Bioware gets eaten?

[Volourn]

"AND JE WAS NOT A SUCCESS, IT WON'T COME CLOSE TO KOTOR OR NWN IN SALES, BUT IT'S NOT SOME KIND OF MONSTER FAILURE"

 

You don't have to sell as much as NWN, or KOTOR to be a success. 600k+ copies in 6 months is pretty darn good. I also doubt JE cost as much a seither NWN or KOTOR to make as well.

 

Go figure.

 

 

"If Bioware stops making good games I don't buy them.

 

I am capable of that unlike some people!"

 

You win.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Volourn

[Lare Kikkeli]

Havent played any bioware games since the NWN OC...and didnt even finish it. When they make something original that's not for xbox, i might play them again. Who knows, this might turn out to be a good thing. With the amount of money they have now, they might even make a new daikatana

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

OK DAMN IT!

 

THEY ARE NOT IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL

 

AND JE WAS NOT A SUCCESS, IT WON'T COME CLOSE TO KOTOR OR NWN IN SALES, BUT IT'S NOT SOME KIND OF MONSTER FAILURE

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was refering specifically to EA.

 

As I said earlier JE was Biowares first attempt to stand on it's own merits rather than behind a name.

 

If they can only manage around 1/2 mil on thier own projects, then they either have to have a license or they are screwed. It's not the sort of company that can put out those sorts of things and surive intact.

 

Thats why I think Mass Effect (appears I got the right name) is important. Although it will be tied to how many 360's are actually in peoples homes at that point too.

 

Dragon Age . Really dont know I get the feeling that NwN II will be stealing that particular thunder.

[Volourn]

"Really dont know I get the feeling that NwN II will be stealing that particular thunder."

 

How? NWN2 by mid 2006. DA, at the earliest, sometime in 2007.

 

Your numbers do not compute.

[Lare Kikkeli]

How much of the profits from NWN2 does bioware get btw?

[Volourn]

"How much of the profits from NWN2 does bioware get btw?"

 

You actually expect someone here to know the official number? Come on. Don't be silly.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Volourn

[kumquatq3]

You don't have to sell as much as NWN, or KOTOR to be a success.

 

No, you don't, but if Bio could go back in time I bet they don't make this game.

 

I guess whether or not they make a sequel will prove or disprove my point

 

600k+ copies in 6 months is pretty darn good. I also doubt JE cost as much a seither NWN or KOTOR to make as well.

 

Ya, but it's not great. Bio makes RPGs assuming they'll be hits (2 million plus sellers), because they almost always are. I bet there financial backing of JE reflected that.

[Lare Kikkeli]

You could take a wild guess...something like 15%? considering it's their engine.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

"Really dont know I get the feeling that NwN II will be stealing that particular thunder."

 

How? NWN2 by mid 2006. DA, at the earliest, sometime in 2007.

 

Your numbers do not compute.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

People are still playing NwN now.

 

Dragon Age would have to offer something significant since unless you object to the NwN model in principle , you can download as many new stories as you want to play. The time when DA should release is the same time that NwN II will be reaching maturaty with user created content.

[Judge Hades]

Yeah, but the bulk of NWN 1's user made content isn't worth playing.

[Volourn]

"No, you don't, but if Bio could go back in time I bet they don't make this game."

 

I doubt this is true. The BIO bosses have been set on JE since thir inception into the gaming ranks.

 

 

"Ya, but it's not great. Bio makes RPGs assuming they'll be hits (2 million plus sellers), because they almost always are. I bet there financial backing of JE reflected that."

 

No. I'm sure when BIO, and MS went to the table they realzied that JE would likley NOT sell as much as established IPs like D&D and espicially SW. The fact that Bio didn't have to worry about the Ip burden probably made the development cheaper as there was no third party involved. Just them, and the publisher.

 

 

"People are still playing NwN now.

 

Dragon Age would have to offer something significant since unless you object to the NwN model in principle , you can download as many new stories as you want to play. The time when DA should release is the same time that NwN II will be reaching maturaty with user created content. "

 

Everyone who isn't stuck up their butts knows that the majority of people who bought NWN and its epxansions did so for the official campaigns. Period. The same will be true for NWN2, and those same people will likely pick up DA.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Volourn

[kumquatq3]

You could take a wild guess...something like 15%? considering it's their engine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd expect they get 0%

 

Just had to pay for the engine rights

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

No, you don't, but if Bio could go back in time I bet they don't make this game.

 

I guess whether or not they make a sequel will prove or disprove my point

 

Ya, but it's not great. Bio makes RPGs assuming they'll be hits (2 million plus sellers), because they almost always are. I bet there financial backing of JE reflected that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Or perhaps they make it better. It went bargain bin fast enough to make your head spin.

 

It might.

 

Well 1 milion should be a given and in a very short time. IE not counting bargain bin and reissues since the revenue of those is a fraction of the "clean" release.

[Lare Kikkeli]

You could take a wild guess...something like 15%? considering it's their engine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd expect they get 0%

 

Just had to pay for the engine rights

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

oh, ok. didnt know how it works.

[Volourn]

"I'd expect they get 0%

 

Just had to pay for the engine rights"

 

Except the fact that BIO's involvement with NWN2 goes beyond the engine.

 

 

ie. NWN2 is being handled differently than, say, The Wicther another game using the licensed Aurora Engine.

 

 

"It went bargain bin fast enough to make your head spin."

 

$50 is bargain bin? WOWSERS!!!

Edited November 3, 2005 by Volourn

[Judge Hades]

In Canadian money it is. Isn't $50 canadian like $5 USD?

[Lare Kikkeli]

In Canadian money it is.  Isn't $50 canadian like $5 USD? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Isnt 5 USD like 1 euro? :cool:

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Everyone who isn't stuck up their butts knows that the majority of people who bought NWN and its epxansions did so for the official campaigns. Period. The same will be true for NWN2, and those same people will likely pick up DA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yep the same people who were supposed to pick up KOTOR and Jade Empire.

 

I think this shows two things pretty clearly.

 

1. It's not always a good idea to do named material since you may not be able to break away from it.

2. Bioware can't stand on it's own feet in the market without a license to carry it.

 

One would hope that Obsidian will take note of this and perhaps not repeat history.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

In Canadian money it is.  Isn't $50 canadian like $5 USD? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And I though the UK was a rip off when it came to software prices

[Volourn]

"In Canadian money it is. Isn't $50 canadian like $5 USD?"

 

R00fles! (w00t)

 

 

 

"1. It's not always a good idea to do named material since you may not be able to break away from it.

2. Bioware can't stand on it's own feet in the market without a license to carry it. "

 

Yeah, 600k+ copies in about 6 MONTHS (with no expansions). Oh the horror! Not!

 

Anyone whoe xpected JE to do KOTOR (on two systems), or Bg series (2 games +2 expansions), or NWN (+2 expansions) is just plain silly.

 

And, dumb.

 

And, doesn't know anything about the market.

[kumquatq3]

I doubt this is true. The BIO bosses have been set on JE since thir inception into the gaming ranks.

 

As I said, I think a sequel will tell us alot about how they view the success of JE

 

No. I'm sure when BIO, and MS went to the table they realzied that JE would likley NOT sell as much as established  IPs like D&D and espicially SW.

 

True, but is D&D or SW liceanse worth 1.5+ million copies (I can't see JE crossing 900+, much less 750+)? The gaming press didn't seem to think so, judging by the LARGE amount of coverage of JE. My two freinds working at Gamestop we're surprised by the sales of JE. Especially since of the solid reviews.

 

It preformed alright, I don't think Bio is suffering because of it, but I doubt they view it as a success other than a "moral victory" for getting their first original IP off the ground.

 

and I don't disagree that it was somewhat cheaper to make because of being an original IP.

[Judge Hades]

Actually only half the KotOR sales should have been expected since KotOR is on two platforms and Jade Empire was only on one. I am sure JE would have reached the 1 millionth mark by now if it was on both PC and X Box.

[kumquatq3]

"I'd expect they get 0%

 

Just had to pay for the engine rights"

 

Except the fact that BIO's involvement with NWN2 goes beyond the engine.

 

Really, wasn't aware, how so?

 

EDIT: K2 had "bio support", but I doubt that means they cut more than engine support

Edited November 3, 2005 by kumquatq3

[Lare Kikkeli]

"I'd expect they get 0%

 

Just had to pay for the engine rights"

 

Except the fact that BIO's involvement with NWN2 goes beyond the engine.

 

Really, wasn't aware, how so?

 

EDIT: K2 had "bio support", but I doubt that means they cut more than engine support

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Technical help etc...nothing too big.

[kumquatq3]

Actually only half the KotOR sales should have been expected since KotOR is on two platforms and Jade Empire was only on one.  I am sure JE would have reached the 1 millionth mark by now if it was on both PC and X Box.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They thought about porting it.

 

They decided not too.

 

There is a reason why