pezus said:
This thread isn't a Halo vs Killzone thread, this was just as an example. It's acceptable to talk about these games in context of the original question ("does quality = sales?") but if it turns into a Halo vs Killzone flamewar then it will be locked, and suitable moderator action will be taken against those responsible.
I've just discovered something shocking while browsing through the vgchartz database...quality does not equal sales, and I have definitive proof. Halo 4 and Killzone 2 are the best examples I can use to illustrate this phenomenon because they're both their respective consoles flagship exclusive FPS franchise.
Anyway, lets look at quality first. Here are the metascores of the games:
Killzone 2: 91
Halo 4: 87
Given that Killzone 2 is objectively better than Halo 4, any rational person would assume that Killzone 2 has sold more than Halo 4 ever will... But that will certainly not be the case. Here are the sales:
Killzone 2: 2.87m
Halo 4 (estimated LT sales based on a secret formula): 10.9m
That's right folks, despite Killzone 2 being of a higher quality, it has still sold less than Halo 4 will. Halo 4 will even outsell Killzone 2 FW only. What the hell?! Startling, to say the least. Can anyone explain this phenomenon?
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Well, there's a few flaws to your argument.
First of all, reviews take into account a reviewer playing through the (single player) game once, sometimes not to completion, before being rated. That presentationand initial impression weigh heavily in the review, whereas replayability and extra features weigh lightly. This is different for gamers.
KZ2 had a higher review score than Halo 4 - is anyone who is not heavily biased going to debate that it's as replayable? Halo games have always had a far greater number of multiplayer options, and the average person who plays it will put far more time into the multiplayer. Reviews don't get to look into a crystal ball and say "as it turns out, playing Halo for 200 hours is a lot more fun than playing Killzone 2 for 100 hours". Reviews don't factor in other aspects, like the network. Faster matchmaking? Local split screen? Not factored into reviews, generally. But it will factor into how often you play the game, and thus, how likely you are to buy the next in the series.
Killzone 1 wasn't popular, so it had little basis to make Killzone 2 a titan, whereas each Halo installment has been critically acclaimed, giving each successive installment giant shoulders to stand on.
In short, history will remember Halo 4 as the better game. Why? Because it is. If objective people could step back a year after a game's release, and factor in time played, overall enjoyment, etc., you'd get a true measure of a game's quality.
