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Returnal has sold around 560,000 copies

xrnzaaas

Gold Member
560k is a healthy number for an exclusive to a console with <10 million owners, even if you consider that all first-party titles will profit from being bundled with the consoles. I gotta admit, I was predicting a bigger flop than this with that 80€ price tag.
 
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From the looks of it the game probably exceeded Sony's expectations even with selling over 500k copies. It's the only way that I can imagine them calling it a successful new IP.
 

John Wick

Member
80 euro launch price was hilariously out of touch. ANother sign that Jim Ryan and Co don't have a clue.

Game looks fantastic and people that have it always seem to love it....I will be getting at 50 euro or lower. Have to use my limited power to signal....
Spot on. This was never a £70 game. Yet there were people stating this game cost a lot and it was AAA. They need to reprice it around £40. Add a save feature so more people can get into it. Sony really are out of touch with these stupid decisions. Another One for Jimbo Ryan!
 

Larlight

Member
Funny people claiming it’s not good sales. I think Sony out of anyone would know best if those are good sales or not. They bought the damn company people. 😂 Also, not every game has the same expectations…. you think Sony didn’t account for the fact it’s a new roguelike IP that isn’t as accessible to casuals as their other games? Pretty slow people in this thread.
 

Kenpachii

Member
Spot on. This was never a £70 game. Yet there were people stating this game cost a lot and it was AAA. They need to reprice it around £40. Add a save feature so more people can get into it. Sony really are out of touch with these stupid decisions. Another One for Jimbo Ryan!

Funny part is, if they released it at half price, they probably sold 3x the amount.
 

Dr Bass

Member
From the looks of it the game probably exceeded Sony's expectations even with selling over 500k copies. It's the only way that I can imagine them calling it a successful new IP.
Probably, but "mega-hit" seems like not exactly "truthful" given the numbers. "Hit" maybe, "cult hit" perhaps even more so. But "mega" seems pretty disingenuous from any angle.

Their statement on it now looks like unchecked marketing run amok.

But given they purchased the studio after the game was released, surely Sony was happy with what it did.
 

Marty-McFly

Banned
They probably won't be returning to this franchise.


Thing is about Sony that bugs me is they're so quick to kill off projects if they don't do exceedingly well and mega sales.

Sony closing that studio when that PSVR launch title flopped and recently closing Sony Japan seemed a little premature to me. Japan was one of their best studios.

I'm really upset about them closing the Drive Club studio as well because that game ruled.

Hopefully they keep the Returnal devs because I think the game looks cooler than most Sony games on the gameplay front.

I see potential with Returnal.
 
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Probably, but "mega-hit" seems like not exactly "truthful" given the numbers. "Hit" maybe, "cult hit" perhaps even more so. But "mega" seems pretty disingenuous from any angle.

Their statement on it now looks like unchecked marketing run amok.

But given they purchased the studio after the game was released, surely Sony was happy with what it did.

I was thinking more of the slide where it said it was a successful new IP. But you're right about calling it a megahit. But overall I still believe they are happy with the results even though it didn't sell millions.
 
I would have guessed 1-2 million based on the charts and Sony's rhetoric. Seems like Bernd Lauert Bernd Lauert was right and I was kinda wrong. My apologies, I got a bit nasty with you too. 🙇‍♂️
Good on you to admit this. Sometimes passions run hot when defending your game or platform of choice but we should always be respectful to each other.
 

Seyfert

Member
I could imagine that $70 price tag is one of bigger factor when you compare with like God of War tier game. It is a price tag that you really need to commit with your choice to buy it. Given the niche genre (and maybe the protagonist not being looking attractive in some way can also be a factor in casual perspective) it is harder to sell for this price even no competition at launch.

Anyway, it is megahit is barely pr statement for Sony imo. And i somewhat agree with Days Gone could have a megahit status as well if the standard is on lower end like this. That game is really deserved a sequel to showcase ps5 fast ssd.
 

Yoboman

Member
I think the biggest barrier for it is the main character design

The main character is just way too normal looking but it seems like the rest of the game is brimming with a cool aesthetic and then there's a pug main character
 
Young Sheldon Cbs GIF by CBS
 

vpance

Member
Easiest vg sales forecast of all time, apart from Sunset Overdrive.

Glad to see it was a good game and well received by critics though.
 

[Sigma]

Member
I dunno about "mega hit" :messenger_tears_of_joy: but id say those are good numbers considering the install base and the reputation this game has.
 
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Gamer79

Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
I like Rogue games but many reviewers are saying the game is pretty hard and you lose everything on revive. The point of Rogue games is to build your character on each run not start from scratch every time.
 

Dr Bass

Member
disappoointing sales for a game that received so much attention but decent sales for a mediocre game.
No, the game is incredible.

I like Rogue games but many reviewers are saying the game is pretty hard and you lose everything on revive. The point of Rogue games is to build your character on each run not start from scratch every time.

You don't really start from "scratch" every time. In some abilities, yes. In progress and other abilities, no.
 
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01011001

Banned
ok, like... 500k is nice for this type of game, and it deserved more imo just from the parts I've played at a friend's house (I just got my PS5 and just finished platinum on Ratchet... so maybe this one is next)... but Sony calling that a "mega hit" is a bit much.

I would call that a well selling AA game... which is exactly how it is.
 

JaksGhost

Member
You also have to take in this goes from as low as $60 (as of the current sale) all the way up to $100+ based off of regional pricing and which version you choose; whether that being the standard or the deluxe edition. If the game sold more in Europe for example that would inflate the profit a bit.
 

coffinbirth

Member
You can use reviews and profits showing its a megahit.

Like I said, Bloodborne had a less attach rate but was a success. Maybe don’t ignore that lol
At the time, it had a much higher attach rate than Returnal. It's sold at least 4x as many copies as well. Returnal is closer to Demons Souls PS3, sales-wise, than Bloodborne.
Success is not based on attach rate and every game has a different sales target.

How many copies of MLB The Show were being sold before it was released on multiple platforms? It was probably the same amount as Returnal, yet MLB The Show has always been a success.
MLB The Show sells millions of copies year after year, not even in the same...ahem....ballpark.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I thought I'd point that out.
 

Rikkori

Member
That's weak as shit bro, wtf r u all on about, Sony's marketing should be capable of moving more than 0.5m of a new game on a next gen console when it's FRESH. For HM it's understandable because let's be honest who wants to play a Karen, but why would Sony LIE so blatantly and call it a mega hit??

smh GIF
 
Can someone explain to me why this isnt a great accomplishment?
Anyone who says it isn't is a dumbass. It's a new IP in a niche genre and the budget was likely very low. Also consider that it selling 560,000 to 10M PS5 owners isn't far off from the percentage of something like TLOU2 selling 4-5 million to an install base of 110M+ PS4 owners. It's easy to see it was successful for Sony
 
I wonder what the sales would have been if they would have made the protagonist attractive? Not meant to be snarky or glib, but serious question. If it would have been Lara Croft's face on that cover art, it would have sold more. Just wonder how much more.
It would go against Sony’s identity. I’m just glad that female main character game bombed again.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I love the game, but I think Sony made a lot of mistakes with this game. $70 price tag for a game with little to no story and AI generated levels was never going to sell millions. I think they missed a trick by not releasing a demo. You put this game in the hands of players at launch, and have people really feel the haptics and 3D audio right at launch and the buzz wouldve generated itself. Instead the game pretty much limped to a launch with very little hype.

The other big mistake was all Housemarquee. Games like this live and die by the word of mouth. And this game had the opposite effect. Great reviews, but some very very frustrated players. Myself included. Housemarquee made the game too hard and worse, made it too reliant on RNG. You made little to no progress and that made it pretty much harder than Souls games.

Some shortcuts, more leveling up, better gear progression wouldve made those tough losses after 2 hour runs much more manageable. Fucking crashes didnt help either. Lack of saves made those crashes sting even more.

All of those things just piled on top and unlike Demon Souls, Hades and Bloodborne, the word of mouth never really took off, and the devs refused to listen to ANY feedback. Apparently they went on vacation right away which is why we still dont even have save functionality implemented in the game. Absolutely bizarre.

If anything, i think this would've been the perfect PS+ game. MS bought Outriders and MLB The Show that month. Sony shouldve just made this game a PS+ title for a month and EVERYONE wouldve tried it out. Make your money with the sequel or word of mouth sales after the first month. It's a bold and risky idea, but it's not like Sony lost a hundred million here. 500k at $70 is just $35 million. Chump change for Sony in the grand scheme of things.
 

Marty-McFly

Banned
Funny people claiming it’s not good sales. I think Sony out of anyone would know best if those are good sales or not. They bought the damn company people. 😂 Also, not every game has the same expectations…. you think Sony didn’t account for the fact it’s a new roguelike IP that isn’t as accessible to casuals as their other games? Pretty slow people in this thread.
I mean, I'm going to tell you right now Sony is not interested in games that sell 560, 000 copies. They have killed off major studios and franchises for better sales than that. I'm also going to tell you that Sony is not a company that will tell you they are disappointed in the sales of anything. Their moto is not to show weakness in PR.

Having said that, Sony is not interested in Returnal, they are interested in HouseMarquee, a talented developer they purchased and likely expect to profit much more from in the future.
 
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yurinka

Member
Over 560K units in 2 months and a half released when he console wasn't even half a year old. Sounds good for Housemarque, I assume it will end being their best selling game.

I mean, I'm going to tell you right now Sony is not interested in games that sell 560, 000 copies. They have killed off major studios and franchises for better sales than that. I'm also going to tell you that Sony is not a company that will tell you they are disappointed in the sales of anything. Their moto is not to show weakness in PR.

Having said that, Sony is not interested in Returnal, they are interested in HouseMarquee, a talented developer they purchased and likely expect to profit much more from in the future.
This is what it sold only in barely a couple of months when the console wasn't even half a year old. It will sell way more than that. These sales would be bad for TLOU2, God of War or Spider-Man, but are great for a smaller Housemarque new IP game.

Sony was so happy with the early results that they bought Housemarque. To acquire an studio now counts as PR?

So Sony buys a studio that sells 500k copies. But cancels sequels for games that sold 5 million. Brilliant.
Sold over 560K in a couple of months for an userbase of maybe around 7+ million players. It will sell more copies during years.

Days Gone didn't sell 5 million copies in a couple of months, and it was released when the console had an userbase of 97M+.

Sony didn't cancel the Days Gone 2 sequel. They didn't greenlight it to develop it just after Days Gone, which means they didn't start its production. And the reason for it very likely wasn't the sales, because they were good. Very likely higher than 5M (I'd bet around 8M+ as of now), and in any case higher than all games made by Japan Studio in all its history.

Maybe it was because at that moment they already had a ton of sequels under development (TLOU2, Morales, Sackboy, Ratchet, Horizon GoW, GT7, TLOU2 factions, TLOU remake, etc...) and prefered a new IP instead. Or maybe it was because its 71 Metacritic wasn't good enough (Returnal has a 85 Metacritic). Or maybe it was because they already had other games relatively similar to Days Gone (open world, zombies, over the shoulder third person camera, etc.) but with way better sales and Metacritic, and prefered something more different and unique. Like Returnal. Or maybe many of these things combined.

Over 560k in a couple of months for a risky new IP that is the first AAA game of a studio and combines bullet hell with roguelike and cinematic storytelling when the console has not even sold 8 million units is very good. 5 millions for something as proven as an AAA open world game, or zombie game, from a proven studio released for a console that has sold 100M units is very good, but not that good.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Remember when Uncharted 1 sold like 80k or something? This is a great start to Housemarque as a premier Sony studio. Expect their next titles to grow substantially
This is a good point. I remember U1 selling only 111k in its first month and its lifetime sales topped out at 600k. Then U2 comes out two years later and sells 550k in its first month alone. U3 sells 700k in month one then TLOU sold 950k just a couple of years later. Insane 10x jump in sales in a span of 6 years.

One thing to keep in mind is that those Uncharted sales were NA only. Worldwide Sony games sold really well that generation. So Returnal's 550k in three months is worldwide. decent numbers but way way lower than the initial sales of KZ Shadowfall (2.1 million in 6 weeks), Infamous Second Son (1 million in 9 days), and even Bloodborne (1 million in one month) early last gen.

It will be interesting to see if Returnal can beat DriveClubs 2 million sales tally in the its first 8 months. Though at a $70 price tag, I am not too certain.

I would love to see Sony bundle this game with every playstation. There are a lot of great games on the PS5 but nothing made a better first impression than Returnal. It's an audiovisual masterpiece.
 

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
MLB The Show sells millions of copies year after year, not even in the same...ahem....ballpark.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I thought I'd point that out.

It doesn't sell as much as you think.

MLB The Show 21 is one of the best-selling titles in the series and it sold 2 million on two platforms to date. The sales have been lower going sevearl enteries back.
 

Marty-McFly

Banned
Over 560K units in 2 months and a half released when he console wasn't even half a year old. Sounds good for Housemarque, I assume it will end being their best selling game.


This is what it sold only in barely a couple of months when the console wasn't even half a year old. It will sell way more than that. These sales would be bad for TLOU2, God of War or Spider-Man, but are great for a smaller Housemarque new IP game.

Sony was so happy with the early results that they bought Housemarque. To acquire an studio now counts as PR?
I think you're missing my point. Sony's purchase of Housemarque has little to do with Returnal, they acquired them for their talent and their next project will probably be a large scale AAA that Sony will fund and support and want blockbuster AAA sales from.
 
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NewChoppa

Banned
It will be interesting to see if Returnal can beat DriveClubs 2 million sales tally in the its first 8 months. Though at a $70 price tag, I am not too certain.

I mean, probably not. Even ignoring the price point, an arcade racing game has a lot more market appeal than a hardcore roguelite bullet hell
 

yurinka

Member
I think you're missing my point. Sony's purchase of Housemarque has little to do with Returnal, they acquired them for their talent and their next project will probably be a large scale AAA that Sony will fund and support and want blockbuster AAA sales from.
Yes, they bought them because of their talent and proven track record of consistently releasing quality games. Returnal was like their final test, which also was a test to be if they were capable to also achieve a quality AAA game in addition to their previous quality small games.

If Returnal would have been a turd that tanked on both sales and reviews pretty likely they won't have bought them. But Returnal has been successful, so they bought them. Returnal already was a AAA game, but they mention that their next game will be even bigger. So yes, they will make big ass AAA games.
 

yurinka

Member
It will be interesting to see if Returnal can beat DriveClubs 2 million sales tally in the its first 8 months. Though at a $70 price tag, I am not too certain.
A month or so after Driveclub was released, PS4 achieved 14.4M (non BC) consoles sold. PS5 only had around 8M (BC) consoles when Returnal was released. So Driveclub was released with around 2X the amount of consoles and players were forced to play there games of that generation, while with Returnal they can also play crossgen or BC games.

Returnal also is the first AAA game from its team who previously did small games and it's a weird, unique, risky, more niche game. While Driveclub was a AAA game from a proven genre and from a studio who already made several of them so already had a bigger fanbase.

I think it's difficult but possible, it will depend on the amount of consoles they are able to manufacture.


It doesn't sell as much as you think.

MLB The Show 21 is one of the best-selling titles in the series and it sold 2 million on two platforms to date. The sales have been lower going sevearl enteries back.
MLB The Show sells millions of copies year after year, not even in the same...ahem....ballpark.
The press release says MLB 21 had the best launch sales in the series.
 
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