Yeah, that is...severely unimpressive. I may have to double check the figures, but I think this may be the worst selling Dead Space game...wow. EA really doesn't know what they're doing.Zhukov said:
Update: Rumor: Poor Sales May Have Killed Dead Space
- Thread starter Karloff
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Dam those poor sales, if only there were something that could be done about it... like put it on some kind of digital store or something... something popular... somewhere the other two Dead Space games might also be available... something with good marketing and regular sales insensitive people buying it... Too bad only the only thing like that is Origins...
Well there problem is EA don't realise that changing a games formular/type midway through a serise is gonig to turn reviewers on them and we now live in an era where people look more and more to media to tell them what is good. This results in less sales and ergo kills games.
It was obviously corperate greed 101 and i'm sorry for the people who lost there jobs because of all of EAs stupidity. Yea make money if you like just do it with a new IP if you think something isn't making enough cash(although Syndicate is not a good example with this gow with original IP).
It was obviously corperate greed 101 and i'm sorry for the people who lost there jobs because of all of EAs stupidity. Yea make money if you like just do it with a new IP if you think something isn't making enough cash(although Syndicate is not a good example with this gow with original IP).
Of course they fekkin' don't. Our only hope now is that EA pulls the plug, and Visceral strikes out on its own again. It's a long eff'in' hope, but it's a hope.erttheking said:
Well, look on the bright side. EA's stocks are pretty crap right now, and this game not even making 20% of what they were hoping for might cause it to take another hit. With any luck, EA will either shape up, or crash and burn.SnakeoilSage said:
Have you even looked at their stocks? They're fine. Are you sure you're looking up EA?erttheking said:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=EA
No, that's not true! That's impossible! Everybody loves micro transactions and they're gonna be in EVERYTHING!
And Shepard would probably approve a tweet, you know (s)he does those things for discounts. Or even better, tweet about things you bought in-game, how awesome would that be.
As I said, everybody LOVES microtransactions, just the inclusion of it earns profit, EA said so, and I'm sure EA wouldn't lie about something like that.CriticalMiss said:
And Shepard would probably approve a tweet, you know (s)he does those things for discounts. Or even better, tweet about things you bought in-game, how awesome would that be.
1) I am kinda curious how many copies DS3 actually moved so far. It would be a nice baseline for comparison. As it stands this is just a story about how there was insanely high expectations and people saying "told you so."... and of course the developer paying the price because god forbid the publisher took the hit instead.
2) I am a little annoyed that people keep assuming that DS3 is bad... or that it is in some way made to be CoD in space. Just to make it clear: DS3 is a hugely enjoyable game. The mix of alternative enemies and wacky weapons that the IP has sported since Dead Space continue to work brilliantly. We do however have to face facts. You cannot make a horror game (or horror anything) with a continuing story without it loosing the horror along the way. One of the key parts of horror is mystery and as a story evolves you get more and more information and with more information the mystery is cleared up. It is also important to note that information can be something like explaining what is happening, but it can also just be finding out stuff about the enemy (like that you need to shoot their limbs off and not their heads). Now in survival horror it is possible to just not give any information but in survival horror you also need a definite end: the protagonist either survives or they don't. Essentially the story has an end. This was why Dead Space worked so well (and Alien). There was a definite end and the protagonist survived. There were still unanswered questions but that particular story was over. Now any continuation of that kind of story would automatically be less horror and more thriller/action, and if you continue the franchise you will go further down that road. And this is were we find DS3. Now they make it work. As the horror has gone out of the story, (there are still some jump scares and some spooky moments if you let yourself become engrossed) we also see a protagonist go from every-man to hardened survivor (in DS3 Issac Clarke IS a survivor). And it works. I just find it surprising they were even in a pre-production with DS4. They should just let the franchise stand on its own now and move on.
Hmm another thing about horror I would like to mention is that another way to keep the horror alive is to just tell the same story again and again. This is how may classic horror movies do it and even more recent ones (Saw). The problem with this should of course be apparent. It is the same story... nothing new... no movement or development. In movies you can get away with this I suppose (I don't agree but apparently it works) but in games the player needs to feel accomplished. They need to feel they did something or fixed something and that it stays fixed.
A continuation on this point is also the idea of ramping up the mystery. The problem here is that often this ends up making the story so nuts that it completely destroys the idea of suspension of disbelief. "The maguffin does so and so.But really it was made that way by these guys. But in reality those guys were mindcontrolled. But the one mindcontrolling is a time traveler. The time traveler turns out to be the protagonist. But he is just trying to stop an even greater evil. but he becomes the greater evil. but....." and it keeps going. DS3 has some of this.
But ultimately DS3 is a good game that I think deserves more people playing it... is my point.... I suppose... wow right of the rails there...
2) I am a little annoyed that people keep assuming that DS3 is bad... or that it is in some way made to be CoD in space. Just to make it clear: DS3 is a hugely enjoyable game. The mix of alternative enemies and wacky weapons that the IP has sported since Dead Space continue to work brilliantly. We do however have to face facts. You cannot make a horror game (or horror anything) with a continuing story without it loosing the horror along the way. One of the key parts of horror is mystery and as a story evolves you get more and more information and with more information the mystery is cleared up. It is also important to note that information can be something like explaining what is happening, but it can also just be finding out stuff about the enemy (like that you need to shoot their limbs off and not their heads). Now in survival horror it is possible to just not give any information but in survival horror you also need a definite end: the protagonist either survives or they don't. Essentially the story has an end. This was why Dead Space worked so well (and Alien). There was a definite end and the protagonist survived. There were still unanswered questions but that particular story was over. Now any continuation of that kind of story would automatically be less horror and more thriller/action, and if you continue the franchise you will go further down that road. And this is were we find DS3. Now they make it work. As the horror has gone out of the story, (there are still some jump scares and some spooky moments if you let yourself become engrossed) we also see a protagonist go from every-man to hardened survivor (in DS3 Issac Clarke IS a survivor). And it works. I just find it surprising they were even in a pre-production with DS4. They should just let the franchise stand on its own now and move on.
Hmm another thing about horror I would like to mention is that another way to keep the horror alive is to just tell the same story again and again. This is how may classic horror movies do it and even more recent ones (Saw). The problem with this should of course be apparent. It is the same story... nothing new... no movement or development. In movies you can get away with this I suppose (I don't agree but apparently it works) but in games the player needs to feel accomplished. They need to feel they did something or fixed something and that it stays fixed.
A continuation on this point is also the idea of ramping up the mystery. The problem here is that often this ends up making the story so nuts that it completely destroys the idea of suspension of disbelief. "The maguffin does so and so.But really it was made that way by these guys. But in reality those guys were mindcontrolled. But the one mindcontrolling is a time traveler. The time traveler turns out to be the protagonist. But he is just trying to stop an even greater evil. but he becomes the greater evil. but....." and it keeps going. DS3 has some of this.
But ultimately DS3 is a good game that I think deserves more people playing it... is my point.... I suppose... wow right of the rails there...
Compared what they used to be, their stocks aren't that hot. Not to mention the failure of Dead Space 3 will probably cause a dip before too longAbsolutionis said:
I think what they do...is find a niche game....and then streamline the sequel it into a Gears of War type game. They hope that the majority of the existing fans will pick it up (even if they are annoyed) because they are heavily invested and they can also market it to other gamers. It worked with ME3 sales.LordMonty said:
The problem is they need to adjust the game for multiplayer and mainstream combat. That takes a lot of money. So when it doesn't work they get screwed.
With mass effect everyone wanted to continue the game...with dead space one thinks to himself, 'so Isaac has somehow found himself in a similar situation..again..what contrivance has led him here'.
I bet you it sold 4.9 million. Typical EA logic. DS1 and 2 only did like 2mil. Even appealing to the COD crowd and having micro-transactions wouldn't have saved it.
I'm a bit pissed at EA (SimCity, ME3 and now this), they exploit their consumers way too much. "But it's a business!". Yeah, so are CD Projekt, Valve and SE. You don't see them pulling shit like this (apart from SE with All The Bravest).
And yes, I've played DS3. It's awful. Writing, enemy design, voice acting. the works. The sound design was pretty nice though.
I'm a bit pissed at EA (SimCity, ME3 and now this), they exploit their consumers way too much. "But it's a business!". Yeah, so are CD Projekt, Valve and SE. You don't see them pulling shit like this (apart from SE with All The Bravest).
And yes, I've played DS3. It's awful. Writing, enemy design, voice acting. the works. The sound design was pretty nice though.
It's EA screwing stuff up as usual. Microtransactions scream "don't buy", especially if the game had a retail price to begin with. EA just doesn't get its clientel and they will continue to try this crap instead of just managing their budgets properly until they go under. It's this kind of dumb spending that results in them posting losses in the hundreds of millions in a quarter.
With regards to Dead Space in particular, I consider the series largely over as of DS 2. I'm not sure what DS 3 is, maybe a tightly connected spinoff? But you can't basically change the entire genre of a game and call it the same thing. It isn't. They made too many bad calls here and basically took advantage of their existing fan base to try to run to the bank with a larger group.
The thing is, horror is niche. It is, and those of us that love it are willing to pay for it. But when you make a title that those following it know is no longer horror we wait to learn more before buying it and those that haven't been following it because they don't do horror never even try to learn it. They alienated both sides by not understanding the customers at play. Dumb dumb dumb, EA. The people who should be on the chopping block should be the market research team that thought this would be a good idea and any manager that signed off on bastardizing the IP.
With regards to Dead Space in particular, I consider the series largely over as of DS 2. I'm not sure what DS 3 is, maybe a tightly connected spinoff? But you can't basically change the entire genre of a game and call it the same thing. It isn't. They made too many bad calls here and basically took advantage of their existing fan base to try to run to the bank with a larger group.
The thing is, horror is niche. It is, and those of us that love it are willing to pay for it. But when you make a title that those following it know is no longer horror we wait to learn more before buying it and those that haven't been following it because they don't do horror never even try to learn it. They alienated both sides by not understanding the customers at play. Dumb dumb dumb, EA. The people who should be on the chopping block should be the market research team that thought this would be a good idea and any manager that signed off on bastardizing the IP.
And that ladies and gentlemen is why it is called: 'Jack of all trades, master of none'.
It's a shame to see Visceral go down under, seemed like a decent studio. Still if you are asked to add co-op to your horror game and expand the market... myeah, horror games don't work that way guys.
Ah well, now they've got Crytek and Bioware left, and Bioware's already hurting quite a bit... I am wondering who EA will buy to replace Visceral though.
It's a shame to see Visceral go down under, seemed like a decent studio. Still if you are asked to add co-op to your horror game and expand the market... myeah, horror games don't work that way guys.
Ah well, now they've got Crytek and Bioware left, and Bioware's already hurting quite a bit... I am wondering who EA will buy to replace Visceral though.
Serious question, does anyone have sales numbers for Dead Space 3 and Crysis 3?
Both are coming up on Origin with 30% discounts all of a sudden, are they bombing as badly as that kind of discount (on Origin no less) would lead me to believe?
RE: Dead Space 3. If this is the case, good. EA have got to learn that turning all games into the same bland mold built 'accessible' game play is not a good way to entice customers, saddling them up with micro transactions even less so. If it causes the end of a bunch of franchises and subsidiary developers then so be it, I'm happy with that if it means a gradual turning back from co-op-credit-card-to-win based games.
Both are coming up on Origin with 30% discounts all of a sudden, are they bombing as badly as that kind of discount (on Origin no less) would lead me to believe?
RE: Dead Space 3. If this is the case, good. EA have got to learn that turning all games into the same bland mold built 'accessible' game play is not a good way to entice customers, saddling them up with micro transactions even less so. If it causes the end of a bunch of franchises and subsidiary developers then so be it, I'm happy with that if it means a gradual turning back from co-op-credit-card-to-win based games.
It's because EA wants Call of Duty so badly that they're trying to turn every franchise they have into it. If EA bought Mojang their first order of business would be to release a sequel to Minecraft with no crafting but with matchmaking for multiplayer.MrBaskerville said:
I'm hoping this means that the IP will be sold to someone that can handle it properly.fix-the-spade said:
I'd personally like to see EA fall hard and let their IPs land elsewhere. I'm shocked that they didn't utterly ruin their Mass Effect series (ending not considered) by their attempts to monetize it in silly ways. I guess that's the next plan for them though.
I never really cared for Dead Space but it's always hard to hear people are losing their jobs due to ridiculous decisions on the publishers part.
Hopefully with this happening so soon after Warfighter failing EA will finally take on board that not every game needs to be a chart topper for weeks on end.
Hopefully with this happening so soon after Warfighter failing EA will finally take on board that not every game needs to be a chart topper for weeks on end.
EA murders another dev? And people are surprised?!
So long Visceral, go now to Avalon, where you will join devs of legend past. Be comforted by Westwood, Bullfrog, Tiburon and others that rest eternally. Prepare a spot close by for BioWare, for the process of rape and pillaging are currently underway in their organization.
Everytime you buy a game published by EA, a puppy being thrown off a cliff murders a kitten under a double rainbow. It's that simple.
So long Visceral, go now to Avalon, where you will join devs of legend past. Be comforted by Westwood, Bullfrog, Tiburon and others that rest eternally. Prepare a spot close by for BioWare, for the process of rape and pillaging are currently underway in their organization.
Everytime you buy a game published by EA, a puppy being thrown off a cliff murders a kitten under a double rainbow. It's that simple.