Found via NeoGAF:
http://www.mcvuk.com/features/561/Defries-Is-retail-duming-down
My axe to grind: Rising Star Games is set to launch ‘Muramasa; The Demon Blade’ for Nintendo Wii – a title which has performed well both critically and commercially in Japan and the USA.
Critical reception
Current Metacritic average – 80
· 1UP.com , A-
· Eurogamer, 7/10
· Famitsu , 34 out of 40
· Game Informer , 7.75/10
· GamePro , 4.5/5
· GameTrailers , 8.3/10
· IGN , 8.9/10
· Nintendo Power, 8/10
· Play Magazine , 10/10
Sales reception
‘Muramasa’ sold almost 30K units week one in Japan (putting it in at number two, all-formats) and 52,000 week one US (beating Dead Space Extraction).
Here in the UK, the game will NOT be available to buy in the majority of video game retail outlets. Evidently this is not because of game quality (as proven above), not because it is delayed or late and not because of absence of pre awareness public relations. It is because retail is becoming increasingly choosy and actively reducing the variety that is offered to consumers – if it is not first-party, a sequel or supported by a multi-million pound advertising spend, they are just not interested.
The irony is, of course, these stores will happily accept ‘Muramasa’ as part of a trade-in deal and the game will retail for half the price of its first launch with weeks.
Shocking, I know.
