Enslaved Sales Fail to Hit Half Million Mark

[Logan Westbrook]

Enslaved Sales Fail to Hit Half Million Mark

The critically acclaimed title was unable to sell even half of what Namco Bandai had hoped it would.

Reports [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105090-Enslaved-Made-Namcos-Sales-Worse] that Enslaved: Journey to the West had sold around 800,000 copies would appear to have been nothing more than exaggerations, as the latest financial results [http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/en/ir/financial/pdf_bnh/en_20110203_2.pdf] for publisher Namco Bandai suggest that the game actually sold less than half a million copies.

According to the figures, Enslaved sold just 460,000 copies, a total far lower than previous reports suggested. Namco Bandai's original sales target for the game was originally one million copies, making this a rather disappointing result for the publisher. Not disappointing enough, however, for Namco Bandai to consider Enslaved a lost cause. Only last week, PR manager Lee Kirton said [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107354-Namco-Bandai-Proud-of-Enslaved-Considering-Franchise-Potential] that the publisher was proud of the reception that the game had received, and was considering the series' future.

There's a lot of potential in the Enslaved story for a sequel, most obviously dealing with the aftermath of the first game's ending. If Namco Bandai use the strong narrative base the first game built as a jumping off point, and iron out some of the rough spots in the gameplay, there's no reason why a sequel can't succeed.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-02-03-enslaved-sales-fail-to-break-500-000]


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[hansari]

Only 460,000 copies??

So the game lost a lot of money...and their still hoping to greenlight a sequel...I didn't realize Namco Bandai had so much excess cash just laying around...

 

[DetectiveSparky]

That's really too bad, it's a wonderful game. Yes nothing special in combat, the camera is spastic at best, but I love Enslaved, it was a fresh look at an apocalyptic world, while buildings were in ruin everything was still bright, it's like you felt a little hope that the world wasn't going to be just all grey and brown.

Also the acting was great mocap and voice wise

 

[Distorted Stu]

Hell il be buying this once i get the money and the price has dropped a little. Last i looke dit was £35 in tesco

 

[MiracleOfSound]

They should have given it a different name.

'Enslaved' has a harsh, violent tone to it, which is completely at odds with the magical and touching story to be found within.

They should have just called it 'Odyssey to The West', without the 'Enslaved'.

 

[Jumplion]

Well, I wouldn't say it was acclaimed, it certainly was praised for certain aspects.

Still, I have the game (yet to finish it though...) and I have enjoyed what I have played of it. It's visuals are very nice to look at, much better than the browns and grays we see a lot of the time, and the combat does feel satisfying and hefty. The platforming leaves something to be desired though, but hey, if Namco is willing to greenlight a sequel or a completely new game like this, I'd say go for it.

 

[Woodsey]

I hope they do make a sequel, but I also hope they learn what's interesting about the game; namely, the characters.

It presents itself as a character piece right up until the bend, at which point it leaves no conclusion to the characters and completely switches it's focus.

Pigsy, whilst funny, also got in the way, and stole way too much attention from the developing relationship between Trip and Monkey.

Once you get out of New York it's mostly ugly as sin too. All browns and greys in a junkyard.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Pigsy, whilst funny, also got in the way, and stole way too much attention from the developing relationship between Trip and Monkey.

Spoiler

I thought so too. Thankfully we know that he won't be an issue in the sequel

 

[KarmicToast]

I thought this game was great. It had wonderful acting and a cool (if not flawed at points) story. It's ripe for a sequel that irons out the rough mechanics of the first. I truly hope they do it.

 

[Armored Prayer]

While I have no interest in the game its kind of sad to see it flop.

As for the sequel, maybe give the first game a bit more time. Maybe lowering its price just to see if the game could make a bit more.

 

[For.I.Am.Mad]

Note to Namco: If you're going to sell games in the US, avoid anything that reminds people of slavery.

 

[Callate]

I would have been happy to buy a copy if they had put it out on one of the platforms I own...

 

[DustyDrB]

Oh, man. That's a shame. It's not a game for everyone, but surely deserves better than that.

 

[Space Jawa]

There's a lot of potential in the Enslaved story for a sequel, most obviously dealing with the aftermath of the first game's ending. If Namco Bandai use the strong narrative base the first game built as a jumping off point, and iron out some of the rough spots in the gameplay, there's no reason why a sequel can't succeed.

Sure there's a reason - if not enough people bought the first game, they'll need to find out why or else the sequel will have the exact same problem. I'm not sure that just building off a strong narrative base (when the game that came with the first narrative apparently isn't all that popular) and ironing out rough spots is going to cut it in that regard.

 

[Brainst0rm]

I was interested in the game, but hearing about control and camera issues really turned me off. Story is what makes me fall in love with a game, but the gameplay has to come first.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

ONLY 460,000?

Shit. Atlus and a few other publishers I know would kill, maim, and murder for that kinda "failure".

 

[geizr]

I've only ever played the demo of this game so far, but it was definitely fun and interesting(also, having a little familiarity with the old Chinese fable, I think, gives one a different view and appreciation of the game than would probably be true otherwise). I haven't purchased it simply because my money and time has been funneled elsewhere(damnable soul-syphoning MMOs). However, I do remember that the controls and camera in the demo, while rough, were nowhere near as bad as some in the media tried to make them out to be. It would not surprise me that the reason this game saw poor sales is because many gamers were being turn-off by such overblown reports.

 

[RoyalWelsh]

That's a shame, it was a pretty good game aswell.