Alpha Protocol sales and sequel

[epektasis]

(sorry for my poor english)

 

VGChartz reports that Alpha Protocol sales (only on Ps3 and XBOX 360) are around 200,000 copies (12 June 2010).

Are too few to hope for a sequel or a DLC?

[Nightshape]

(sorry for my poor english)

 

VGChartz reports that Alpha Protocol sales (only on Ps3 and XBOX 360) are around 200,000 copies (12 June 2010).

Are too few to hope for a sequel or a DLC?

 

Not alot of sales... but more than I expected.

[pmp10]

(sorry for my poor english)

 

VGChartz reports that Alpha Protocol sales (only on Ps3 and XBOX 360) are around 200,000 copies (12 June 2010).

Are too few to hope for a sequel or a DLC?

VGChartz predictions are little more than guesswork. The only sales-releated information released was the number of initial preorders which could have easily changed given the critical reception. As for DLC - tracking active number of players on xfire and steam seems to show that AP popularity is abysmal so I wouln't count on it.

[naarkh]

(sorry for my poor english)

 

VGChartz reports that Alpha Protocol sales (only on Ps3 and XBOX 360) are around 200,000 copies (12 June 2010).

Are too few to hope for a sequel or a DLC?

VGChartz predictions are little more than guesswork. The only sales-releated information released was the number of initial preorders which could have easily changed given the critical reception. As for DLC - tracking active number of players on xfire and steam seems to show that AP popularity is abysmal so I wouln't count on it.

 

Typical response but kinda true : Even though these can give us some clues not everyone uses xfire or steam.

 

And also not everyone continues to play a game after finishing it once until something new(aka dlc/big mods/expansion pack/sequel) comes out/announced. It's not multiplayer after all.(If they only knew what they're missing... Anyway these guys/lads make me feel special)

 

It's like mini skirt as Ebbe Skovdahl would say... It can give you good ideas but hide the most important thing

 

Not that i think AP sales are more than 150-200k sadly but just playing devil's advocate here.

[Hurlshort]

I wonder what number they need to hit to be considered a success? I would think around 300k or so would be a good number, but I could be way off.

[Spydude]

Counting PC sales it should easily be 300,000.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Counting PC sales it should easily be 300,000.

 

I wouldn't be so sure.

Sales on PC are usually inferior to sales on console.

Granted, probably the people interested in Alpha Protocol are more PC gamers but still...

 

If, and that's a big IF, this numbers are true, they're not as bad as I expected, considering the game hasn't been out for long, but I still doubt they'll ever work with the IP anymore, unless someone buys it from SEGA ultra-cheap and does a sequel on its own.

So, in the end, I'd write off AP as a failure for Obsidian (after all, it was their first original IP, and they were certainly try to do something more) and it's in part their fault for that.

Hopefully they'll keep what's good in the game for their next projects and scrap what's bad (crippled level design, forced boss fights when the rest of the game emphasizes non-combat gameplay if you want to, etc.).

 

At least, it seems that, true or not, what that anonymous so-called dev said in that post comment is true : the other projects are already looking much better.

 

EDIT : When I said 'failure for Obsidian' I meant of course from a reputation/sales point of view. They tried starting a franchise and making something that would be followed when it comes to rpgs. They didn't succeed.

Edited June 23, 2010 by WorstUsernameEver

[Bos_hybrid]

I wonder what number they need to hit to be considered a success? I would think around 300k or so would be a good number, but I could be way off.

 

Depends on the amount spent on the game. For example Mirrors Edge was considered a failure(EA), it's now at 1.83mil (360/PS3). Or to use another Sega title, AvP, which is currently at 1.36mil and was(I believe) considered a success.

 

If I were to hazard a guess though, 300,000 is not going to encourage a sequel.

[C2B]

Uhmm, as much as it isn't fast selling....

 

 

AP isn't even a month out. A sequel can still be encouraged however if there are enough sales down the line. Happened before.

[WorstUsernameEver]

AP isn't even a month out. A sequel can still be encouraged however if there are enough sales down the line. Happened before.

 

Hopefully, since there's a lot of potential and they'll probably have less problems with the tech, but I'm trying to not get my hopes up, since for now it's unlikely.

[C2B]

AP isn't even a month out. A sequel can still be encouraged however if there are enough sales down the line. Happened before.

 

Hopefully, since there's a lot of potential and they'll probably have less problems with the tech, but I'm trying to not get my hopes up, since for now it's unlikely.

 

 

Well, considering the general concisous towards this game has largly shifted towards the game (nice to see at example on gamefaqs) and Alpha Protocol has every chance to be a cult game I expect actually it to sell better down the line.

 

But you're right we'll see. I just want to say it's too early to mourn.

[Starwars]

I don't think a sequel will happen either to be honest. But there are also other factors, such as that they've spent a really long time on this game, the setting, the ruleset/mechanics, the characters, creating a new franchise basically. Even if AP didn't perform up to their standards sales-wise, the work done already could possibly be capitalized upon.

 

But yep, I doubt it. Either way, *if* a sequel happens I really want OEI to handle it. I'd rather have no sequel at all if another company were to handle it.

[Bos_hybrid]

Well, considering the general concisous towards this game has largly shifted towards the game (nice to see at example on gamefaqs) and Alpha Protocol has every chance to be a cult game I expect actually it to sell better down the line.

 

Becuase VTM:B got a sequel, due to it's cult status. As did Freespace, Freelancer, Jedi Knight, Shemnue, PS:T etc. Even sadder is when cult games have got a new lease on life(FO/DX) they've been done by different devs.

[Flouride]

Counting PC sales it should easily be 300,000.

 

Depends a lot on piracy. Personally I would imagine the PC sales are somewhere between 100-200k (globally) that would put the overall sales around 300-400k if those vgcharts numbers are somewhat accurate.

[Flouride]

Becuase VTM:B got a sequel, due to it's cult status. As did Freespace, Freelancer, Jedi Knight, Shemnue, PS:T etc. Even sadder is when cult games have got a new lease on life(FO/DX) they've been done by different devs.

 

Actually Freespace did get a sequel.

[Oner]

Jedi Knight and Shenmue too.

Edited June 23, 2010 by Oner

[C2B]

Well, considering the general concisous towards this game has largly shifted towards the game (nice to see at example on gamefaqs) and Alpha Protocol has every chance to be a cult game I expect actually it to sell better down the line.

 

Becuase VTM:B got a sequel, due to it's cult status. As did Freespace, Freelancer, Jedi Knight, Shemnue, PS:T etc. Even sadder is when cult games have got a new lease on life(FO/DX) they've been done by different devs.

 

Freespace, Jedi Knight, Shenmue, Deus Ex (by the same devs) got one. PS:T is a license issue. Freelancer had several problems preventing it but is a candidat for a series that may be resurrected.

 

Your point?

 

(And yeah, DX2 wasn't too great but still by a lot of the same devs.)

Edited June 23, 2010 by C2B

[WorstUsernameEver]

Well, considering the general concisous towards this game has largly shifted towards the game (nice to see at example on gamefaqs) and Alpha Protocol has every chance to be a cult game I expect actually it to sell better down the line.

 

Becuase VTM:B got a sequel, due to it's cult status.

 

IIRC VTM:B sold even worse than Alpha Protocol.

But yeah, I think too that the most probable possibility is that AP won't have a sequel.

At best, I think we can expect a spiritual successor by Obsidian, maybe in a slightly different setting, with revamped systems but a similar premise. Assuming a publisher wants to take the risk.

[Tigranes]

Early signs suggest Alpha Protocol wasn't a big hit, but I think it would have sold decently, and will continue to get buys after a while. I'd think 500k would be the minimum for publishers to view AP in a good light (conversely, Deus Ex only sold around 500k after a few months... but that's PC only, I guess), and I think it should reach that point...

[epektasis]

I wonder what number they need to hit to be considered a success? I would think around 300k or so would be a good number, but I could be way off.

 

Depends on the amount spent on the game. For example Mirrors Edge was considered a failure(EA), it's now at 1.83mil (360/PS3). Or to use another Sega title, AvP, which is currently at 1.36mil and was(I believe) considered a success.

 

If I were to hazard a guess though, 300,000 is not going to encourage a sequel.

 

(Sorry for my poor english)

 

I didn't know that Mirror's Edge had sold so much (IMHO a great game, aesthetically one of the best in this videogame generation). The thing that I don't understand is: how can Mirror's Edge be considered a failure, having sold 1.83 million copies? How much money was spent to produce and advertise Mirror's Edge? Is impossible that they have spent more than Mass Effect 2, a game that has sold the same amount of copies of Mirror's Edge, and that only for dubbing must have cost a fortune to EA . In this sense, if Mirror's Edge is a failure, then Mass Effect 2 should be considered a colossal failure. Or not?

Edited June 23, 2010 by epektasis

[Tigranes]

ME2, as a sequel using the same engine, would have cost significantly less to develop. Mirror's Edge was a big project, new IP, lot sof marketing, all in one.

 

Also, EA has high expectations sometimes...

[Grand_Commander13]

Alpha Protocol's setting is really so unimportant. It has some great characters in it, but in a sequel you don't want to bring back too many characters after an ending like Alpha Protocol's (big sign of sequelitis). More important is the skill that went into writing those characters.

 

Truth be told all of the great stuff about Alpha Protocol could be moved over to a sci-fi game or a modern game in a different setting (I'm partial to a PMC fighting terrorists in an unnamed country myself; call me ) with no trouble at all. If they decided the name was a liability that needed to be shed. If they wanted the name to carry on, well, I say go with G22.

[Thorton_AP]

1.83 sales when the game is $50 is different than when lots of them occur at $20.

[Libertarian]

Like I've said before, The Conduit failed, MadWorld failed, HotD: Overkill failed, and yet Sega is still moving on with The Conduit 2 because they see a lot of potential.

 

The same could happen with Alpha Protocol.

[Hurlshort]

They were probably expecting Assassin's Creed numbers for Mirror's Edge. They spent a lot of money on it.

 

I think AP will not get a sequel because it does not seem like Obsidian and Sega have a great relationship at this point. I would be surprised to see them work together again. Thankfully Obsidian is already moving forward and working with other publishers, but I doubt Square Enix wants to do AP2.