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Alterego-X on 29 March 2010
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Kenryoku_Maxis said:
Alterego-X said:
^ Kenryoku_Maxis, Think about it with this analogy:

When two runners race with each other, who deserves to win?
Of course, the one who runs faster. The ability to run fast is determined by many attributes, from muscle strength, to body weight, having the right rhythm, and speeding tactic

One of the things that doesn't matter is which one is the nicer person.

The sales race is a race too. And in my opinion, the attributes that should determine the results include marketing, word of mouth, mainstream appeal, etc.

With the idea that the game you consider "higher quality" should have higher sales, you mix subjective preferences with objectively measurably results, like if you would measure a runner''s worth of being first by his personality.

Of course, personality is an important thing, but on an entirely different field.

Using your analogy, you're basically saying the games that sell the best are the best games. 

No, it's exactly the opposite. 

To continue my analogy, I DON'T claim that the person who runs the fastest is the "best person". But he is the best RUNNER. The two has zero relation to each other.  

Likewise, the game that sells most is not the best game. But it is the BEST SELLER. The two have zero relation to each other. 

 

Actually, if you insist that the games you consider the highest quality should be the best sellers, YOU imply that quality and high sales are supposed to be related to each other.

 

For example, my favorite game from 2009, The Path, that is an indie European "artsy-fartsy" game, that probably sold a few thousand units. 

This game is probably the best thing that happened to me in the past years, yet I wouldn't claim that it "deserved more sales". 

Because it's a miserable failure as a business product. It totally lacks mainstream appeal, it wasn't advertised at all, it is not actually entertaining, and it wasn't ever intended to be financially successful, the artists totally lacked serious financial considerations.

 It just wasn't a strong runner in the sales race. 

Therefore saying that it should have sold more is like saying that my mom should win the Olympics because she is such a good mother.