The latest game from artsy auteurs thatgamecompany, the PS3 exclusive Journey has smashed previous records to become the fastest selling game on Sony’s Playstation-centric digital download service.
It’s not your usual sort of game; instead of killing anything, you play as a robed figure in a vast desert, trying to reach a mountain in the distance. You can meet up with other players along the way – who can help or hinder your progress -though you’re unable to communicate with them; so not the sort of thing that sells really well.
Though no actual sales numbers have been provided, Sony and thatgamecompany have confirmed the title’s “officially broken PlayStation Network and PlayStation Store sales records,” to become the fastest selling title on the PS3 for both US and European regions. Fan response to the game has been incredible – and more people have written to thatgamecompany extoling the game’s virtues in the two weeks since its release than they did for Flower – another PSN favourite of mine.
It’s a well deserved accolade, and I’m exceedingly happy that something so unique and off-the-wall has managed to snap up both critical and consumer acclaim. Maybe, just maybe its success – and that of other games like Skyrim that aren’t first-person shooters might start convincing publishers that not every game needs to follow in Call of Duty’s footsteps.
As a thank you to fans, thatgamecompany will be releasing Journey’s transcendental soundtrack to the PSN and iTunes on April 11.
If you have a PS3 and you’ve not picked up Journey yet, you really should – it’s a pretty emotionally fulfilling experience. If you don;t have a PS3, then just be happy to know that thatgamecompany’s 3-game contract to produce games exclusively for Sony has come to an end – and that you might be able to experience whatever it is they do next.
Last Updated: March 30, 2012
