NPD numbers are a funny thing. We look to them to prove, without a reasonable doubt, that a particular game is or isn't selling well. They are but a snapshot in time, and we all know numbers can be manipulated to deceive -- but that doesn't seem to matter. For all intents and purposes, NPD group numbers are Tarot cards, and the mystics we call analysts are *sarcasm* the only ones that can decipher their meaning. Meet their latest victim, Mark Rein, who was probed by the Guardian about whether or not Epic was the least bit disappointed by the low Unreal Tournament III PC sales numbers for the very merry month of...November?
"It is amazing how people can look at two weeks of sales (in our case) in one single territory in the busiest Xmas sales season the industry has ever seen and come to the conclusion these titles are doing "badly". I don't think either title is doing so badly. Crysis probably has 3-4x the marketing budget of UT3 and more mindshare because it is a PC-only, high-end, single-player oriented game. This isn't the fastest selling UT title ever but it's doing pretty well and we're going to support it with some pretty cool things to help it keep selling over time."
I'm not one to bash PC gaming, but do you think that it might have something to do with the fact that it takes a small fortune in order to maintain a gaming rig capable of playing new titles every year? That, and what Mark said -- you can't zero in on this time period only, and call it a fair assessment. PC gaming is by no means dead, but you do have to take into consideration that people might not be upgrading their PCs in November. Don't sweat it too much, Mark. Maybe UT3 really is destined not to sell through the roof on PC. Or just maybe, NPD numbers have got it all wrong once again. If nothing else, you still have the PS3 version to fall back on. After all, consoles need love too. As long as it sells, does it really matter?
[Via
CVG]
Contest:
11:50 AM on 01.18.2008
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Where at in KS?
Thornnn
The economy is slipping dow jones is dropping and closed yesterday at its lowest since March of last year. Gas prices are sky high compared to what they used to be just a few years ago, the housing market is shit, new house construction fell 25% over the past few months I believe. All this crap is chewing up our cash, and wages aren't increasing enough to keep up with everything we would like to do and buy. Sorry I can't blow a g bar or more every year to get a kick ass pc to play the maybe 2-3 games I wanted at the highest settings.
Problem is Unreal just sucks, its been going downhill since UT in 1999, that was the pinnacle of the series. The more they pander to console players the worse the game gets.
@Corak
Exactly!
I won't play UT3 until it comes out for the 360, so meh.
I tried playing UT 3 a friends house and it just feels the same. Except I did not see that cool gameplay mode I used to love. It still just is a twitch fest. It is too much of a commitment to get a PC that strong for something that is more or less the same.
Just some stupid drunk people.
@SniperFodder
It is a small world. What part of city. Im on the South.
Also, I bet TF2 took some of the UT2k4 players... like me.
@Caffeine
I really liked UT 99, hated 2k3 and the console ones, but loved 2k4.
"For all intended purposes" = FAIL!
For all intents and purposes = WIN!
(Adv. 1. for all intents and purposes - in every practical sense; "to all intents and purposes the case is closed"; "the rest are for all practical purposes useless"
Sorry to be that guy... Just spreading some vernacular love.
You got me man. Thanks for the clarification.
As spastic as the gameplay is, it's pretty boring. Single player (story mode) is actually very, very nonsensical; I can't even stand to discuss it.
Unreal 3 is a console game that made the jump to PC, and it shows really badly.
And like Knives said, TF2 is just killing Unreal 3 right now. Unreal 3 just isn't fun on the PC.
Reflection Ridge area. You a South East grajitt?
*Yes, I know that is not how the line goes so back off!