The day before its release, videogame analyst and professional blacksmith Michael Pachter accused 2K Games and Gearbox Software of sending Borderlands "out to die." He claimed that releasing it in 2009 was wrong, and that Modern Warfare 2 and Dragon Age: Origins, despite not releasing until next month, were going to "kick its butt."
Looks like Pachter may have been wrong on this one.
Gearbox's Randy Pitchford couldn't be happier with Borderlands' launch, which apparently is doing very healthily indeed. According the studio boss, Borderlands is already becoming hard to find, and he's urged gamers to pick one up quickly if they want to play it.
"Getting reports from everywhere that Borderlands is selling out," tweeted the Gearbox chief. "If you want a copy, grab one fast. Supply and demand."
Okay, sure, so Pitchford is probably hyping his game and trying to instigate panic buys, but it sounds like he's proud of the launch in any case, which is obviously a good thing. I still don't get how the success of Dragon Age and Modern Warfare 2 was ever meant to take away from any potential success of Borderlands. Sure, they'll sell better, but that doesn't mean Borderlands has to sell badly. It's not like there are only a finite number of sales to go around and they can only be taken by a select few games. In any case, it seems like Borderlands is not dying at all, and with a good few weeks before the truly massive games arrive, I'd say it's got time to do quite well.
Contest:
8:40 AM on 10.21.2009
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Why hate on Pachter, because he made a prediction based on market trends, which is his job? Keep in mind, he may be a genius, but everyone assumes he's dumb because they only see his obvious predictions. If he wants to stay in a job, he isn't going to give away any detailed or nonobvious predictions, but he needs to make these obvious ones so companies considering his services don't think he's off his rocker. And you may think a lot of his stuff is obvious, but looking back, Sony clearly hasn't...
Let's wait for the NPD numbers before we dub anything as a success.
@Jim
"It's not like there are only a finite number of sales to go around and they can only be taken by a select few games."
Not true, entirely. Forgiving the generalities, the mentality of the "gamer" assumes that they can buy and maybe finish it in 3 weeks (assuming they have interest in COD and/or DA). The average consumer thinks why buy this game now if COD is coming in less than 3 weeks and I intend on spending all my time with that? There isn't enough game value in those 3 weeks to warrant $60.
I have some interest in Borderlands, but I'm not going to buy it because COD and DA are right around the corner. I know what my friends and I are going to spend the majority of our gaming time with, so Borderlands loses multiple sales. Maybe next summer I'll pick it up on Goozex or Ebay.
Really, really good game. Everyone should get it.
It is a special kind of torment.
This story could just as well be, "Gearbox says, 'Nuh uh!'" All we're going on here is the word of a guy who, as you admitted, has a lot to gain by implying that the game is in short supply and needs to be bought NOW OR ELSE MISS OUT FOREVER, while we don't know how many copies are shipping to retailers to constitute a sellout in the first place.
Is it less impressive if they're selling out of five copies instead of fifty? Depends on your stance, I suppose. But if the makers of Daisy Fuentes Pilates cobble together a press release saying how impressed and encouraged they are by its sales, do we simply assume it's one of the better-selling Wii games by extrapolation?
As much as I hate to be the guy who ends his point by saying, "I'm just saying,"...
That's a difficult one. Personally I would take DS, as I can't stand console FPSes. But the only correct answer has to be - both.
Demons Souls. Borderlands is a good game, but Demons Souls is a great game.
I see Borderlands as a game that's just cutting into my Demons Souls play time.
Still good though.
Have already overspent on AAA PS3 games this month. Demon's Souls, Uncharted 2, Borderlands! What a month!
Oh yeah, obligatory FUCK ACTIVISION - I'm not buying MW2 for shit.
I almost started too feel a little like i wanted it, then i watched an online gameplay video and it was like "shit, it's just more COD" weird realisation, was almost taken by the hype, but a little reality check brought me back in line. I care not for COD now, been there, done that, prestiged the old ones too many times to really care about the new one.
Holding out for MAG - Hell yes.
What am I gonna do if Steam runs out of...? Well, you know.
Anyway, the best thing about this game is that I was able to convince my wife (who has never played FPS games) to play co-op with me. Also, I'm nearly done playing thru the Halo:ODST campaign co-op with my son, so now I can play with him as well.
Of course if I'm playing by myself it is still Demon's Souls :)
When's the HD Wii coming out?
LOVING Borderlands!
"Make a run for the BORDERlands"
Hard plastic logo cups, toys, clap trap combo, bandit burrito, skagzilla sauce...think of it, t'would be grand!
Randy and @mikeyface get on that would ya? Also if you want to hire me on in your marketing department my contact info is on my profile.
BORDERLANDS ROCKS!!!!!!
This doesn't prove Pachter wrong at all as he was talking about a Bioshock-esque sails drop when the Dragon Age and CoDMW2 come out. He didn't say it wasn't going to sell at its launch, he said "If it’s an RPG, Dragon Age is going to kick its butt; and if it’s a shooter, Call of Duty or something else is going to kick its butt." Meaning that as soon as those games launch, this game will get blown away in sales.
I agree with Pachter that this might have the Bioshock effect. Releases to good sales and good praise and then has sales disappear as soon as Modern Warfare drops.
I'm not sure if I'm giving Dragon Age the same strength as Mass Effect had during 07, but I would say that its gonna knock into Borderlands. Pachter is making a good guess and I wouldn't be shocked if this gets forgotten during the high traffic of the holiday season.
Another factor is that people are going to pay for sure things. Gearbox doesn't have the pedigree of Bioware or Infinity Ward. In this questionable economy, people are looking to brands they know and love. I still think this game will have a long sales life ala Bioshock, but its week to week sales are going to crash as soon as MW2 drops
Loved -
1. The game is gorgeous! The cell shaded art is amazing in HD. It’s what Prince of Persia tried to do, but much better.
2. The humor is great
3. It handles much like Call of Duty 4
4. The music & sound track is so well thought out.
5. Leveling up is really cool, so much more rewarding then just chugging through da’ haloz with the same stuff the whole time.
6. You can pick the 3 colors of your character’s duds.
Will take some getting used to because it’s not a traditional straight shooter–
1. I think I picked the hardest class to start off with sniper/auto-pistol, but with time will deal more damage.
2. This game is not easy, the enemies are not push overs.
3. There is no way to adjust the aiming sensitivity. (This may get better as you level up and your accuracy changes)
4. There is a lady who just shows up in your mind/vision/eyeball that tells you what to do every once in a while like a spirit guide.
Didn’t like so much –
1. The story is introduced sort of abruptly, but this game isn’t so much about story as it is shoot ‘em up, loot drops, and co-op’s. So not that big of a deal.
maybe later since im interested in the coop and well... south america sucks for gamers.
We may eventually pick up a second copy and just play co-op online using the two PS3 units... but I guess we would have to start the game all over again because I doubt it saves the two splitscreen characters for use.
Wish there were a demo.
I'm about an hour in and my only complaint is that the field of vision doesn't seem wide enough. It feels kinda cramped.