For game sales and popularity it really depends on the game, genre and what it's trying to acheive. A popular game doesn't need good storytelling to sell well and become popular as shown by Mario. A story can help a game to gain more popularity. For instance, the multiplayer aspect of Call of Duty is what brings in the massive sales, but the single player aids that. The campaign in CoD4 was widely appreciated in reviews and by customers due to the shocking moments. Half-Life and Half-Life 2 wouldn't have become as popular as they did if it wasn't for the way they innovated FPS storytelling.
For longevity, it all depends on how the game tells the story and how it incorporates replay value. Most RPGs have a lot of replay value as you can experience different outcomes and undertake smaller side stories. With shorter and more linear games (Uncharted, Enslaved), the replay value is dependent entirely on the gamer. Some will only play through once, whilst others will play through multiple times because they love the story.
