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[adamsapple]

Lmao spot on can’t believe some people here, just celebrate a successful big budget single player game release for once. I’ll put in a quote from NPD Mat who clearly got tired of certain people

If you followed the review thread, this isn't surprising. There is an intense need for the game to not succeed. It's extending to the Circana thread now.

 

[VideoGameEnjoyer]

If you followed the review thread, this isn't surprising. There is an intense need for the game to not succeed. It's extending to the Circana thread now.

You aren't wrong.

But it's happening the inverse way too. People have gone insane trying to hate and to justify how great it is. Definitely the game that has the most people operating from either end of the extremes.

 

[DrFigs]

If you followed the review thread, this isn't surprising. There is an intense need for the game to not succeed. It's extending to the Circana thread now.

Nintendo fans are out of control for this. Starfield was never gonna come out on the switch anyways

 

[GHG]

If you followed the review thread, this isn't surprising. There is an intense need for the game to not succeed. It's extending to the Circana thread now.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I’m gonna stop reading at about 2 1/2 pages of the thread. So much salt and goalpost shifting, god forbid an Xbox game does well around here

Barely a month in and it already got a 10% discount on xbox.

Joke post? It’s a GamePass game. All GamePass games get 10% off.

Oh no, see above, I didn't ignore the real points he made

 

[adamsapple]

I am not a frequent enough Steam user to know if refunding a game deletes the user review you have left, but it got real weird in September

 

[Ozriel]

Starfield is not #1 though. Baldur's Gate 3 is likely at the top, but it's not appearing on charts.

Even then, it is #1 for just September (after launching on September 1st and having the entire 30-day period) in only one market (US). Overall, it could not even crack the top 5 list and is pretty much set to be out of top 10 by EOY.

More importantly, it couldn't sell more consoles or increase subscription.

Man, three paragraphs, three separate strands of misinformation. Thats a new record.

- It’s #1 in September. And would most Certainly be #1 even with BG3 included, since BG3’s first month sales were in August.
- All the games in the top 5 list are mega sellers . Going “it couldn’t outsell Zelda or Hogwarts so it flopped” is hilarious

- Xbox had double digit hardware decline in August 2023. Rebounded to single digit growth in September 2023, a double digit growth. And we know GP received a bump in September. Both from Mat and from the sharp rise in GP cards on Amazon in September.

 

[NonPhixion]

BG3 was only 20th in “engagement” and 2nd in downloads in the EU and NA on PSN.

“Wow 20th in engagement!? It most not of sold well” - some retard.

 

[Ozriel]

you're comparing 2 different metrics. player engagement vs sales. i have no reason to think these are the same things under whatever definition Matt is using given that we know Baldur's gate 3 was the #2 most downloaded game.

i should've read closer he clearly says "monthly % of panel playing"

Worth pointing out that with only a digital release of BG3 on PS5, its numbers on the ‘downloaded games’ chart will be somewhat inflated above the norm.

I’m not trying to downplay a great game, just adding an important fact to the discussion you’re having with adamsapple

 

[Shakka43]

Man, three paragraphs, three separate strands of misinformation. Thats a new record.

- It’s #1 in September. And would most Certainly be #1 even with BG3 included, since BG3’s first month sales were in August.
- All the games in the top 5 list are mega sellers . Going “it couldn’t outsell Zelda or Hogwarts so it flopped” is hilarious

- Xbox had double digit hardware decline in August 2023. Rebounded to single digit growth in September 2023, a double digit growth. And we know GP received a bump in September. Both from Mat and from the sharp rise in GP cards on Amazon in September.

???

 

[HeWhoWalks]

god forbid an Xbox game does well around here

Before the game released, there were folks making all sorts of proclamations about how well it would do, how it would beat PlayStation for the month, and put Xbox "back on the map". Microsoft themselves joined in on the hype in a notable way.

Now that it hasn't done ⅔ of that, people are supposed to just forget? Had Spider-Man reviewed worse than expected, then went on to sell worse than expected, do you really think that the folks asking for mercy in here would be singing that same tune? I'm all for giving Starfield a high-five if it really has been a success (particularly on Xbox, because I had no doubt the Steam version would see some form of notable success), but I'm also not going to just pretend there was no narrative prior to the launch because a certain bunch catch feelings.

Had Starfield seen a moderate amount of hype, and wasn't pushed as some genre altering experience, the outcome would have been very different.

 

[graywolf323]

I am not a frequent enough Steam user to know if refunding a game deletes the user review you have left, but it got real weird in September

looks like a twitter troll to me, it shows 25.8 hours played and Steam doesn’t allow refunds if you have more than 2 hours?

also why not link the tweet instead of screen shotting it?

 

[GHG]

I am not a frequent enough Steam user to know if refunding a game deletes the user review you have left, but it got real weird in September

It's already 69 and I haven't even bought the game to leave a front page worthy negative review yet. Blimey.

 

[SportsFan581]

If you followed the review thread, this isn't surprising. There is an intense need for the game to not succeed. It's extending to the Circana thread now.

You've got to admit that it's great for us to laugh at though.

We enjoy the game and then we sit back and enjoy the fanboys as well.

 

[Raonak]

Starfield doing ... ok.

Poor xbox. It's got it's first BIG xbox game since... Halo?
Yet, it can't even carry it's platform to #1.

Better luck next time.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

You've got to admit that it's great for us to laugh at though.

We enjoy the game and then we sit back and enjoy the fanboys as well.

People who are truly enjoying the game wouldn't give two shits what fanboys think.

 

[Clear]

Doesn't seem like a colossal success either. Couldn't even help Xbox to outdo the PS5 for the month.

Exactly. And unless something radically changes, this is about as good as its going to get.

Because Starfield, like it it not, has got nothing like the buzz that Skyrim had. And a modest success is not what MS would have had in mind.

 

[Die Namek Ability]

I am not a frequent enough Steam user to know if refunding a game deletes the user review you have left, but it got real weird in September

So are sales falsely inflated by so many ravenous fanboys that bought it just to give it a low score or are sales great and that only counts for such a miniscule amout that it wouldnt effect the overall rating of the game in steam?


Pick one cant have both my friend.

 

[SportsFan581]

People who are truly enjoying the game wouldn't give two shits what fanboys think..

The clownsmanship around the game on gaf is too good to pass up. Starfield players can enjoy both.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

The clownsmanship around the game on gaf is too good to pass up. Starfield players can enjoy both.

Like I said, if I'm not bothered by what someone thinks, I give them 0 energy. If I have to acknowledge them, they're winning. This is Kindergarten 101.

I enjoy games that a lot of folks hated and didn't review well (Fracture, Dark Void, etc). Didn't give a damn what people thought and played/loved them anyway! Starfield should be getting the same reception if it's what you like.

 

[SportsFan581]

Like I said, if I'm not bothered by what someone thinks, I give them 0 energy. If I have to acknowledge them, they're winning. This is Kindergarten 101.

You appear to be taking the position that acknowledging the existence of and/or observing something/someone is equal to placing value in this person or thing along with caring about it/them or the viewpoints involved. LOL

I think this bit of your philosophy needs some work.

 

[Three]

looks like a twitter troll to me, it shows 25.8 hours played and Steam doesn’t allow refunds if you have more than 2 hours?

also why not link the tweet instead of screen shotting it?

Exactly, the guy is clearly being satirical taking the piss out of those who believe it's a conspiracy. He has the name "The Alpha Pony" and a 25hr play time meaning he couldn't have claimed a refund.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

You appear to be taking the position that acknowledging the existence of and/or observing something/someone is equal to placing value in this person or thing along with caring about it/them or the viewpoints involved. LOL

I think this bit of your philosophy needs some work.

It's not my philosophy, it's common sense.

 

[DForce]

I’m gonna stop reading at about 2 1/2 pages of the thread. So much salt and goalpost shifting, god forbid an Xbox game does well around here

Joke post? It’s a GamePass game. All GamePass games get 10% off.

I find it funny that people hyped this to be the game of the generation and a major seller only to move the goalpost after a month after the game's release.

I predict a sharp decline next month and if this turns out to be true, then I don't want to hear "Well, it's on Game Pass."

 

[Luminoth-4545]

Japan is carrying Switch just like last month, lifetime sales of the Switch are 42.2 million in the U.S versus 30.7 million in Japan so this doesn't usually happen.

August
NPD - 200k est.
Famitsu - 335k

September
NPD - 200k est.
Famitsu - 364k

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I find it funny that people hyped this to be the game of the generation and a major seller only to move the goalpost after a month after the game's release.

I predict a sharp decline next month and if this turns out to be true, then I don't want to hear "Well, it's on Game Pass."

That’s weird, I remember people claiming it will be a game with long legs like every other Bethesda title. I also remember people claiming it wouldn’t make a good debut on this very chart because of GamePass.

I also predict a decline in sales next month because that’s typically how software sales work. And also because it’s on GamePass

Like I said, god forbid there is anything positive about Xbox.

 

[DForce]

That’s weird, I remember people claiming it will be a game with long legs like every other Bethesda title. I also remember people claiming it wouldn’t make a good debut on this very chart because of GamePass.

I also predict a decline in sales next month because that’s typically how software sales work. And also because it’s on GamePass

Like I said, god forbid there is anything positive about Xbox.

How we view NPD sales haven't changed.

In the past, we never go by 1st month sales to determine succes. I remember when a game has one good month and sales decline rapidly in the following weeks, we determine that it's performing below expectations.

This hasn't changed.

But there's Game Pass. Did it help increase some numbers? Yes, but as of right now, I wasn't a significant amount and likely slower than FH5 when it reached 10m players.

I have seen many people say, "You just can't be happy for Xbox success" when we saw data that might suggest differently.

Same was said about Halo Infinite and XS numbers. We know how that turned out.

If more data shows a decline next month then we know how that's going to turn out.

All still remains to be seen.

 

[SportsFan581]

It's not my philosophy, it's common sense.

If the position you are putting forward here is your idea of common sense, I mean, wow, but ok. You do you.

 

[Elios83]

That’s weird, I remember people claiming it will be a game with long legs like every other Bethesda title. I also remember people claiming it wouldn’t make a good debut on this very chart because of GamePass.

I also predict a decline in sales next month because that’s typically how software sales work. And also because it’s on GamePass

Like I said, god forbid there is anything positive about Xbox.

The problem is that the only positive here is a good debut month thanks to strong PC sales.

The rest is far from positive:
1. Negligible impact on Xbox hardware sales for what has been the biggest exclusive in years and what will likely stay the biggest exclusive for a considerable a time.
2. Charts on Steam and other markets are already suggesting the game is not having legs so the drop in future months might be brutal.
3. Microsoft is accepting to pay the price to make these big productions available day one on Gamepass hoping for some major growth turnaround in the number of subscribers.
They gave up a lot of retail sales and the uptick they got in GP subscriptions doesn't seem to have been anything special, only comment from NPD was there was "a bump" with no qualifier meaning it's nothing major. Still let's see if Microsoft can provide a higher than 25m figure in their next fiscal report after almost two years of stalled growth.

What is sure is that Microsoft is being successful in killing the Xbox console platform by refocusing on PC and GP.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Your interest in an 'unmitigated disaster and a complete flop' is fascinating

I’m just fascinated by the process.

Whether some thing is a success or failure doesn’t matter to me.

But you’re actively pretending like this game wasn’t pegged as a system seller. And in a month where Sony didn’t have a major exclusive and certainly hasn’t had a major first party game for the month I think it’s telling that this so called system seller with millions in development cost and advertising wasn’t able to in any meaningful way move the needle, but is still somehow deemed as a success.

There is clearly a bias that doesn’t allow you to call balls and strikes accurately.

What game did we expect to outsell starfield a game that was 8 years in development and had broad marketing from Microsoft for years? Mortal kombat is 1? One of three or four fighting games releasing this year?

 

[HeWhoWalks]

If the position you are putting forward here is your idea of common sense, I mean, wow, but ok. You do you.

Cool.

 

[SportsFan581]

The problem is that the only positive here is a good debut month thanks to strong PC sales.

The rest is far from positive:
1. Negligible impact on Xbox hardware sales for what has been the biggest exclusive in years and what will likely stay the biggest exclusive for a considerable a time.

Well, when you bend the "facts" to your will, it tends to work out that way. There was actually a statistically substantial uptick in Xbox sales (changing the current YoY trend from double digit negatives to a positive).

Also, the data on GP growth simply isn't available to these statistics companies because MS doesn't give them numbers, they are left looking at in-store topup card purchases and things like that (which could be new or existing subscribers) and maybe some retailers giving them all-access numbers, etc. I would never take the numbers they provide in this area seriously.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

GamePass doesn’t kill the console platform and they aren’t “focusing” on GamePass, these games are all available day one at retail and online

 

[Gavon West]

Clearly you didn't read what I wrote- I said ON XBOX people clearly aren't buying games (where they push game pass on their front page every fucking time you turn on the console), but you continue defending that lovely big corporation, my guy.

Not defending at all. Just trying to penetrate this massive bubble GaF likes to live in to paint a narrative.

And clearly people are buying the game to hit number 7 for the month of September, this is excluding Gamepass day one release. This is what I mean: you literally have to ignore the fact that gamepass even exists to even consider writing your post. The story changes when you have ALL the information, doesn't it?

 

[Gavon West]

GamePass doesn’t kill the console platform and they aren’t “focusing” on GamePass, these games are all available day one at retail and online

"They aren't focusing on gamepass??" Say, wha???

 

[HeWhoWalks]

I’m just fascinated by the process.

Whether some thing is a success or failure doesn’t matter to me.

But you’re actively pretending like this game wasn’t pegged as a system seller. And in a month where Sony didn’t have a major exclusive and certainly hasn’t had a major first party game for the month I think it’s telling that this so called system seller with millions in development cost and advertising wasn’t able to in any meaningful way move the needle, but is still somehow deemed as a success.

There is clearly a bias that doesn’t allow you to call balls and strikes accurately.

What game did we expect to outsell starfield a game that was 8 years in development and had broad marketing from Microsoft for years? Mortal kombat is 1? One of three or four fighting games releasing this year?

Just say "gOoD jOb" and keep it moving. That way, you can pretend the pre-release discourse didn't happen.

 

[Elios83]

Well, when you makeup the bullet points as you go, it tends to work out that way. There was actually a statistically substantial uptick in Xbox sales (changing the current YoY trend from double digit negatives to a positive).

The only fact you're suggesting that arresting a yoy decline for a single month with their biggest exclusive in years is a positive is pretty telling of the state of things.
The idea of them being able to outsell direct competitors even for a single month even with major software isn't even contemplated anymore for the brand.
You proved my point.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Why did SoT chart

 

[MacReady13]

Not defending at all. Just trying to penetrate this massive bubble GaF likes to live in to paint a narrative.

And clearly people are buying the game to hit number 7 for the month of September, this is excluding Gamepass day one release. This is what I mean: you literally have to ignore the fact that gamepass even exists to even consider writing your post. The story changes when you have ALL the information, doesn't it?

So what you're saying is, the most hyped game for Xbox for the last few years sold the 7th best in the month of September, and you think that is selling well? Again, I am talking about sales on the Xbox console, but either way, for such a hyped game 7th overall is shithouse. Maybe, just MAYBE, subscription services are eating into the sales of this game...

Look, people can do what they want. Consume games how you like. I just hate the prospect of a future where subscription services become the way to play games along with cloud services and traditional means of gaming is lost.

 

[Ozriel]

Why did SoT chart

Discounted September 21st - October 5th or so.

Sales spike as a result. Also Season 10 trailer showed up to drum up some hype.

 

[Ozriel]

So what you're saying is, the most hyped game for Xbox for the last few years sold the 7th best in the month of September, and you think that is selling well?

It sold #1 in September overall. 7th is YTD, all of 2023. You should probably read the OP well first before jumping in

 

[Aguero9320]

I haven’t read the whole thread because… it’s too ridiculous.

But the upshot is it’s the seventh biggest selling game of the year, after one month, and being on both PC and Xbox Gamepass - am I reading that right?

And the spin is ferociously negative? Don’t ever change

 

[MacReady13]

It sold #1 in September overall. 7th is YTD, all of 2023. You should probably read the OP well first before jumping in

I'm at work! Just skimming at the moment! Well spotted. My bad!!! Either way, what sales are there for Xbox consoles?

 

[adamsapple]

Why did SoT chart

Hotdamn I didn't even notice.

Starfield, Cod MW2, Sea of Thieves, Diablo 4, Minecraft.

There's 5 Xbox first party games in the top 20.

3 of them are in the top 20 despite being on game pass.

GG

looks like a twitter troll to me, it shows 25.8 hours played and Steam doesn’t allow refunds if you have more than 2 hours?

also why not link the tweet instead of screen shotting it?

Sure, here you go.

Read that dudes other tweets if you really think he just made that one tweet about the game. But his recent feed is more political so I guess don't go too far for your own sanity lol.

Posting under tags cause I don't want to subject everyone else to it.

Spoiler

I’m just fascinated by the process.

Whether some thing is a success or failure doesn’t matter to me.

But you’re actively pretending like this game wasn’t pegged as a system seller. And in a month where Sony didn’t have a major exclusive and certainly hasn’t had a major first party game for the month I think it’s telling that this so called system seller with millions in development cost and advertising wasn’t able to in any meaningful way move the needle, but is still somehow deemed as a success.

There is clearly a bias that doesn’t allow you to call balls and strikes accurately.

What game did we expect to outsell starfield a game that was 8 years in development and had broad marketing from Microsoft for years? Mortal kombat is 1? One of three or four fighting games releasing this year?

No need to write so much, just say you were wrong for calling it an 'unmitigated disaster and a complete flop' and call it a day.

Thanks.

 

[FlyyGOD]

Starfield is not #1 though. Baldur's Gate 3 is likely at the top, but it's not appearing on charts.

Even then, it is #1 for just September (after launching on September 1st and having the entire 30-day period) in only one market (US). Overall, it could not even crack the top 5 list and is pretty much set to be out of top 10 by EOY.

More importantly, it couldn't sell more consoles or increase subscription.

Baldurs Gate is on the charts. It's just not in top 20.

 

[MrA]

yeah but its a 2d mario. it will sale and probably be the better game easily. But I doubt it will beat SM2 for those months.

could go either way, mario is ahead of spidey on amazon, 50k+ vs 30k+
Regardless friday is going to be mental

 

[Goalus]

The usual suspects putting their insecurity and bitterness on display - it's a lovely sight, and we can only hope that MS has lots of additional plans to keep them as bitter as possible for as long as possible.

 

[Gavon West]

Before the game released, there were folks making all sorts of proclamations about how well it would do, how it would beat PlayStation for the month, and put Xbox "back on the map". Microsoft themselves joined in on the hype in a notable way.

Now that it hasn't done ⅔ of that, people are supposed to just forget? Had Spider-Man reviewed worse than expected, then went on to sell worse than expected, do you really think that the folks asking for mercy in here would be singing that same tune? I'm all for giving Starfield a high-five if it really has been a success (particularly on Xbox, because I had no doubt the Steam version would see some form of notable success), but I'm also not going to just pretend there was no narrative prior to the launch because a certain bunch catch feelings.

Had Starfield seen a moderate amount of hype, and wasn't pushed as some genre altering experience, the outcome would have been very different.

Fans say all types of shit. All kinds of opinions. That's cool. Starfield has done A LOT for the brand so far. And it's the first #1 selling IP for Bethesda and GP got a bump in subscriptions It's putting in work.

 

[The Last One]

Lmao spot on can’t believe some people here, just celebrate a successful big budget single player game release for once. I’ll put in a quote from NPD Mat who clearly got tired of certain people

So boring.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

Fans say all types of shit. All kinds of opinions. That's cool. Starfield has done A LOT for the brand so far. And it's the first #1 selling IP for Bethesda and GP got a bump in subscriptions It's putting in work.

"Fans say all types of shit" - yes, that's true. They need to be prepared for the response too.

As for what it's done for Xbox, I can't say one way or the other. If it's done some major good for it, that's great!