UK charts: DmC launch sales are just a third of Devil May Cry 4's
- Thread starter Nibel
- Start date
The performance of the game is bittersweet for me personally.
DmC despite its flaws is still a wholesome action game. By that I mean it doesn't have shitty QTE sequences or other padded shit that other "AAA" games have these days. It's also a game that has good game play and combat with a focus on actual replayability and depth. It's a rare type of game these days.
It's a good game that deserves to do good. I don't want NT to come away from this thinking they were wrong in trying to make a game with the focus more on the game play rather than the presentation. I don't want more Uncharted clones... I want more character action games with depth in their mechanics.
I still say the game suffered more on its PR than its actual quality. The PR got the fanbase too riled up and the whole trying to promote the "edgy" aspect of DmC pretty much felt flat on its face especially when the actual game is not like that (Dante is more likable than he is presented in trailers flipping the bird and calling demons ugly sack of shit).
DmC despite its flaws is still a wholesome action game. By that I mean it doesn't have shitty QTE sequences or other padded shit that other "AAA" games have these days. It's also a game that has good game play and combat with a focus on actual replayability and depth. It's a rare type of game these days.
It's a good game that deserves to do good. I don't want NT to come away from this thinking they were wrong in trying to make a game with the focus more on the game play rather than the presentation. I don't want more Uncharted clones... I want more character action games with depth in their mechanics.
I still say the game suffered more on its PR than its actual quality. The PR got the fanbase too riled up and the whole trying to promote the "edgy" aspect of DmC pretty much felt flat on its face especially when the actual game is not like that (Dante is more likable than he is presented in trailers flipping the bird and calling demons ugly sack of shit).
toastyToast
Member
Game doesn't deserve to be doing this bad, it's a very competent action game. Then again, it probably wouldn't have sold what it did without the brand backing behind it.
Ninja Theory finally makes a good game and it's gonna sell less than Heavenly Sword.
Ninja Theory finally makes a good game and it's gonna sell less than Heavenly Sword.
well at Amazon.com DMC HD charted higher than DmC.
but let see what the Americans and NPD will say about this.
badcrumble
Member
call_kotaku
Member
It's on the Steam top sellers page at #12, is that good or bad for a new release?
Didn't expect Alice: Madness Returns (which DmC shares a lot of aesthetic similarities) to be at #2, I guess the 75%-off sale does that.
Didn't expect Alice: Madness Returns (which DmC shares a lot of aesthetic similarities) to be at #2, I guess the 75%-off sale does that.
I for one, welcome my Japanese/in house developed DMC5 for next gen systems with open arms. sorry Dahbomb
That ain't happening. DMC gets canceled due to lack of interest. Or DmC continues and Dragon's Dogma continue due to Capcom being determined to chase Skyrim and Assassin's Creed.
badcrumble
Member
That's an incredibly hard needle to thread. I'd rather have DmC than no DMC at all (just picked it up for PC), but I'd rather have DMC than DmC. It's not really clear how, or whether, there is a path to an internally developed DMC5.
Capcom did say they wanted to work with NT again. Besides Blue Castle Games, NT is the only other developer that delivered in making a good game. Despite uproar, It's the best reviewed they've had in a long time. That goes a long way. Let's just say DmC2 wasn't in the cards for them -- Capcom could place them on another title. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if another publisher swooped on them already. But I'm not sure if they'll want to work on another established brand. Considering how they got hammered for 3 years on this game.
But really, we need to see the NPD, or better yet Capcom's FY report before making any judgements. But consider this; if a major retail game significantly underperforms, and it being a part of a brand that Capcom values and that should have sway on the market, then what real incentive do they have to go back to a more familiar title? I'd hate for them to place the franchise on hiatus, because the fallout will see fans flipping out 10 times more than they already have - and NT would be their main target, because of how the fans have antagonized them.
Because that's the thing here, despite a lot of fans being indifferent, repulsed, and contemptuous towards this game; they're still dependent on Capcom for DMC5.
Unspeakable Evil
Member
I don't think NT would lose work over this game under performing.
How is DmC doing in the U.S?
Unspeakable Evil
Member
I see. I defiantly believe it will do 200k+
I'm not. It has more legs than the console versions due to sales.
Yes, but at a vastly discounted price. It's already £12.99 (around $20) on some sites which is pretty shocking for a mere week after launch.
I really enjoyed the game but I went in expecting to like it. I'm not enjoying my second playthrough on Son of Sparda just because the coloured enemies restrict your playstyle too much but I had a blast on my first run through on the hardest default difficulty.
It's a damned decent game, even if it lacks in depth compared to prior entries (namely 4 and 3 - it's still miles better as an action game than either 2 or the original were) and it's a shame to see it doing so poorly.
toastyToast
Member
Even when deeply discounted, Capcom could still be seeing more money from PC DD than they would have on the full price console physical release. Not sure about the exact console percentage, but Steam takes a 30% cut
This too. People will be buying the game in a couple years when the only console versions available will be rotting in pre-owned bins. That doesn't really get reflected in the first quarterly write up though
This too. People will be buying the game in a couple years when the only console versions available will be rotting in pre-owned bins. That doesn't really get reflected in the first quarterly write up though
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
To be fair to them it feels like they're facing throngs of people who already made up their mind on hating them and DmC even before the game is out. It's tough facing hard-headed and vocal fanbase like that -_-
Not that I disagree with you that they had a couple of misfire on their PR efforts, mind you. It's just like often they seem to be stuck in damned if I do damned if I don't situation here.
That vocal fanbase got riled up because of that PR. You don't come out with radical changes on a beloved series with a fairly hardcore fanbase and say you don't care what they think. The bad PR and hate snowballed from there. Plus the PR couldn't keep their story straight originally on whether this game was a spin off, reboot or prequel.
If they had treated this like MGR the hate around the game would've been far less. Straight up say first that this is an alternate universe with no ties to the original series aside from superficial stuff and an OG DMC game is in the works or will be started up soon.
If they had treated this like MGR the hate around the game would've been far less. Straight up say first that this is an alternate universe with no ties to the original series aside from superficial stuff and an OG DMC game is in the works or will be started up soon.
Oh, wow, indeed: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2013-01/videogames/#5
DMC HD is no. 97 and DmC is not even in the Top 100 for January.
It's juts Amazon, though, and the GameStop Vergil pre-order probably made their sales even less relevant.
BadAss2961
Member
But really, DmC is only like that because it carries the Devil May Cry name and was built off of those games. Ninja Theory was handed the old formula, and they put their spin on it. The story and art is all them, but the style of gameplay isn't.
If Capcom moved on from this, and Ninja Theory went on to make another game with another publisher, I doubt it would resemble the DMC formula.
I think DmC is just suffering an image problem. Everyone knows by now that the game is good, and I don't doubt that. But the characters and the entire universe within the game just looks unappealing on first impression. Everything just looked so ugly to me. I mean, technically, the game looks good and has all the necessary bells and whistles, but man, I wish all the characters and the art looked different.
toastyToast
Member
Ugly isn't the word I'd use to describe this game
toastyToast
Member
Jawmuncher
Member
Still throwing all my cards into DmC2 for next gen, and DmC 1 hitting the sales capcom wanted as a slow burn.
ShockingAlberto
Member
I feel like this exposes my problem with this game
A really amazing and novel environment but all the level design amounts to is floating platforms.
badcrumble
Member
NT taking their experience on this title and making a gorgeous Onimusha game would be, like, perfect.
Knux-Future
Banned
It's gonna suck when Capcom uses the poor sales of this as a reason to MegaMan the entire franchise
BadAss2961
Member
They'll have no one to blame but themselves.
toastyToast
Member
Especially evident in Mission 17
It's all very unsubstantial. Inoffensive is a word that has been thrown around a lot and I think that describes it perfectly. It's a big step above just holding forward but at the end of the day it's just an art showcase. The most complicated thing you have to deal with is either switching to the demon pull mid-air or timing an angle glide so you don't fall. I found it especially funny during the time trial Secret Mission where I ended up finishing it with 30s left on the counter on my first run. It was completely trivial.
NT never really capitalized on the environment-is-out-to-get-you shtick that they were talking about since the beginning seeing as most of that was confined to cutscenes.
Unspeakable Evil
Member
Can you imagine if they reboot the game again.
WickedLaharl
Member
DmC is a good game until you play it on SoS and up. Not to mention the story and char portrayal is piss poor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7o6ZCcrxPI#t=58s
^this is now the saddest moment in all of gaming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7o6ZCcrxPI#t=58s
^this is now the saddest moment in all of gaming
I dunno man, there is still a divided opinion on the game from fans. Not even about the new direction with it, but with the actual gameplay itself. I never even play the demo, so I have no room to argue.
However I would disagree with the art direction. At least the environments, I thought they looked nice. The characters are awful though, from the costumes to the actual models. Blegh.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
With that drop I don't expect the game selling more than Bayonetta.
Bayonetta PS3 second week sales:
08. Bayonetta (PS3) - 29,000 / 165,000
And 360 version of Bayonetta did much better than the DmC version.
Who is "everyone" though? People who hadn't previously bought a Devil May Cry game were not going to be any more likely to get this one. And they obviously displeased longtime fans of the series which is going to result in fewer sales than the last installment.
Nothing about the "wider appeal" angle of this made any sense. This wasn't some Fallout 3 vs. "No Mutants Allowed" situation where many years had passed between installments. We aren't even out of the hardware cycle yet. Nothing about Ninja Theory's track record would suggest that their involvement would somehow increase the franchise's popularity. It is weird decision making all around. Obviously, nobody can say anything for sure yet before US numbers are known, but this cannot be good for the health of the brand.
ShockingAlberto
Member
I really wonder if Capcom had any reasoning for it beyond "Western action games sell well, having a western company make Devil May Cry means it will sell better."
it might hit number one in npd since there is nothing this month,but I doubt it will even break 200K.
well only a week or so for us to know.
The wider appeal angle does seem to make sense though or at least everyone is drinking the same kool-aid. eg. Tomb Raider, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Splinter Cell, Gears of War, Dead Space, etc.
I'd like that. They've definitely got the skills now to make it, and the scaled combat would allow them to focus on other aspects of the game, but I don't know if Onimusha is a relevant brand anymore. Unless they make some drastic changes to it.
They said in interviews that the older games were getting stale and they felt it ran its course, and they just wanted to focus on new IPs.
Nope, that was Kenji Infaune's whole line of reasoning, and the only good thing to come from that line of reasoning was Dead Rising 2, which is debateable in quality but still FARRRRRR above most of Capcom's "outsourced" output but that's mostly due to Inafune(?) the "creator" of Dead Rising being there to consult with Vancover about it.
It isn't, which would mean it's a good time for them to "Westernize" it a bit. Get a white dude instead of an Asian, drop the demons (or keep them) and lose some of the Japanese demons destroying Japan rural towns-isms and maybe shake it up a little.
Which is ironic coming from a sequel spamming company like Capcom.
More than likely Itsuno's preengagement with Dragon's Dogma taking priority over development of a new DMC. Minimizing resources spent by using an existing engine and outsourcing as well.
I did like that false rumor that was spread around saying NT's pitch for Onimusha was basically "Okami with guts". It sounded fairly intriguing to me. I just think they need to something drastic with it. Maybe something like a cross between Dark Souls and Okami. If they were to bring it back, I think that would cool. It just needs something game changing and unique.
Though at least they should go with an HD collection. That'd be great.
Very true, but I feel like this also validates their beliefs of the previous games. DMC4 sold well enough, and since Capcom likes money, they should've released a sequel to that by now. But they didn't. Look at RE6, that game IMO is very stale and hasn't done anything to advance the series. It just showed they're running out of ideas. But they made it because the previous game was the best selling game in the series.
My big concern for DMC5 is that it's just gonna be DMC4.5. Which I know is what a lot of people want, but it's not advancing anything. It needs to get out of its comfort zone and try something new, while still remaining true to what it's all about.
The DMC team was making DD, and seem to be pretty heavily invested in it. Going with NT is probably the best route to go in that case, otherwise, just slapping together an internal team may result in another DMC2. At least we got a good game this time.
HD collection for Onimusha wouldn't really sell. Didn't Onimusha 3 kinda underperform (but not totally bomb) in comparison to 1-2? I dunno, but the series never really striked me as "popular"/non-niche in comparison to Biohazard/Devil May Cry/etc.
Jawmuncher
Member
DMC4s story makes DmC look like the best thing ever written.