Thread Description: In this thread I will be looking at games that have been released for at least 18 months, and then comparing how much first week, and first month sales make up of the total. In the original post there will be one of two polls, one for a game with strong legs (1st month sales make up less than 35% of total sales) and one for why a game was more frontloaded (1st month sales make up more than 35% of total sales) and then also request people leave a comment with what game they voted for and why.  The % cut off for the two categories as I make more of these threads and get a better for feel for how games perform.  I'm calling these "…of the Day" threads, but even if it is not the same day feel free to continue to comment in the thread. With the thread description out the way here is today's Look at those Legs Game of the Day…

Game of the Day

9/17

Gears of War

Description: Gears of War currently barely makes my cutoff for being classified as having good legs (less than 35% of total sold first month), but it is still selling a little each week, so that percentage will come down. The strong legs become even more impressive when you consider that the game sold almost a million in launch week, but that only makes up ~15% of the game’s total sales.  So why do you think Gears of War was able to sustain strong sells for so long? Vote in the poll, and then leave a comment letting us know what you voted for and why.

The previous thread for Resistance got 74 votes in the poll and about 20 comments, so please help me break that record!

Previous Look at those Legs threads

Resistance: Fall of Man (9/14)

Well with only a few votes in, Positive word of mouth is dominating the percentages. Do people agree with that?

Its not something that can be explained with one factor. Its a range of factors working together to keep this game on the move.

Pretty much its the low price ($10-20) with good word of mouth along with the fact that it has an enjoyable coop experience that im guessing that many would continue to share to this day.

It sold so well because it was so far ahead of everything else when it came out.

Now that a few more votes are in, a couple have people voted for the bundles option. Was Gears ever officially bundled? That option is in the poll, because I'm using the same choices in all of these threads, but I don't recall it being bundled.

@OkeyDokey, so far ahead in what way? Overall quality, graphics?

I think it is interesting to compare the responses between games.  So here is a chart of the poll results so far of Gears of War and Resistance.  If the poll gets a significant number of new votes (say doubling the current 26 to 52) I will update the chart with the new results.

It is interesting that right now both charts #1 answer is at 42% of the vote, but the #1 answer for Resistance is bundles, compared to Gears #1 being positive word of mouth.  I think this is an interesting comparison because the games are arguably the biggest exclusive new ips for their respective consoles this gen. 

I hate gears of war so any comment I leave would be a negative one. So I'll say nothing besides this.

word of mouth totally

Had to be word of mouth. I was introduced to the series that way.

I think it's a combination of things. Positive word of mouth for sure, but for awhile and even to some extent currently it became one of "the games to get when you get on Xbox 360." There were no ifs, ands, or buts there, the Gears franchise continues to sell systems to this day, as it is talked about by many as the game that they'd get when/if they ever get a 360.