Please say the poor sales of LBP are just a blip, it’s just because it wasn’t out for very long in October is all and we can expect to see awesome sales throughout the month of November I am sure. Please say that’s the case because I can’t accept that gamers the world over are not taken with Sackboy.
Though going through the latest sales reports it seems that LBP is now dropping and not climbing… In it’s second week in Japan it dropped from 50k to 16 000 units sold and in it’s third week in the US only moved 66k units.
However there is some light at the end of this tunnel for Media Molecule and Sony, this light is the European and Others chart where LBP sold 274 410 in it’s first week and it is yet to be released in all areas. Could it be that this game is going to bomb in Japan and America only to survive in the smaller regions?
However claiming sales of 274k as a great success would be wrong and we really need to take a look at why people are not picking up this game. From browsing the Internet it seems like a lot of people are still sitting on the sidelines and waiting to see what the game is actually about.
The people who like developing levels have picked it up and the rest of the gamers are now waiting to see if the game offers anything else and to be honest the reports coming out don’t suggest that it does.
All we see are stories about custom levels being deleted and slow sales which makes us worry about how many levels will be created?
Sony and MM need to do something quick to save LBP and I would think there best bet would be a mass TV marketing campaign with a great competition included in the game. Make people take a look and then let Sackboy sell himself.
But the other problem is that this game is hugely appealing to casual gamers and kids and neither of those demographics are willing to fork out the expense of a PS3, Sony needs a price cut before Christmas.
Last Updated: November 18, 2008
darthdad
November 18, 2008 at 09:00
lol
ewie
November 18, 2008 at 09:04
just like Viva Pinata – it only appeal to a certain base of users.
0rk0
November 18, 2008 at 09:08
The problem isn’t the game, but the price.
Nobody in their right mind is going to pay R930 for a game aimed at the casual gamer.
Might consider paying that for Final Fantasy XIII, because I’ll get over 100 hours from it, but it’s a very big might…
I think Sony needs a wake-up call and hopefully this will be it…
janrik
November 18, 2008 at 09:10
a 4 hour long plat former at R999 RRP? No thanks.
And all the really cool ‘re’levels gets deleted by Sony?
It should have been a PSN type title.
StNick
November 18, 2008 at 09:50
“Sony and MM need to do something quick to save LBP and I would think there best bet would be a mass TV marketing campaign with a great competition included in the game. Make people take a look and then let Sackboy sell himself.”
Nail on the head I think… Seems like most people just don’t know what the game is about, and simply reading what it says on the box isn’t gonna sell anyone.
Personally, I am LOVING this game and the poor sales are really a downer. Every PS3 owner needs to pick this one up!
Mac
November 18, 2008 at 10:30
Its a great game, so much fun. I reckon sales will pick up. More marketing is a good idea.
Question if this was on teh WII would it not sell like absolute hotcakes?
MJ
November 18, 2008 at 10:40
LBP VS Gears 2, Fable 2 ,Fallout 3,Farcry 2
makes perfect sense to me ,just to many good titles out there at the moment
janrik
November 18, 2008 at 10:42
IF LBP and BK was on the Wii it would be huge.
Aequitas
November 18, 2008 at 10:54
The problem, I think, is that the vast majority of the game buying public doesn’t -want- to make their own levels …. it’s mostly just the hardcore that do. So, as janrik said, joe public sees a 4 hour platformer for R999 and thinks “Oh HELL NO”
Macethy
November 18, 2008 at 11:05
It’s R999!?! 😯 At BTgames it’s “ONLY” R765,but still I honestly couldn’t care less that I can create my own levels so it has no appeal to me.They shuld have rather made it a PC game.
Fred
November 18, 2008 at 11:17
It was never expected to sell millions upon release , was it ? Just something new and different from all the other great games out there , so the sales are ok in my perspective. It is the game that gets the most playtime in my house at the moment , due to my kid and myself loving it.
baba
November 18, 2008 at 11:41
Where do you get R999 RRP from? Get your facts in order before publishing sh!t.
JimBob
November 18, 2008 at 11:49
It has sold 700,000 copies worldwide despite a botched launch! It’s a new IP! It’s a game that is designed to sell for a long time! What do people really expect? It’s not going to sell as well as Gears of War 2 or Mario straight out the gate.
The game will eventually sell two million, maybe more – just like Uncharted and R&C:ToD, which everyone was fretting about around about this time last year. And you don’t need to pay R999 for the game – you can get for as little as R650 if you import it.
LazySAGamer
November 18, 2008 at 11:54
This comment hit my email and made me panic..
Let’s be clear here.. someone posting a comment isn’t really publishing sh!t… they are just voicing an opinion..
if it’s in the article it’s published and can then officially be called sh!t 😉
But it is possible to pay over R999 for LBP
http://www.wantitall.co.za/Video-Games/LittleBigPlanet__B001IVXI7C has it for only R1039 😉
spl0it
November 18, 2008 at 12:44
LBP is a Gimick.
Gimick can create general excitement when they come out, but once people realise that there is no true value, they move on
Like a Tamacochi 🙂
kab123
November 18, 2008 at 12:54
That price only applies in the RSA which is a blip in the total gaming market. LBP cost the same as any onther xbox game in the EU and US, which are the markets that racks up the numbers. So the price of the game has nothing to do with it’s current sales.
Look, it’s a casual game. Like Wii casuel 3rd party games, they generally don’t bring huge numbers. And especially not in the first week. Like I said previously, this is that a game that everyone will buy and it’s def not a game like gears or WoW that everyone will buy 0.01am on launch day.
kab123
November 18, 2008 at 13:00
Actually a credible source on PH has a list of SK games. LBP has a RRP (set by SK) or R999 (they blame the credit crush ofc). Doesn’t mean it’ll cost R999 in stores though. Anyway, again, the rand cost of the game has fuckol to do with it’s poor sales. Expensive PS# games in only a real problem in 3rd world countries. Or countries that has SK as distributor.
kab123
November 18, 2008 at 13:06
correction:
Like I said previously, this is not a game that everyone will buy and it’s def not a game like gears or WoW that everyone will buy 0.01am on launch day. Especially with all the block busters out there.
Funny enough though, I’m playing LBP more than I’m playing Fallout3, Far Cry 2 or Mirrors Edge. It made me cancel COD5 and I’m also considering canceling R2. For my hardcore needs I’ve WoW. For my casual needs, LBP chews up the hours.
Mac
November 18, 2008 at 13:16
The pet rock mande the inventor millions, i think LBP hold more value than i rock if it is a so called gimmick (which it is not – its fantastic)
Nick
November 18, 2008 at 13:19
I reckon that a crap load of LBP copies are going to be bought as Christmas Gifts within the then next month or so, so lets see how the sales go from here.
ewie
November 18, 2008 at 13:23
They need to bundle it with every console sold.
ewie
November 18, 2008 at 13:24
Microsoft need to bundle viva pinata and Banjo kazoonie with every arcade sold – would be the perfect games for the family.
spl0it
November 18, 2008 at 13:27
In a more serious note the economic downturn might also affect start to affect game sales.
Luckily Tamacochi’s are cheap
baba
November 18, 2008 at 13:32
I appologize Lazy. I’m just fed up with facts being twisted to fall in tune with the MS fanboys. And anybody buying anything from wantitall is either desperate or extremely rich.
And by the way. I paid the same for GEOW2 and LBP, and GEOW2 has been gaining dust for the past 2 weeks now. Talk about a waste of money…
baba
November 18, 2008 at 13:35
You obviously haven’t spend some time with the game. You want to see a gimmick, go buy a Wii.
kab123
November 18, 2008 at 13:40
Ya it’ll take time for this game. Like ewie said, this is a perfect game to bundle with the PS3.
Don’t want to fanboy but let’s not forget it’s far from a sub par game. Last time I checked it has the second highest MC rating bar GTA4 for 2008. This is just another primary example that casual games do not get the massive numbers as the hardcore ones. Casual gamers don’t pre order and pay for games months in advance or addend launch parties. On a Sunday afternoon they browse around in a CAN and buy the stuff on account…
Nick
November 18, 2008 at 14:14
i take it you mean CNA, otherwise you have some really dodgy shopping spots.
darthdad
November 18, 2008 at 14:25
ROFL
kab123
November 18, 2008 at 14:42
No… I meant CAN 😕
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:05
thats why i owna 360
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:07
maybe your right on that one, advertisement or sell figurines make a franchise of it
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:08
answer: no alot of the stuff would of been cut out because storage issues 😛
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:09
people like violsnce,carnage.. they like the cliche type of story thats starts of with… ONE MAN… ONE DESIRE… get my drift
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:10
i see they’re bundeling indi and kung fu panda… but only one of the two games are actaully worth it though
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:12
Jim i understand what your saying. that its a long term investment.. But thats a long wait for game developers. These guys got families to feed and debts to pay too 😛
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:13
Respect
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:16
I remember as a todler Tamagotchis were like R100 and for me that time it was like buying LBP copy in todays market
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:17
what the hell is CAN is it BEE approved lol
Wolfy
November 18, 2008 at 15:18
wowowow wait a sec didnt Sony have this on they’re Demo downloads on PSN atleast?
Jaybay
December 13, 2008 at 17:38
All i can say is that PS3 is the bomb…no offence the ‘WII’s motion sensor has been out for years and its barely realistic and Xbox isnt even full HD and cant play blu-rays which I think is dumb it uses component as HD haha oh well i still use th wii as ‘play play’ but the PS3 for proper realistic gaming…
LazySAGamer
December 13, 2008 at 22:36
The 360 is full HD and also uses HDMI like the PS3, It however can’t play Blu-Rays…