments. I would, however, welcome reintegration with some of Square's 'A' list titles or new IP's where they work exclusively on gameplay and let the big boys take care of presentation and story.

 

[markatisu]

Who cares? Halo 3 is small fish. That's the past. The competition now is Brain Age, Nintendogs, and NSMB. If all Wii software can do is "best" Halo 3, than Wii is a failure.

I think Wii Play, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit will do just fine competing in terms of length with Nintendogs, Brain Age and NSMB

We are already seeing some of that in Lego Star Wars, debuted in Christmas 2007, recharted in the Top 20 last Christmas and still remains in the Top 20 in 2009

 

[Rlan]

Have the Top 10 for all consoles been released?

 

[VerTiGo]

I'm a bit bothered by NA's sales for House of the Dead Overkill. SEGA is doing a great service to Wii owners with both Overkill and Madworld. I'm sure these games will gain decent sales over the long run but I just wish they were more frontloaded. I supported the cause with both games and I'm glad I did because they're two of my favorite games in recent memory. Whatever, at least its performing exceptionally well in the UK, which is great to see because I would like to see a sequel or two over the course of the Wii's lifespan.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

I'm a bit bothered by NA's sales for House of the Dead Overkill. SEGA is doing a great service to Wii owners with both Overkill and Madworld. I'm sure these games will gain decent sales over the long run but I just wish they were more frontloaded. I supported the cause with both games and I'm glad I did because they're two of my favorite games in recent memory. Whatever, at least its performing exceptionally well in the UK, which is great to see because I would like to see a sequel or two over the course of the Wii's lifespan.

Other than the N-fan squad, who wouldn't buy this game for fear of going to the hot place, the Wii owner demographic is made up of people who don't really go out on day one for the games. Sucks, but SEGA knows this and I'm sure they plan things accordingly.

 

[Firestorm]

I don't even understand why the Star Ocean series switched platforms. It's a niche series with little to no fanbase on 360. What was the logic behind making it 360 exclusive?

Because:

1) It doesn't have a fanbase on PS3 or Wii either
2) The engine was already done on 360

So they could go 360 with easy port to PC if required, PS3 and start from scratch with a smaller userbase, or Wii and start from scratch with a larger userbase.

They went with 360.

 

[BishopLamont]

Not a surprise to see 50 Cent bomb, he was popular back then, now not so much. His musical career is down the drain, that's why you see him branching out to acting.

 

[Fredescu]

Have the Top 10 for all consoles been released?

Yep: http://blog.wired.com/games/2009/03/february-2009s.html

 

[sphinx]

are people really expecting GTA:CTW to reach the Top 10 next month?

it doesn't even have an official thread here and the fanbase is DEFINITELY not on nintendo systems, I can't see it doing as well as the PSP games back in their day.

 

[Fredescu]

are people really expecting GTA:CTW to reach the Top 10 next month?

it doesn't even have an official thread here and the fanbase is DEFINITELY not on nintendo systems, I can't see it doing as well as the PSP games back in their day.

There is, althought it's not very active: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355260

I know a guy that bought a DS just for GTA, and another guy that is buying his first DS game to use on his wifes DS. Neither of these guys are in the USA though, so you're probably right.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

are people really expecting GTA:CTW to reach the Top 10 next month?

it doesn't even have an official thread here and the fanbase is DEFINITELY not on nintendo systems, I can't see it doing as well as the PSP games back in their day.

The customers that make GTA games reach the top ten aren't the people at these boards. If we actually pushed sales, Yakuza wouldn't have been a massive failure, God Hand would be a Greatest Hit, and Shadow of the Colossus would be hanging in the Louvre (in the non-red-stripe case, of course).

GTA:CTW is kind of a weird wild card. It would be silly to say it's a slamdunk for the top ten, but it would be equally silly to count it out.

 

[timetokill]

are people really expecting GTA:CTW to reach the Top 10 next month?

it doesn't even have an official thread here and the fanbase is DEFINITELY not on nintendo systems, I can't see it doing as well as the PSP games back in their day.

I think it's a game where we're really going to see how much influence reviews have over people. I think most people overlooked the game (including me) and would be surprised at the current 94 on metacritic, with reviews saying it's one of the best GTA games in the whole series.

Not sure what you mean about the fanbase though -- the Nintendo DS is pretty popular with all gamers, even 360/PS3 owners.

 

[PSGames]

Slowly but surely this plan will work, however I think securing one big exclusive and throwing a huge amount of money at advertising is the way to go. (Final Fantasy VII - $100 million spent in advertising.)

wat

 

[sphinx]

I think it's a game where we're really going to see how much influence reviews have over people. I think most people overlooked the game (including me) and would be surprised at the current 94 on metacritic, with reviews saying it's one of the best GTA games in the whole series.

Not sure what you mean about the fanbase though -- the Nintendo DS is pretty popular with all gamers, even 360/PS3 owners.

that's reeeally stretching in it...

anyway, we'll have to wait and see I guess, but my gut feeling tells me it won't be a flop given the software selling nature of the DS but won't be as big as previous iterations.

like moore would say " Solid if not spectacular"...

 

[Cipherr]

that's reeeally stretching in it...

Uhh no, its reaaallly NOT stretching it at all.

 

[Strike]

Not a surprise to see 50 Cent bomb, he was popular back then, now not so much. His musical career is down the drain, that's why you see him branching out to acting.

It's funny and sad at the same time considering this actually turned out to be decent this time. Then again, they should've known better. Sent to die.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

that's reeeally stretching in it...

anyway, we'll have to wait and see I guess, but my gut feeling tells me it won't be a flop given the software selling nature of the DS but won't be as big as previous iterations.

like moore would say " Solid if not spectacular"...

It doesn't have to be as big as previous iterations to make the Top Ten, though. Not even close.

 

[Strike]

GTA:CTW is kind of a weird wild card. It would be silly to say it's a slamdunk for the top ten, but it would be equally silly to count it out.

No matter what it'll have legs. Decent advertising and high scores will ensure that. I just don't see any reason as to why it wont sell.

 

[chuckddd]

Yep: http://blog.wired.com/games/2009/03/february-2009s.html

Whoa. Look at Halo 3 crack the top 20.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

No matter what it'll have legs. Decent advertising and high scores will ensure that. I just don't see any reason as to why it wont sell.

Yes, but we're talking about cracking the top ten, not having a respectable LTD.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Whoa. Look at Halo 3 crack the top 20.

Probably just people thinking it's an RTS like Halo Wars.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Of course. When will Japanese developers get it through their head that X360 gamers do not care for JRPG's? How many bombas will it take?

Or, conversely, when will US JRPG fans get it through their head that they should (also?) buy a 360 to get their HD fix because that's where the vast majority of the JRPG action is?

Some people keep popping up to insinuate these titles would do better in the US on the PS3. Are these people fans of JRPG GAMES or fans of a corporation and it's hardware?

Outside of a few kooks the more likely explanation is that the genre is in a sort of rut for the most part and the output has been mediocre regardless of platform.

 

[wazoo]

that's reeeally stretching in it...

anyway, we'll have to wait and see I guess, but my gut feeling tells me it won't be a flop given the software selling nature of the DS but won't be as big as previous iterations.

like moore would say " Solid if not spectacular"...

The DS is pretty popular with all type of gamers/non gamers.

I do not think they expect GTAIV level of sales, but anyway, the game did not cost 100M$ like GTAIV did, so the ROI is/should be much lower.

2M unit sold seems to be the expected number floating around, it may not be as front loaded as the console version due to the nature of handheld sales, so go back next year to see how it fared.

 

[Chumly]

I expect GTA:CTW to crack the bottom of the top 10 and then go on to have incredible legs until the DS basically dies.

 

[GreyMatter]

Or, conversely, when will US JRPG fans get it through their head that they should (also?) buy a 360 to get their HD fix because that's where the vast majority of the JRPG action is?

Some people keep popping up to insinuate these titles would do better in the US on the PS3. Are these people fans of JRPG GAMES or fans of a corporation and it's hardware?

I'm actually curious as to why DQX is the only big name that they've had enough sense to put on the Wii. You'd think that as the "secondary" system for most, there would be more support for upgraded ps2 quality JRPG's. Lost Odyssey aside, I'd probably say most JRPG's this gen should be Wii titles instead.

All the lemmings could bide their time and not lose tons of money while they wait to ape whatever FFXIII brings to the table.

 

[Ashour]

SF4 sales impress me the most especially the fact that there is only 40K difference between the Xbox360 and PS3 (shows the power of the D-pad I guess), also KZ2 did excellent for 2 days, I'm surprised Halo wars didn't make it but I'm not surprised that Star Ocean 4 didn’t make it (JRPGs are almost dead in North America unfortunately)

 

[Nirolak]

I'm actually curious as to why DQX is the only big name that they've had enough sense to put on the Wii. You'd think that as the "secondary" system for most, there would be more support for upgraded ps2 quality JRPG's. Lost Odyssey aside, I'd probably say most JRPG's this gen should be Wii titles instead.

All the lemmings could bide their time and not lose tons of money while they wait to ape whatever FFXIII brings to the table.

Eh, the issue is JRPGs don't necessarily sell so hot on the Wii either. The only place they're really selling great is the DS and occasionally the PSP. I'm much more surprised that we don't see many more major JRPGs on those two systems than the Wii.

I'm surprised Halo wars didn't make it

That's next month, not this one.

 

[Rlan]

Yep: http://blog.wired.com/games/2009/03/february-2009s.html

So


No House Of The Dead OverKill, Had 18 days of sales, beaten by Nascar Kart Racing which came out on the same day.

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection only scratching in on PS3 Top 10. Considering the amount of people who buy XBLA versions of Sonic 1 it's a little surprsing. Will be interesting to see how the next XBLA crop do.

FEAR 2 making it into 3rd place for Xbox games, and 11th overall, so it didn't do too badly. 130kish I imagine. Still not very good, but certainly better than Condemned 2 which bombed to hell.

Loco Roco 2 got cained by Iron Man PSP. Geez.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride Only got 10 days of sales, but still, is the DS just not pushing the RPG game style outside of Pokemon?

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon doing surprisingly well, probably better than Advance Wars DOR did, which I find weird.

Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero? didn't even get a mention. Did I also note that not a single PSP title beat the DS top 10 in sales? What the hell man.

50 Cent Blood On The Sand only had 4 days of sales, but didn't get in any Top 10 lists. Didn't Bulletproof do stupidly well?

Dead Rising CTYD got no mention, but doesn't surprise me with a late date and an already full Wii list.

 

[kkg1701]

SF4 sales impress me the most especially the fact that there is only 40K difference between the Xbox360 and PS3 (shows the power of the D-pad I guess), also KZ2 did excellent for 2 days, I'm surprised Halo wars didn't make it but I'm not surprised that Star Ocean 4 didn’t make it (JRPGs are almost dead in North America unfortunately)

Halo wars was released after the end of the feb period.


KK

EDIT: Bah beaten.

 

[Green Biker Dude]

I know sales numbers don't reflect quality, but this gen jRPGs really aren't very good. Tales of Vesperia is the only one that's interesting imo.

I'd say Star Ocean got burned pretty badly with 3, and then the backlash for the horrible cutscenes/story/writing in this one really didn't help it. Though the internet tough guys are always posting about how none of that really matters, I imagine a good part of people buying jRPGs value those. I also doubt there'd be many more interested into these games if they were on the PS3.

This gen has been and will likely continue to be disappointing for jRPGs all around. Atlus might announce something cool, the 2 FF13's may be a return to glory but nothing else shown so far for the consoles is very captivating. Even if all 3 of these games turned out to be wonderful, it wouldn't be enough, given the amount of good jRPGs over the last generations.

 

[Ashour]

That's next month, not this one.

Oh, Thanks for the heads up.

 

[GreyMatter]

Eh, the issue is JRPGs don't necessarily sell so hot on the Wii either. The only place they're really selling great is the DS and occasionally the PSP. I'm much more surprised that we don't see many more major JRPGs on those two systems than the Wii.

Have there been any JRPG's released on the Wii that aren't nothing more than throwaway titles, spinoffs, or shovelware? The only quality title I know of is Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. There hasn't been a hyped flagship RPG in the Wii I can think of unless you want to count Zelda like some people do.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Have there been any JRPG's released on the Wii that aren't nothing more than throwaway titles, spinoffs, or shovelware? The only quality title I know of is Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. There hasn't been a hyped flagship RPG in the Wii I can think of unless you want to count Zelda like some people do.

Symphonia 2.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

There hasn't been a hyped flagship RPG in the Wii I can think of unless you want to count Zelda like some people do.

Easy barometer to test the RPGishness of a title.

If I like it it's not an RPG. Zelda isn't an RPG. I cannot explain my love of KotOR (I'm not that big of a Star Wars fan).

 

[Man God]

Symphonia 2.

Yeah, that's as close as you are going to get.

Sad thing is, you could say almost the same thing about the PS3. Lack of quality hyped RPGs at the moment.

Not that many of the 360 RPGs are big huge names either.

But luckily for us all, we have the portable systems. Hooray DS! Great Job PSP!