Topic: Dragon Quest X Launch

[alegoicoe]

I have read a couple of articles including this one; http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/dragon-quest-x-wii-u-has-weak-launch-at-japanese-retail/, that are calling the launch of dragon quest a bad one based on a two day week. Sales were around 33,000 which is not a great number, but certain websites are calling doom because of the low sales, which again, it only covers two days. These numbers do not take into consideration digital sales neither the reminder of the week; in which I am sure the sales numbers will surpass 200,000 copies easily. It really bothers me, because every Wii U news that comes around journalist are taking it to an extreme, a ridiculous extreme in my opinion. I know the game is not pulling DS numbers, but gaming websites are bashing the game sales way too early to call the game a failure. I am sure sales for this game are going to improve with time and adoption rates, especially when the games hits outside of Japan.

[JTurner82]

I have read a couple of articles including this one; http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/dragon-quest-x-wii-u-has-weak-launch-at-japanese-retail/, that are calling the launch of dragon quest a bad one based on a two day week. Sales were around 33,000 which is not a great number, but certain websites are calling doom because of the low sales, which again, it only covers two days. These numbers do not take into consideration digital sales neither the reminder of the week; in which I am sure the sales numbers will surpass 200,000 copies easily. It really bothers me, because every Wii U news that comes around journalist are taking it to an extreme, a ridiculous extreme in my opinion. I know the game is not pulling DS numbers, but gaming websites are bashing the game sales way too early to call the game a failure. I am sure sales for this game are going to improve with time and adoption rates, especially when the games hits outside of Japan.

Don't pay attention to the media.  They'll say anything to twist the actual "truth".


And besides, the sale rate was 60-80% of the stock.  It didn't fail.  It just didn't sell in the same way as the previous DQ ones.  And it DID boost the sales.  Maybe only minimally, but an increase is an increase.


That said, I don't really see this selling 200,000, especially if the shipment was only about 50k or so.  But who knows.  Maybe the sales are indeed higher on the eShop version.  We'll have to wait and see how this goes.

Whether the game sales pick up or not, the real money is in the subscriptions and the digital money.  So my guess is that it's already made its money back.  Square-Enix will continue to support WiiU, and hopefully not with another MMORPG.

As for this game coming outside of Japan, that isn't a certainty just yet, but if Square-Enix wants to make more money on this, they'll have to bring it stateside.  There was also Iwata's declaration to help third-party developers publish their titles stateside.  This will probably be one of them.

[alegoicoe]

I think square enix is pleased with the sales so far, if not, they would have mentioned it in the press release rgarding the sales of tomb raider and other square titles. I also think that dragon quest is a title that will see its return in the long run and square knew this from the getgo due to taking the franchise into new grounds. Another thing is that square developed DQX with in house assest and man power, unlike titles such as tomb raider that needed a massive budget and in turn massive sales in order to break even, which is not the case for DQ.

[JTurner82]

I think square enix is pleased with the sales so far, if not, they would have mentioned it in the press release rgarding the sales of tomb raider and other square titles. I also think that dragon quest is a title that will see its return in the long run and square knew this from the getgo due to taking the franchise into new grounds. Another thing is that square developed DQX with in house assest and man power, unlike titles such as tomb raider that needed a massive budget and in turn massive sales in order to break even, which is not the case for DQ.

So DQX has basically already recovered its cost, thanks to the Wii's 600,000+ sales.  The 50,000 or so that the WiiU port will clear thus far is probably just loose change.  IT couldn't have cost that much to upgrade the game.

[Ceric]

Since DQX was originally intended to go to the WiiU as well as the Wii I'm sure all the assets were made with the Wii U in mind and then scaled down for Wii.  Meaning that Wii U stuff was just Quirks they couldn't iron out till final dev hardware.  Yeah this has to be easy money for them and I'm sure this will be a mostly digitally sold title.  You have to have in Internet connection to play the game and it will use the internal storage a large part no matter what.  When I buy an MMO I get it digitally myself.  Why?  Because if the servers are down and I can't just redownload it I'm also not playing the game.

[JTurner82]

Luckily the MiiVerse count for the game, thus far, is high.  Meaning that there IS interest in the game.  I'm calling it:  the digital sales are doing the job, not the physical ones.

[Dow Jones]

I'm really REALLY hoping that this will come to America and the rest of the world. I don't understand how an MMORPG would work on the Wii but the Wii U is definitely the ideal way to play. I'm thinking it will come to the States because of the success of DQIX and a growing demand and excitement for it. I'm not sure if I'd buy it digitally but I'd hope there's a Collector's Edition or something if it ever comes out here.

[Kairon]

God this game better come to the states...

[Louieturkey]

God this game better come to the states...

Is that a prayer?

[alegoicoe]

With Square-Enix going under massive restructuring; it might be prayers

[Adrock]

I thought Nintendo published Dragon Quest in NA so wouldn't it be up to them? /insert Reggie bashing here

[broodwars]

Where these numbers should be concerning is in regards to the game's prospective sales in the West.  Japan is the only region where Dragon Quest is more than a statistical anomaly on the sales charts, and the sales for this MMO haven't been altogether great on either platform it's been on.  If that's how it's doing in a region where its sales will be strongest and where they can still get away with a subscription-based MMO, that doesn't speak well for the game's sales prospects outside Japan (where MMOs routinely fail and Dragon Quest is very much a niche series).  Unless Square-Enix decides to take a bath on the game for the sake of pride (or they con Nintendo into doing it for them), I don't see this game leaving Japan.  Fans in the west will probably have to wait for DQ 11 in 2020.

[Mop it up]

We probably won't be seeing it, but I'm still hoping that Nintendo pick up the game and restructure it.

[alegoicoe]

We probably won't be seeing it, but I'm still hoping that Nintendo pick up the game and restructure it.

I think if they remove the MMO aspect of the game, it could very well make into NA.

[Adrock]

So........... if they make it an entirely different game, it could make it to NA. Technically true, but come on...

[Mop it up]

Well that's the question I have, how easy would it be to make it not an MMO? I don't know anything about it to know if that's feasible. If they could make it work like Monster Hunter where you just play with one group, then they wouldn't need dedicated servers and it would be like all their other online games. I would actually prefer it be this way, myself.

[alegoicoe]

So........... if they make it an entirely different game, it could make it to NA. Technically true, but come on...

A bit harsh I know, but we got to be a bit optimistic. In light of the less than stellar launch the game had in Japan, changes might be underway for Europe and NA, just saying.....

[TJ Spyke]

Actually, the game has sold pretty well in Japan based on how many copies Square Enix shipped, and the fact that its a MMO (which are not that popular in Japan).

[Shaymin]

Well, there is the possibility of an EU launch at least: Amazon FR (for what it's worth, the game is PEGI 12).

And the physical sales were low because they were giving existing players the ability to upgrade for half price on the eShop.