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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Microsofts 2008 RPG gambit - success or failure?

cwbys21 on 19 August 2008
ClaudeLv250 said:
Godot said:
Lost Odyssey wasn't a success at 780k. The game certainly lose money with the marketing they had and the cost of the game. However, the studio has the financial backing of Microsoft so it's not a problem for Mistwalker.

As for Tales of Vesperia, it's the highest budget for any Tales game and yet it's the one that sold the worst in Japan. I won't call that a success.

Don't get me wrong, I bought a 360 to play JRPGs but I think Microsoft is paying to have RPG to prevent PS3 to do good on that front. There aren't many RPG fans on Xbox console but those that are there are happy.

This.

One problem with moneyhatting RPGs is that moneyhatting a sequel becomes useless because the first game already had it's (tiny) intended impact on the install base. This is exactly why thenext mothership Tales title is already slated for Wii. It's going to backfire because it's temporary, only so few Japanese developers can afford to kamikaze the Japanese market on the 360 and the smaller developers who Microsoft isn't looking to moneyhat will have no choice but to go to another platform where their game isn't destined to fail in their homeland. 

 

I thought about this as well, how can Lost Odysey be considered a success, I couldn't watch a TV show without seeing at least one comercial for it.  Thankfully ESPN is to expensive for to many adds of it and that is how I got away from them.  And the adds weren't running for a week or two, they had to have run for over a month.

As for the rest of the titles listed, I don't think Microsoft is happy with only 100,000 sales of ToV and only 30,000 360s being sold.  That is one of those games Microsoft would have paid for and they didn't get much of a return.  NG2, not a rpg.  Too Human, hit or miss on reviews, can't pass judgement on it yet.

The upcoming list, the SE games could sell well because they say SE on the cover.  Fallout 3 will sell well, but sales will be split between 360/ps3/pc and the downloadable content will also be on pc from what I understand of the situation and as usual, it will be free on pc but you will have to pay for it on 360.  Fable 2, should sell well, lots of good publicity for the game.



God hates console fanboys.

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mrstickball on 19 August 2008

There is far too much to remain to be seen. The RPG calendar is maybe 40% over. We still have ToV in NA, IU, TLR, Fallout 3, Fable, and TH.

Overall, it's been a mixed success:

Kingdom Under Fire:
Neither. It didn't reach awesome sales, but was a mediocre game, so it's not suprising what's happened. There wasn't anything notable about the game moving hardware, but was a decent JRPG if any like loot/grind fests...And pretty decent if you can find co-op players.

Culdcept Saga:
Failure...Kind of. Not very good sales in the west, despite the $40 pricetag. Very good game though.

Lost Odyssey:
Mixed Success. Not that great in Japan with 110,000 units sold through, and failed to move hardware. Not what I'd call a success in Japan. However, outside of Japan, in Asia and the West, it did quite well. 790,000 units and counting is decent for a brand new RPG IP.

Tales of Vesperia:
Success in Japan. 24,000 consoles moved thus far once the game has been launched, and a very significant number of consoles sold before it with very little other titles surrounding it. Highest debut of any X360 game in Japan. Is it awesome compared to other ToV games? No. But it's re-ressurected the X360 in Japan, and that is no small thing: No other game has done it this year.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Picko on 19 August 2008
Impulsivity said:
It might be a success when they release a single solitary RPG that A) doesn't suck and B) doesn't end up on the PS3 or PC as well.

It looked like they had done that with Mass Effect until the EA acquisition (I have the PC version now thank god). Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon and all the rest were just marginal, if they were on the PS2 they wouldn't even be in the top 10 (MAYBE the low end of the top 20, but probably not esp if you include SRPGs too). Eternal Sonata was probably the best of the JRPG bunch and, surprise, its headed to the PS3.

LO would easily have made the top 10 RPGs on PS2, although I will admit it is a far too nuanced and personal tale for the average "gamer".

 



 
Debating with fanboys, its not
all that dissimilar to banging ones
head against a wall 
Mr. Domino on 19 August 2008

Success in the fact that there seems to be a clear choice for developers on which console to develop their RPGs on. Failure in the sense that for a system nearing 3 years, having about 10 rpgs is kind of pathetic.



 

mrstickball on 19 August 2008
Mr. Domino said:
Success in the fact that there seems to be a clear choice for developers on which console to develop their RPGs on. Failure in the sense that for a system nearing 3 years, having about 10 rpgs is kind of pathetic.

Then what would you define the PS3 and Wii at with under 3 RPGs each, at the 2 year mark?

 



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

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konnichiwa on 19 August 2008

Succes:

- The RPG's have sold more X360 units and will in the future attract another bunch of gamers who want to have a taste of those RPG's.

Failure:

- Those RPG's didn't sold very well or not so much as expected. It is quite sad to see games like Lost Odyssey have it hard to sell a million.

In the end MS will be happy to sell more X360's but probably expected to sell a lot more units and software;


Edit: Talking about JRPG's. WRPG's like Mass Effect are doing well and in my opinon those WRPG's are also a lot better than the JRPG's.






Mr. Domino on 19 August 2008

If I am reading the original post correctly its says Microsots 2008 RPG gambit, Sony and Nintendo are not listed.  I am sure you are smart enought to come to a conclusion about those two systems.  As for me I try to stay on topic.



 

mrstickball on 19 August 2008

My point was, how do you define a failure if you are on the market for 3 years, and have *only* 10 RPGs, but are well ahead of your rivals?



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Mr. Domino on 19 August 2008

I would not call being up ~7 titles 'well ahead', maybe Sony and Nintendo are currently where Microsoft was when it first release, not focused and selling their console are a rpg centric, but maybe more fps and party game/casual?

But if you feel that 10 rpgs (which I believe half being release this past calendar year) after 3 years is success, then thats great.



 

Jo21 on 19 August 2008
mrstickball said:
Mr. Domino said:
Success in the fact that there seems to be a clear choice for developers on which console to develop their RPGs on. Failure in the sense that for a system nearing 3 years, having about 10 rpgs is kind of pathetic.

Then what would you define the PS3 and Wii at with under 3 RPGs each, at the 2 year mark?

 

 

sony did it with metal gear solid 4.

77k bundled alone in japan sold 100%

unless it actually pay up meaning selling enough to pass ps3 on japan buying rpgs is only delaying the ports to other consoles.

its not quantity but the quality of the title, even so both ff13 are still exclusive in japan,  thats a huge blow m$ would have problem to recover.

and both fronts too since the wii its getting monsters hunter 3.