Ubisoft wanted Splinter Cell: Blacklist to sell 5 million copies - only sold 2 million

[Stefan.De.Machtige]

Slimebeast said:

The midcore AAA HD market is truly competitive like publishers and devs have been trying to explain for years.

EA's mid-market AAA games are dying. Dante's Inferno, Army of 2, Medal of Honor, Dead Space and Crysis have a similar story. 5 million target but 2-3 million copies sold.

Same with Squire Enix West, all failures saleswise (Tomb Raider, Deus Ex Revolution, Hitman Absolution, Kain and Lynch, Thief).

Same with THQ (Darksiders, Saints Row, Kingdoms of Amalur, Metro 2033 and so on).

Activision already left the midcore HD market (Prototype, Wolfenstein, Singularity were the last).

Take 2 is in huge trouble (Bioshock, Mafia and games like LA Noire, Max Pain and XCOM constantly underperform no matter the reviews). GTA is saving them.

Ubisoft has realized this and that's why they are on the forefront to innovate their big games and make them focus more on online and social, sometimes persistent online (Watch Dogs, The Division, The Crew). The Splinter Cell situation is the reason why the next Rainbow6 and Prince of Persia and Brothers in Arms Fast & Furious and Beyond Good & Evil 2 were all put on hold. They realize in its current state it has no chance at selling 5 million.

Strange they would put them on hold. I would think that making a cheaper, more focussed but smaller title would the logical step. By not making the games, you're getting nothing at all.

It's like 5 million or nothing to some :(.