Do Zero Punctuation Reviews Affect Game Sales?

[Hunde Des Krieg]

I bought Painkiller on Yahtzee's recommendation, didn't like it much. Bought Bioshock despite his complaints about it, loved it a bunch. So no, his reviews aren't taken into much consideration when I purchase because I like what I like, and that isn't always the same as what he likes, so I still base my decisions more on like-minded friends's opinions more than a humorous but personally-unknown-to-me net celeb.

yes, but yahtzee liked bioshock, he just pointed out the bad parts cuz that's what's funny. Watch the early part of the review.

 

[OverlordSteve]

But has he affected Psychonauts sales at all?

I bought it.

And speaking of media increasing sales, did you know that any brand featured in a new Gossip Girl episode gets a sales spike after the episode airs?

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

So... Yahtzee can help smaller titles, this is nothing but good.

It's the most useful thing he ever does with that big ass soap box of his. I appreciate that it's the Christmas Season and that reviews of recently released games are what people are interested in hearing but...it seems like he accomplishes more when he doesn't review recently released titles.

Part of what made that Halo 3 review so epic was that it was shredding into the hype just as much as the actual game. I dunno, like Khell Sennet said, he doesn't convince you differently when he says a game sucks, he convinces you when he says a game is good.

 

[Nazulu]

I compare Yahtzee's reviews compared to some others like on Brawl and Assassins Creed and even though they go for 15 minutes, they hardly talk about anything! They mostly talk about the graphics or in game things and thats it, I wish Yahtzee's reviews would effect those mainstream games.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

There was his quote on Steam as well...

And what's this idea about Yahtzee giving positive reviews???

 

[anNIALLator]

I would doubt that a negative ZP review could affect game sales. For one thing, the majority of people who bought SSBB have never heard of Yahtzee. And the people who do I think take his reviews with a pinch of salt because he's obviously more concerned about giving people what they want i.e a funny review, and said so himself that no one likes it if he's nice to a game. He's also rather over cynical and I often didsgree with what he says. If he reviews Gears 2 this week I expect him to give off about space hero no. 100 billion, slag off the romance sub plot, slag off bleszinski and say that its too brown or generic but that's not going to affect my enjoyment of the game or convince people not to buy it.

 

[ima420r]

I usually buy a game whenever Yahtzee says its good, because if he says a game is crap its probably not bad, but when he says a game is good its going to be freaking amazing!

While I don't buy a game just because Yahtzee says it's good, I still agree with your statement. If he says a game is crap, it may be okay, might be fun, I dunno, might even be crap. BUT if he says a game is good, well, it is gonna be a kick ass game!

 

[Dectilon]

For one thing, the majority of people who bought SSBB have never heard of Yahtzee.

And the people who did flamed him for being WROOONG AND A ******! ^^

 

[Ago Iterum]

I wouldn't think so to be honest. He would have a bit of an effect on the audience that watch his videos, like he raves on about Portal, so I played it and loved it. But because he slates nearly every other game, you have to take some of it with a pinch of salt and buy the game if you think you'll enjoy it anyway.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Well, the only reason I bought Painkiller is because Yahtzee loved it, but I still loved Mass Effect.

 

[zoozilla]

Jesus! Since when did Yahtzee all of a sudden become the gaming equivalent of Oprah?

 

[the protaginist]

If he reviews Gears 2 this week I expect him to give off about space hero no. 100 billion, slag off the romance sub plot, slag off bleszinski and say that its too brown or generic but that's not going to affect my enjoyment of the game or convince people not to buy it.

I don't know about that.i'm on the edge of buying GOW 2,and a positive(or not scathingly bad) review might push me.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

it can't really hurt, the big games will always sell but someone pushing a less known game can really help it

glad to see this little corner of the net is doing something good for the industry

 

[BrettRegister]

let me say it in his words:
"short answer:no
long answer: noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

oooooooooooooooooooooo.

I agree

 

[Arcyde]

i dont think it hurts popular games but its more than likey helping unpopular games by getting there names out there

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Possible. Imagine what he could do alongside Penny Arcade.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Painkiller was the only one that shot through the roof. Why?

It was incredibly cheap on amazon, Steam, etc. and people were willing to pay for it after playing the demo and seeing the price tag and then having it delivered to them instantly.

Psychonauts or other games didn't have any sales spikes or anything, and the ones that were lambasted didn't drop. It was only painkiller.

 

[stompy]

Jesus! Since when did Yahtzee all of a sudden become the gaming equivalent of Oprah?

About the time Steam started using a quote of his Painkiller review to advertise said game...

 

[Killerbunny001]

This is good news, if true, for the small time publisher who can`t afford big money marketing but this is also how Gamespot started their ***** career...
I can only express hope that Yahtzee will not get corrupted into "selling" his reviews at the highest bidder.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I usually buy a game whenever Yahtzee says its good, because if he says a game is crap its probably not bad, but when he says a game is good its going to be freaking amazing!

While I don't buy a game just because Yahtzee says it's good, I still agree with your statement. If he says a game is crap, it may be okay, might be fun, I dunno, might even be crap. BUT if he says a game is good, well, it is gonna be a kick ass game!

SIGH.

Sands of Time was crap!

Yahtzee's just another guy, and I can honestly say he's never convinced me to buy a game based solely on his opinion. He's convinced me some games might be good, but I buy whatever I want. Besides, my tastes are probably a bit different from his... I doubt he'd like God Hand half as much as I do.

I trust his advice more than the Gamespot and IGN guys, but less than the folk(s) at World of Stuart and Gamespy.