Rise of the Tomb Raider

[BaronSqwelch]

The fact it has "flopped" hopefully means a cheap dea soon. I'm making it my Christmas break game.

[EvilBoris]

Europe.

It was UK only sales
It's estimated (by neogaf no less) that 8500 units were 360 and 48500 were Xbox One.

Tomb Raider Definitive edition sold 1/3 of that on it's first weekend. There are clearly multiple factors that mean that it's sold so poorly.

Xbox One install base in the UK is definitely one
People are sitting on Halo 5, COD and Fallout 4 all launched in the last 3 weeks.

Wonder what SE think about it?

[Paddy]

Althought they will naturally want to shift more units, whether it turns out to be a sales flop or not doesn't deter from the fact the game is really enjoyable to play (like a game that makes you forget about the time).

Interesting still that it only shifted that many units in the UK. I would take an educated guess that releasing in the same week as Fallout 4 (and walking through my own city centre I could see the advertising for that game was highly visible with billboard and bus stand ads a plenty) that they should have released it either the week before or after.

All that said, I'm still enjoying the hell out of it and that's what matters to me the most.

[EvilBoris]

It's being made a big deal of, it's sold half of what Tomb Raider sold on 360 during the same time frame.
Given that there were like a billion 360 owners at the time it shouldn't come and too much of a shock that sold more

[fallenangle]

Yes but where are those same XB360 owners now? Their XB360s haven't been exchanged for XBones, everyone seems to be agreed on that, so why aren't they buying RotTR in the sort of numbers as TR2013?

The time limited MS Xbox exclusiveness, staggered console platform and PC release dates I think is very significant. No PS3 version at all either. Do they really think RotTR is going to encourage those who haven't swapped to the PS4 yet to do so?

I think the release date competition was the biggest factor but I honestly also believe, from my experience on a dedicated, very active TR forum that there was actually far less interest in RofTR than you'd expect. Most of that was down to the fact TR2013 was a Marmite game for many long term TR fans. Whilst most would grudging admit it was a decent enough game of its type it simply didn't excite them. It wasn't what they were looking for in a TR game. It was/is too casual gamer friendly and, this isn't meant in pejorative way, that type of gamer is fickle, typically young, mostly male, advertising, peer group and fashion lead.

What gamer like this seeing the adverts for RotTR and then Halo 5 or Fallout 4, is going to ask their parents for the TR game for Xmas or spend their own money on it?

So there you have it, the casual gamers want something else instead, half the potential audience has been excluded until next year and many long term TR fans already underwhelmed by CD's second TR launch and the direction the game series has been taken are reluctant to shell out too . Result: mediocre sales.

[Neon Ignition]

I can see what SquareEnix was thinking with the deal but they opted for the wrong partner which was a shame as they clearly did it planning around Uncharted which ironically moved.

Tomb Raider 2013 sold really well and did so long term so hopefully this will too, I'm skeptical that the game not meeting core fan wishes mattered as that audience had become niche long before the reboot hit.

Honestly, it was a low key launch and one sandwiched between two of the most hyped releases of the year. Had the game hit in Sept or Oct it might well have hit much bigger but they allowed it to get lost amongst the crowd. The other format editions need to come out Easter to Aug next year with a hefty push. Square would do well to have this on PS4 a month or two at most after UC4 whilst the game type is high in gamers minds but they'll likely miss that boat too.

[wakka]

Yes but where are those same XB360 owners now? Their XB360s haven't been exchanged for XBones, everyone seems to be agreed on that, so why aren't they buying RotTR in the sort of numbers as TR2013?

They have either bought PS4s, PCs, or their crusty old 360 is in a cupboard and they either don't game or just play mobile games now. It's basically what Boris said, the Xbox userbase broadly (across 360 and Bone) has diminished drastically since TR 2013 came out.

They definitely picked the wrong partner, but I wonder if Sony would have offered them anywhere near as much as Microsoft did. Microsoft might have felt they needed it more.

[DeathAdder]

I honestly also believe, from my experience on a dedicated, very active TR forum that there was actually far less interest in RofTR than you'd expect.

Care to link to the forum (or PM me a link)?

[Colin]

The chat about this made me start a replay of the last one on PS4, have they calmed down on the awful, AWFUL QTE's with this one?

[Neon Ignition]

I was just about to type no but... I can't quite remember there being any in Rise...
I think one or two unlock moves such as certain dodges have a 1 press QTE aspect but largely they're absent

[Neon Ignition]

Thanks to Steam, this releases on PC next month