I don't think you know what I'm saying anymore.

Popularity cannot be measured objectively, profit is the closest measuring stick and by following sales trends, popularity can be inferred (but not measured).  The two are connected and I'm not saying Quality=Popularity is wrong, there's just a lack of numbers to back it up.  In the end, if you purchase a game, and it is objectively terrible, it won't sell for long and will be quickly forgotten or bitterly remembered.  However, if it is subjectively terrible, it may continue to sell and gain its own following as it's subjectively good as well.  Once it breaches a certain threshold, it can be recognized as objectively good no matter how an individual feels about it.

The kind of consumers you're selling to really depends on the type of food you sell.

The kind of consumers you're selling to really depends on the type of game you make. Angry Birds is not supposed to be the same type of game that Skyward Sword is supposed to be. Just like fast food isn't supposed to substitute and be what fine-dining is supposed to be.

All comparisons have their limitations, so you can nit-pick it all you want, but do you honestly disagree with this sentiment?

Wii Fit - 22.71 Million
Wii Fit Plus - 19.94 Million

It's also nice to finally clear it up that Pokemon Gold and Silver are much better games than the hugely updated and improved Heart Gold and Soul Silver.

You don't account for the human instinct of following others (that's why fads happen), the fact that in order to purchase a quality game you need to know about it, etc.

Also, quality is subjective and sales objective, so they are not comparable.

Games with big sales are more efficient, not with better quality, as that is up to each individual to decide. And indeed sometimes a majority of individuals think that a game is of very high quality while selling poorly or of very low while selling well. So it is entirely possible a majority will buy a game and a majority will deem it as of low quality.

I am fairly sure that McDonalds v BK doesn't show up as quality so much as quality in marketing and/or monopolization of geographical areas.

Alright, so that was the point I was trying to make in my original post. Sales don't absolutely equal quality, it depends on the product type and the consumers you're going after.

Similar products competing for the same consumers will give a valid comparison showing sales, that I agree with. Sorry, it just confused me when you quoted me because it felt like you disagreed with my premise.

For the most part I agree that sales are the same as being high quality, but that the areas that high selling products demonstrate their quality may not be what people want to be rewarded ...

McDonalds fails to be high quality when you judge it against the standard of pretentious restaurants, but how many restaurants can deliver comparable quality and consistency of food at a similar price to McDonalds while handling the volume of customers the typical McDonalds can?

When you stop looking down at the world for choosing something you believe is low quality, and start looking for the high quality elements in success, you will start to see people's choices in a different light. If you were so motivated, you could potentially use this knowlege to improve products you believe are more worthy of success.

So you are saying we need more glittery vampires and downright braindead romances in our books/movies?

When it comes to entertainment it's very simple to make something successful, and as I already poitned out you just need to appeal to the lowest common denominator in some way. However that appeal to the lcd is what reduces the quality itself, hence what you are saying just simply can't happen.

Pretty much this.

Farts are also entertaining, does that mean that one man farting into a microphone on stage with 100.000 spectators who all start laughing is of better quality than a Metallica concert with 50.000 people going nuts in the it?

Also, Harry Potter must be the best books ever written. Actually, scratch that; the bible is the best quality book ever written since it sold the most.