Xbox Sales numbers

[aloradus]

I may buy it even though I dont have a xbox haha but dreaming of a ps3 release.

I think non-simultaneous release hurts TW2. The lack of marketing as well. Everyone was talking about it at PC release but not now much later when the 360 version came out. Its a beautiful game, head and shoulders above the competition. I hope this doesn't discourage CDP from making the next version on both... Yet I hope they don't water it down either. Most of the combat parts of tw2 for me would have been much more fun with a game controller pad (like xbox and ps3), but other parts I prefer the pc. Funny came on here to see how sales were doing because I like the game so much.

 

[Garrison72]

Lack of marketing? They announced the xbox version like a year ago, and slowly trickled info, never letting up. Then they released several great trailers weeks in advance, including the best CGI piece I've ever seen. Oh, and they spent a year on the console port so as not to make the same mistake that most console devs commit when porting lazy crap over to the PC. And then they added free new content on top of it all.

Short of going into their living rooms, providing a personal massage and caviar with crackers, I'm not sure what else they needed to do to market the console version.

Oh wait...multiplayer. They didn't do that.

 

[pomor]

And what is exaclty is their mistake? How the game has been dumbed down?

Would the game controls be designed around the game-pad, if they has not had the future, console, version in mind? Was alchemy system not dumbed down? Look, I am not in the mood for a flame war right now, so I cut it right there. But there is not dennying the fact, that without the trying to make the game easyly convertable into consoles, the game would end up being much better.
Let's be honest there, it is a console game (good console game, actually too good for a console audience to appreciate it) that got to be published on the PC first.

 

[Aver]

Lack of marketing? They announced the xbox version like a year ago, and slowly trickled info, never letting up. Then they released several great trailers weeks in advance, including the best CGI piece I've ever seen.

Yeah, but from what I have read, average 'gamer' doesn't read gaming sites nor watch trailers. Only 400k of people watched cinematic trailer (this with Letho) and probably most of them already had TW2 on PC . Trailer with the highest number of views is PC trailer that was released even before PC version and it's have only 600k views.

That's why it's so important to get adverts in TV and in gaming stores.

 

[Maerd.298]

To be fair you have to compare the Google search results for other major titles. I'll make a summary:

Dragon Age: Origins : hard, boring and sometimes very hard game with a dilemma if the dog is any good

1) is hard
2) is boring
3) is too hard
4) is dog any good

Notice that "boring" here is on the second place and beats the Witcher 2 in boredom

Dragon Age 2: terrible boring game with a dilemma if it is better than DA: Origins

1) is terrible
2) is better than origins
3) is boring
4) is bad

Not surprisingly it is terrible, though I think the second line is a part of a question whether the second part is better or not.

Mass Effect: boring overrated Canadian hard game

1) is boring
2) is overrated
3) is canadian
4) is hard

See, this is the most boring game of them all... must be because it's Canadian LOL

Mass Effect 2: awesome and sometimes confusing the best game ever, which is better than Mass Effect 3

1) is better than Mass Effect 3
2) is the best game ever
3) is awesome
4) is confusing

Hey, Google knows that this is the best game ever... probably I'm very picky because I don't think so but anyway.

Mass Effect 3: terrible but awesome and, at the same time boring game with a dilemma of mating with Miranda...

1) is terrible
2) is awesome
3) is boring
4) is Miranda a squadmate

It seems like this game is for bipolars... And admittedly mating is not a biggy in The Witcher 2

Skyrim: the epic boredom that leave many people are wondering what it is when they've got addicted to it

1) is epic
2) is boring
3) what is
4) is addicting

And an epic game turns out boring too.

And for the sake of methodical approach... all time classics

Fallout 2 (I chose 2 to make sure there is no confusion with Bethesda's counterfeit): another hard, boring game with a dilemma if it's worth it and if there is a time limit

1) is hard
2) is boring
3) is there a time limit
4) is Fallout 2 worth it

Baldur's Gate: a hard and sometimes too hard game where gamers cannot decide which game of the series is the best and wonder how long it is.

1) is hard
2) is too hard
3) which baldur's gate is the best
4) how long is baldur's gate 2

Well, one of the few games, which is not boring, I guess. Per Google, The Witcher 2 has the same pattern of perceived difficulty.

Planescape: Torment : this game is a boring art that might be the best RPG but makes people wonder if it's good or not

1) is boring
2) is art
3) why is Planescape Torment the best rpg
4) is Planescape Torment good

So my favorite game of good old times is a boring art

Conclusion: RPGs are usually hard and boring games. The Witcher 2 is not as boring as the other games but is one of the hardest. Only one game stick out of the total difficulty and boredom the one best RPG ever - ME2... Apparently, we can come to the conclusion that RPG sales are dependent on how boring the game is compared to being difficult, and more boring it is than difficult the better the sales are... kinda However, there is a pattern that sales better: overrated dying gay games.

Call of Duty
1) is overrated
2) is dying
3) is gay
4) is dead

And remember that, according to Google, smart people are:
1) ugly
2) lonely
3) unhappy

So, avoid being smart! Otherwise, you might end up like one of those in Google search...

 

[227]

Short of going into their living rooms, providing a personal massage and caviar with crackers, I'm not sure what else they needed to do to market the console version.

They came into my living room. I barely watch any TV, but prior to release I saw a Witcher 2 commercial every time I did.

And now every time someone says that they didn't market the game enough, I start wonder whether that was just a day-long mental breakdown where I imagined a bunch of Witcher 2 commercials. Also, did no one else see the huge Witcher 2 ad/background on... Gamespot, was it? One of those big gaming sites.

 

[gregski]

They came into my living room. I barely watch any TV, but prior to release I saw a Witcher 2 commercial every time I did.

And now every time someone says that they didn't market the game enough, I start wonder whether that was just a day-long mental breakdown where I imagined a bunch of Witcher 2 commercials. Also, did no one else see the huge Witcher 2 ad/background on... Gamespot, was it? One of those big gaming sites.

Yep, they hade those whole-pagers running for quite some time, Gamespot or Gamesradar that was. Also, on Eurogamer for example, the Witcher 2 Xbox review and Tech Analysis articles were kept high up on the side bar for reaaaally long time, so people would keep seeing them.

 

[KnightofPhoenix]

Short of going into their living rooms, providing a personal massage and caviar with crackers, I'm not sure what else they needed to do to market the console version.

In the presence of (overrated) giants, what CDPR should do and this is something they've already started, is capitalize on the disappointments in bigger franchises.
Those who are disillusioned with Bioware or are that emotionally shocked by the ME3 ending, are natural targets.

Of course word of mouth helps too, which is why CDPR's been more awesome to us lately.

They're smart, they are investing in the right people and right avenues. So hopefully it will pay off.

 

[CostinRaz]

CDPR has been awesome to us since they released TW1. The first EE, the free DLC for it? The removal of DRM of TW2 and all that?

Truth be told I am hearing from some people that they are tired of CDPR fanboys and tired of CDPR taking jabs at competitor titles.

 

[Dona.794]

Truth be told I am hearing from some people that they are tired of CDPR fanboys and tired of CDPR taking jabs at competitor titles.

Someone on Tumblr told me they took so long to play TW2 because they were tired of "fanboys who praised the game all the time" and when I asked where did they find these fanboys, they said BSN

 

[KnightofPhoenix]

Those people are irrational and illogical. You can't attract everyone.

 

[username_3266374]

Perhaps CDPR needs to put crippling DRM, online only single player requirements, insult its players, alienate its fan base and pump out the same generic game month after month with over priced DLC like EA in order to win fans?

And yes, I am being sarcastic, except for the stuff that EA does, that's fact.

 

[pearnon]

Hilarious stuff

I laughed hard. Good show, good sir.

 

[wichat]

Someone on Tumblr told me they took so long to play TW2 because they were tired of "fanboys who praised the game all the time" and when I asked where did they find these fanboys, they said BSN

Perhaps is an effortlessly get it now! symptom of the culture of the past 20 years? (put some sarcasm to my question )

 

[227]

Perhaps is an effortlessly get it now! symptom of the culture of the past 20 years? (put some sarcasm to my question )

Probably more of a fanbase thing, honestly. If you hear a bunch of people praising something constantly to the point where it irritates you, you'll be loath to become one of those people. It's hard to blame those people, because some of the praise can get a bit excessive at times, honestly. Not linking to any threads but I trust that many of you know what I'm talking about.

There's really no avoiding it, but it's important to recognize that keeping our enthusiasm measured is to everyone's benefit.

 

[SystemShock7]

To be fair you have to compare the Google search results for other major titles. I'll make a summary:

... SNIP ...

That was amusing Well done.

 

[norlak]

Someone on Tumblr told me they took so long to play TW2 because they were tired of "fanboys who praised the game all the time" and when I asked where did they find these fanboys, they said BSN

They told me because Yahtzee didn't liked it :S

 

[destroyraiden]

Well at this point they better bring out 3 on the console it makes no sense to only bring out 2 and not give 3.

 

[UK_John.841]

I have worked in the games business both, in the UK and the US, for about 20 years from 1980 - 2000. Within the industry there are some accepted facts:

Multiformat AAA titles will invariably give out first week numbers, as due to the hype most that are going to buy the game buy it in the first week. Hence Skyrim's 4 million unit sales to retailers.

What most people don't realise is that multiformat AAA titles sales drop off very quickly. Whether DRM, bugs or some other problem that many AAA titles get, negatives equal positives and sales drop off very quickly. Hence Skyrim's 6 million sales approx, just 50% more than those sales in the first week.

Many multiformat AAA titles are like this, Mass Effect, Bioshock Dragon Age, etc.

Perceived non AAA titles, like European games (STALKER, Gothic, Metro 2033, etc) generally are forced to sign
with non mainstream publishers (Namco Bandai?) who have no "personal" connection with the title. This means sales start the opposite of the large AAA titles, in the first month they are quite slow, but over the subsequent months don't see sales drop off much. This can lead you to a title like Bioshock selling about 2 million on PC, the same as STALKER. Yet Bioshock is perceived as the "mainstream" hit and STALKER the "niche" hit.

What's needed for titles like Witcher 1 and 2 is two-fold.

1) They need to have ongoing promotions for at least a year.
2) They need their own small U.S. office to self publish for the North American market.

Of the two, it would actually probably be cheaper to have the U.S. office, as local presence would mean much more
positive coverage by American media and therefore higher sales than just the marketing from 1).

If it's true that the 360 version of Witcher 2 has sold about 150K units in the first month, I would suggest sales of just shy of 1 million over the next year. This especially so if 1) is done.

With the coverage Witcher 2 has received in the U,S, market, both on PC and 360, and with a Witcher 3 released, I would assume in 2014, I would seriously suggest, if funds will allow, a 1 or 2 man office, so that all the large and small consumer and trade U.S. shows that take place could be visited and backs slapped.It would be a lot cheaper to get all those reviewers to a U.S. office than what they did with the Witcher 2, invite them to Poland!

All things considered, 2-3 million worldwide unit sales on PC and 360 is certainly doable, and if they work hard to keep the product available and continue to market it, either themselves or through third parties, I could see combined sales approaching the 5 million figure over a 2 year period, leading up to the next release.

 

[Aver]

They just released official sales data. They sold 520k copies of TW2 for X360.