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Author Topic: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?

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insertnamehere

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Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« on: March 25, 2011, 07:52:07 AM »
I saw an article a little while ago, and I've wanted to ask this ever since.
A comment on that article was something to the effect of "I guess they know now that games need to be good for them to survive as a company" and it made me slightly angry.
Ironically, right now that page has an ad for Two Worlds 2.
I've heard a lot of stuff about Ubisoft releasing mostly shovelware, and THQ seems to do that a lot too.
A lot of people would probably consider Idea Factory as one of those companies, particularly since they've released a lot of games for such a low budget company, almost 500 since 1994 (for comparison, NIS has almost 200 since 1991) according to gamespot.
Idunno if they count or not since their sales expectations are abysmally low, because they make mostly visual novels.
So do games need to be good for them to sell well?
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msg

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2011, 02:26:12 PM »
Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
Not all the time no, can you ever imagine a mario game, a pokemon game or a final fantasy not selling well? Even if they are piss poor the fanbase is large enough to outsell the competition still.
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Andrew

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2011, 08:45:43 PM »
As someone who has worked in a gaming retail store... no, they certainly do not need to be good to sell well.
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Kevadu

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2011, 09:36:56 PM »
Idea Factory is a peculiar example.  I don't think their games sell 'well' by any measure.  However they also develop them quickly on a shoestring budget, and like you said they release a lot of them.  They found their niche and know how to work it.

Certainly game quality (though that is already a pretty subjective thing) is not the only determining factor in how well a game sells.  It would be absurd to think otherwise.  However I actually do think that quality is more strongly correlated with sales in the game industry than in a lot of other industries.  Perhaps because the higher initial cost of games (though I think they're actually a great deal in terms of cost/hour of entertainment) makes people more likely to do a little research, read reviews, etc.
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Kstar

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2011, 10:14:27 PM »
I think the most important thing comes down to the fanbase, if a series or company can build up a strong following, those people will eat up their games - regardless of quality.  I'll even admit myself, I like a lot of games that don't do anything groundbreaking or that people may deem not so great.  A game can have flaws and still be loved. 
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MindCandy

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2011, 11:36:50 PM »
No.
All they need is good marketing.
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Agent D.

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2011, 12:25:28 PM »
No, all they need are a popular name (Final Fantasy), a popular motiff (Modernized war, day-to-day thug life, sports), or a popular singer/band backing it (Guitar Hero Green Day). People are lame when it comes to purchasing games.
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kyuusei

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2011, 01:14:24 PM »
Quote from: MindCandy on March 26, 2011, 11:36:50 PM
No.
All they need is good marketing.

This. Good marketing can do wonders even for the shittiest of games.
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Tomara

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2011, 03:20:30 PM »
Quote from: D. tnegA on March 27, 2011, 12:25:28 PM
No, all they need are a popular name (Final Fantasy), a popular motiff (Modernized war, day-to-day thug life, sports), or a popular singer/band backing it (Guitar Hero Green Day). People are lame when it comes to purchasing games.

Nope, marketing is the right answer. As a publisher you need to make sure people buy your generic WWII-shooter or generic Tolkien-style RPG and not somebody elses. Shoving your title in people's faces can do that for you.
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Yoda

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2011, 05:31:37 PM »
They don't need to be "good" for me to play them.

I plan on playing Earth Defense Force and Deadly Premonition.
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Kstar

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2011, 05:41:28 PM »
Quote from: Yoda on March 28, 2011, 05:31:37 PM
They don't need to be "good" for me to play them.

I plan on playing Earth Defense Force and Deadly Premonition.

Thanks for reminding me I still have Deadly Premonition to play.  It's been sitting in my pile for a while, I've heard good things bout it, as long as you take it for what it is. 

I totally agree with marketing, and also fanservice is alive and kicking more than ever.
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Yoda

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Re: Do games need to be good for them to sell well?
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2011, 05:44:29 PM »
Quote from: Kstar on March 28, 2011, 05:41:28 PM
Quote from: Yoda on March 28, 2011, 05:31:37 PM
They don't need to be "good" for me to play them.

I plan on playing Earth Defense Force and Deadly Premonition.

Thanks for reminding me I still have Deadly Premonition to play.  It's been sitting in my pile for a while, I've heard good things bout it, as long as you take it for what it is. 

I totally agree with marketing, and also fanservice is alive and kicking more than ever.

As soon as I heard that when you're driving the character talks to himself about movies and pop culture I was all in.
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