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[James Sawyer Ford]

It was about making good games, while also understanding the importance of a platform like PC which they had previously neglected. Now they're reaping the rewards. The only flaw in their current strategy is missing Nintendo with every new release. If they can figure that out with the Switch 2 they'll be raking in record profits.

Obviously as a third party publisher, the wider the net the more potential sales.

But it's not without risk, marketing deals can still make sense for certain titles.

Cross-Gen will just continue being more of a thing with this type of strategy. People will complain relentlessly. I dont think its such a big deal given how scalable games are

 

[adamsapple]

Capcom's success isn't about platform strategies, it was about making good RE and Monster Hunter Games again.

Both Capcom and Sega have credited being a multi-platform developer/publisher as a direct cause of their recent success. Platform strategies play a very big part.

 

[Kacho]

Obviously as a third party publisher, the wider the new the more potential sales.

But it's not without risk, marketing deals can still make sense for certain titles.

Cross-Gen will just continue being more of a thing with this type of strategy. People will complain relentlessly. I dont think its such a big deal given how scalable games are

Marketing deals are still important for sure. Monster Hunter Rise for example was brilliant because there was no chance World was getting a Switch port. It was a AA Monster Hunter exclusive to Switch for a year and then got ported to everything else. Easy money for Capcom. Does that kind of deal work for Monster Hunter Wilds? Absolutely not.

 

[xanaum]

Considering that Steam monitoring is a good metric for the sales success of PC games, Dragon Age Veilguard went from 80k to 70k players in the first 8 days and was considered a flop by EA. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, in its first 8 days, peaked at 40k players and has been steadily declining, already dropping below 20k players.

Square seems to be even more demanding than EA when it comes to how much they want their games to sell. Couldn't this mean that FF7 Rebirth is a major flop on PC? Of course, I know that not all sales are on Steam, but it's still a huge part of the pie.

I can imagine the romanticization of personal desire in the narrative that this game sells well on PC, but I just can't imagine the context of it being anything other than nonsense.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

Piscatella can say whatever he wants but his words and opinions can't replace the numbers he doesn't disclose.
The peak 40k CCU on Steam was not good at all.

True Spiderman 2 showed em how it's done.

 

[kazuyamishima]

Monster Hunter Rise exclusivity was a huge success due to the large installbase in Japan, the game is at almost 4m. units sold for the Nintendo Switch version (in Japan

The PC version released 10 months afterwards.

But even if some people call Rise an AA MH game, it's still in a league higher than anything SE has now, as most Capcom games are.

The worst problem for SE is not the platform selection but rather their output.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Just like how Indiana Jones charted for that very specific 1 week, according to Matt? lol.

This is the reality here:

That's, on average 430,000 units on PC. These are not terrible numbers, but "fantastic" is absolutely stretching it.

 

[Topher]

I have no idea what "fantastic" means in PC sales

 

[Rising_Hei]

And it's easy to get it cheap from legit stores, it made me regret getting it for PS5 last year.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

And are you not aware it’s been a Sony PlayStation exclusive, meaning that James Sawyer Ford , @Snah, and @Private Hoffman have been riding it’s dick for months?

 

[saintjules]

Wow, seems like it’s getting to a point where Sony (PlayStation) might have to start releasing exclusives on Day 1.
James Sawyer Ford
@Snah
@Private Hoffman

 

[ArtHands]

I feel that the fanboys should stop embarrassing themselves, and throw around the CCU numbers when they have 0 idea how to read it. It is merely a measure of how many players were playing at the same time.

Instead, why not celebrate that this Playstation “exclusive” game is selling well (on PC)?

Even Daniel Ahmad is claiming the same thing.

 

[Kacho]

I feel that the fanboys should stop embarrassing themselves, and throw around the CCU numbers when they have 0 idea how to read it. It is merely a measure of how many players were playing at the same time.

Instead, why not celebrate that this Playstation “exclusive” game is selling well on (PC)?

Even Daniel Ahmad is claiming the same thing.

Doing well relative to what? I seriously doubt SE expects PC sales to carry the game to “meets expectations.” Ahmad’s second sentence is the most important bit. The game would have done a whole lot better day 1 on PC. If we’re lucky, part 3 will release day 1 so we can see how much.

 

[Gaiff]

Considering that Steam monitoring is a good metric for the sales success of PC games, Dragon Age Veilguard went from 80k to 70k players in the first 8 days and was considered a flop by EA. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, in its first 8 days, peaked at 40k players and has been steadily declining, already dropping below 20k players.

80K to 70K? Don't you mean 90K to 50K?

Square seems to be even more demanding than EA when it comes to how much they want their games to sell. Couldn't this mean that FF7 Rebirth is a major flop on PC? Of course, I know that not all sales are on Steam, but it's still a huge part of the pie.

I can imagine the romanticization of personal desire in the narrative that this game sells well on PC, but I just can't imagine the context of it being anything other than nonsense.

I'm sure SE accounted for the fact that this is a late port of 1 year and not a brand new release. I swear, guys like you look at CCUs, completely fail to contextualize them, and use them incorrectly to reach your conclusions. Maybe Rebirth didn't do well, but your Veilguard example sure as shit ain't gonna prove it. Veilguard initially did well, prompting Schreier to crown it a success...until its numbers fell off a cliff, which is uncharacteristic of a major AAA release that is critically well-received. You gotta stop using Veilguard because it's a completely different situation.

I also love that you ignore that Veilguard was released on two other platforms and it wasn't PC alone carrying it.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

And are you not aware it’s been a Sony PlayStation exclusive, meaning that James Sawyer Ford , @Snah, and @Private Hoffman have been riding it’s dick for months?

Sunset Riders getting a new version.

 

[ArtHands]

Doing well relative to what? I seriously doubt SE expects PC sales to carry the game to “meets expectations.” Ahmad’s second sentence is the most important bit. The game would have done a whole lot better day 1 on PC. If we’re lucky, part 3 will release day 1 so we can see how much.

Doing well as a late port with significantly lesser investment.

 

[Kacho]

Doing well as a late port with significantly lesser investment.

Well the sales estimates on SteamDB are way higher than Spider-Man 2 so I guess there’s some truth to what they’re saying. Would be nice to get something less vague.

Edit: yeah, those Spider-Man 2 sales estimates are freaking awful.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Marketing deals are still important for sure. Monster Hunter Rise for example was brilliant because there was no chance World was getting a Switch port. It was a AA Monster Hunter exclusive to Switch for a year and then got ported to everything else. Easy money for Capcom. Does that kind of deal work for Monster Hunter Wilds? Absolutely not.

For some massive production like FF7R, you're probably right, unless the moneyhat is enormous.

I still think that something on the scale of, say, Parasite Eve sequel or remake could make sense. Lower budget, risky in terms of potential success.

 

[AJUMP23]

A good game.

 

[ArtHands]

Well the sales estimates on SteamDB are way higher than Spider-Man 2 so I guess there’s some truth to what they’re saying. Would be nice to get something less vague.

Edit: yeah, those Spider-Man 2 sales estimates are freaking awful.

PC is just flooded with Playstation PC games this quarter. Freedom War, Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, The Last of Us Part II etc

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

PC is just flooded with Playstation PC games this quarter. Freedom War, Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, The Last of Us Part II etc

I don't get the release strategy for their stuff. Why release it around the same time as FF7R?

They should have dumped SM2 during a dead month, like GoT

I guess they figure that it'll have a long tail or something and people eventually come around to it. It's a big name, and it's really hard to know how much a game sells because people just tend to buy whenever if it's a late release.

 

[Darkness_Arises]

It depends on the power. If it means they have to make a severely downgraded version, they may not.

Also, why do people assume Nintendo is so important for Square? Their HD-2D games have done well, but not so well that it's insane. Iirc, Octopath topped out a 3 million, Octopath 2 did significantly less on the Switch, Live A Live flopped, and Triangle Strategy did mediocre.

Nintendo's in-house flagship JRPG XC series sells worse on the money-printing machine Switch than 'underperforming' FF does on PS5. Even cheap slop like Mario Party and Mario Tennis that would have cost pennies to make handily outsold XC2 and XC3 on Switch. I believe combined XC sales (XC1remaster+XC2+XC3) on the Switch are around 8 million. Hardly a number worth talking about in light of Square's insane expectations. I do not know how thirsty the Switch audience is for high production value JRPGs, but XC's middling sales show it is not that great. The only reason I bought a Switch is for XC and most people in my boat already have a better system for FF (PS5).

 

[Astray]

Just like how Indiana Jones charted for that very specific 1 week, according to Matt? lol.

Literally the 1st thing that came to my mind lol.

 

[Fabieter]

Considering that Steam monitoring is a good metric for the sales success of PC games, Dragon Age Veilguard went from 80k to 70k players in the first 8 days and was considered a flop by EA. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, in its first 8 days, peaked at 40k players and has been steadily declining, already dropping below 20k players.

Square seems to be even more demanding than EA when it comes to how much they want their games to sell. Couldn't this mean that FF7 Rebirth is a major flop on PC? Of course, I know that not all sales are on Steam, but it's still a huge part of the pie.

I can imagine the romanticization of personal desire in the narrative that this game sells well on PC, but I just can't imagine the context of it being anything other than nonsense.

If it sold really well than we have to hear at the next financials. It's the right time to tell investor's that they had big sales on pc and they will focus more on that going forward. If we hear nothing by the time that means its worthless what matters thinks about succuess.

 

[Thebonehead]

Here’s the thing, Hans. Every post you make is tinted with a Sony slant. Take this one, for example. The only reason you’re criticizing the anti-woke rhetoric is because everyone destroyed Naughty Dog’s new game for being woke, DEI trash.

Another example - remember when you asked me and Kacho if you should buy Baldur’s Gate 3? You’ve literally never played a CRPG in your entire life. The only reason you asked was because it was a PlayStation console exclusive for a while.

You’re ~40, my age. It disturbs me that my friend for 20+ years is still doing this console war shit when everyone else has moved on with their lives - married, kids, whatever. And then I see you on GAF still shilling 24/7 for Sony. I love you and P.S. Altuve wore a buzzer.

Please be seated. Court is in session.

For the prosecution kbear is presenting information that Jimmy two alts is a fanboy.

How does the defendant plead?

 

[ArtHands]

The last time I posted here was March 26, 2024, almost a year ago.

I’m just saying James Sawyer Ford was permabanned from GAF multiple times due to insane console wars rhetoric via the accounts @Private Hoffman and @Snah (Hans backwards, which was his user name on Opa-Ages).

That’s the last time I mention it, promise.

That’s certainly interesting.

 

[GymWolf]

I was wishing for a huge bomb, too bad.

 

[ArtHands]

I was wishing for a huge bomb, too bad.

You can always refer to this thread for that

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-has-sold-around-2-million-copies-ps5-player-data-suggests.1669458/

 

[Gonzito]

Console fanboys don't realize that in order to survive, they need us, the pc master race is critical for companies to survive and being able to make these high budget games

 

[pulicat]

Capcom's success isn't about platform strategies, it was about making good RE and Monster Hunter Games again.

Monster Hunter games were always rated so highly back then but still unable to reach the height of current generation sales because those games didn't release on multiple platforms( PC, XBOX, Playstation, and Nintendo).

Gen 3 (MH3, MHP3) = 10m
Gen 4 (MH4, MHX) = 9.2m
Gen 5 (MHW, MHR) = 38m

 

[Astray]

At least give it until the end of the month before you all gloat lol.

It's already out of the Top 20 sales (showing #28 for me) and it's not been even 2 weeks since launch, and that's with a very generous launch discount (which is even more generous if you peruse keysites) and strong promotion for a late port.

This entire FF7 remake project has been a complete debacle for Square, no wonder they want to get part 3 out of the way ASAP. Though it will be hilarious if it somehow ends up doing better than Indiana Jones did in the US charts (#14).

 

[Life Diff]

Eh? The average CCU count for the game is currently 25.9k. It's sitting at 20.5k right now during one of it's quietest periods of the day and has a 31k 24-hour peak.

That's not "dropping like a brick".

You go from a peak of 35k on Sunday to a low of 16k the next day - granted it regained slightly but that isn’t a good sign. Its latest 24 hour peak is 23k.

I’m not shitting on the game btw it’s 125 hours I loved every second of but SE need to get their head out their arse for sales and exclusivity naysaying after they signed the contracts.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

How's that possible? James Sawyer Ford told us millions of people were pirating it!

 

[FreeY$L]

Monster Hunter games were always rated so highly back then but still unable to reach the height of current generation sales because those games didn't release on multiple platforms( PC, XBOX, Playstation, and Nintendo).

Gen 3 (MH3, MHP3) = 10m
Gen 4 (MH4, MHX) = 9.2m
Gen 5 (MHW, MHR) = 38m

Monster hunter was slowly fading into 240p obscurity until Capcom realized making games for ancient tech will kill their franchise. MH World was such a monumental leap for capcom it now focuses on quality software on quality hardware. Even MH rise didnt sell as well as world because it looked two generations behind. World propelled them into the stratosphere of game development.

 

[Fabieter]

Monster Hunter games were always rated so highly back then but still unable to reach the height of current generation sales because those games didn't release on multiple platforms( PC, XBOX, Playstation, and Nintendo).

Gen 3 (MH3, MHP3) = 10m
Gen 4 (MH4, MHX) = 9.2m
Gen 5 (MHW, MHR) = 38m

Did you play those older games. They were great but definitely alot more niche than the newer ones, so ptform choices isn't the only factor that made it more successful.

 

[Skifi28]

Console fanboys don't realize that in order to survive, they need us, the pc master race is critical for companies to survive and being able to make these high budget games

PC users are indeed needed for developers. The master race on the other hand can drop off a cliff for all anyone cares.

 

[Darkness_Arises]

Did you play those older games. They were great but definitely alot more niche than the newer ones, so ptform choices isn't the only factor that made it more successful.

They are definitely an acquired taste and ugly as sin even by the standards of the time in which they released. I still hope Capcom releases Gen U on Steam with remastered Bow Gun controls.

 

[Fabieter]

They are definitely an acquired taste and ugly as sin even by the standards of the time in which they released. I still hope Capcom releases Gen U on Steam with remastered Bow Gun controls.

You had to look up damage in wikis. You can't compare those sales at all.

It would actually be the same if I said witcher 3 was only successful because of console players. I mean look at the sales of witcher 2. But it's such a dishonest way of comparing things.

 

[ProtoByte]

Monster hunter was slowly fading into 240p obscurity until Capcom realized making games for ancient tech will kill their franchise. MH World was such a monumental leap for capcom it now focuses on quality software on quality hardware. Even MH rise didnt sell as well as world because it looked two generations behind. World propelled them into the stratosphere of game development.

Yep. Can't be overstated how bad Monster Hunter was nerfed by being exclusively on underpowered (Nintendo) hardware for most of 2 gens. I remember playing MH3 Ultimate on the Wii U and thinking that a new MH on more powerful hardware would do well.

 

[Heisenberg007]

You can always refer to this thread for that

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-has-sold-around-2-million-copies-ps5-player-data-suggests.1669458/

So 450,000 copies are fantastic, but 2 million copies are bad? lmao

 

[pulicat]

Monster hunter was slowly fading into 240p obscurity until Capcom realized making games for ancient tech will kill their franchise. MH World was such a monumental leap for capcom it now focuses on quality software on quality hardware. Even MH rise didnt sell as well as world because it looked two generations behind. World propelled them into the stratosphere of game development.

Launch aligned
MHW - 17.8m
MHR - 16.7m

MH Rise is only trailing 1.1m behind MH World launch aligned.

 

[bender]

I feel that the fanboys should stop embarrassing themselves.

As Jesus said, "Let he who is without sin stop posting."

 

[adamsapple]

So 450,000 copies are fantastic, but 2 million copies are bad? lmao

2 million copies after 2 months of initial launch vs almost half a million for a year late port in around 10 days.

Sounds pretty solid

How's that possible? James Sawyer Ford told us millions of people were pirating it!

Let him log into his other accounts to back himself up

 

[Fabieter]

So 450,000 copies are fantastic, but 2 million copies are bad? lmao

We do have accurate numbers for the pc version?

 

[FreeY$L]

Launch aligned
MHW - 17.8m
MHR - 16.7m

MH Rise is only trailing 1.1m behind MH World launch aligned.

Not as impressive as there is only a two year period between the two. World in total exceeded 27million units, likely surpassed that by now. Rise is on everything, even a potato could run it. The gap in quality is astounding though.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

It's so amazing that they can't give sales figures yet. Where have I heard this song before, I wonder...

 

[pulicat]

Not as impressive as there is only a two year period between the two. World in total exceeded 27million units, likely surpassed that by now. Rise is on everything, even a potato could run it. The gap in quality is astounding though.

MH World base game only sold 21.3m currently. The figures you mentioned above after including Master Edition.

MHRise base game ltd only 4.6m behind MH World and second best selling game by Capcom at much lower development budgets.

There's no doubt that Rise is more profitable for them than World with far lower development budget and marketing costs together with Nintendo cheques for exclusivity period.

 

[Aguero9320]

I'll buy this again to support the release. I FOMOd into the PS5 version when they did the double pack, and haven't played it yet. I'd rather play it on PC than PS5 though, and the more people that buy it the faster timed "exclusives" will come to an end.

 

[ArtHands]

So 450,000 copies are fantastic, but 2 million copies are bad? lmao

the one on PS5 didn’t meet Square Enix’s expectation. Time to let it go

 

[AJUMP23]

The part of this game that sucks is the overworld missions can go on too long. Do all this to fight a super monster. Go help the troll kid 7 times.

As for the updated graphics and story I enjoyed it.