Sales for Sim City 5

[commanderkai 38]

I love the game, but stop and think. How many of them actually were happy with their purchase?

They were given the opportunity to return the game for a refund.

 

Um, really? The brick wall EA has put up to prevent refunds has been immense, and a number of people don't have the time or patience to wait hours to talk to some customer service rep only to possibly be denied a refund. You really want to argue against their actions and the various statements by those on EA's forums speaking about their experiences on trying to achieve a refund?

[GenXisT 127]

being "happy" with a game has no factor or bearing on sales.

many of the most popular movies that sold bundles are actually rather wack...

Box office totals don't account for "this movie sucked" results... lol

[snick25 384]

Yeah, many games with good sales are pure crap in terms of quality. Most of the games marketed to the crazed social media addicts come to mind (hmm, that sounds familiar actually...).

 

Besides, that figure above only represents the number of people who fell for this scam initially anyway. I'd like to see the real numbers - the number of sales with refunds subtracted. How much you wanna bet that whole issue with "chargebacking"... e.g. EA not giving people refunds were to make their sales numbers look better to their shareholders? I wonder how long they can keep that up...

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

Sales will quickly fall after launch week it wont catch sc4. People now know just how shallow and limited the game is. SC4 is still popular and being modded and played, this game will have a short life span and die quickly.

[wozzar 154]

While it maybe high in sales it is the shelf life that is important. And in ten years time SC13 wont be around and SC4 will still be around. It is a bit like MSTS it is still around despite the competition from Rail Works and the reason being is the mods and the community that supports it.

[Urban Cartographer 601]

I bet that SC2013 would languish in the dustbin of history, just like with Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, another extremely buggy game.  With all those problems, I would not even want a free copy of SC2013 (I would rather re-gift that).

[Xenocity 343]

Actually the yearly Call of Duty games are reviewed quite highly (each game spend 2-3 years in development, there are currently 3 developers who make Call of Duty!)

EA sports games generally review decently every year as does most annualized games.

Also the PC gaming market is about the same size it was in 2004 (market growth has been stagnate).

Simcity 4 was by design a niche game aimed for a niche market, ignoring market research.
Simcity 2013 was built using market data and research to meet the demands of "hardcore" gamers.

If this game gets regular expansion packs, it will be sparred the fate of Simcity 4 (only diehard fans played Simcity 4 after the 3rd year.)

Simcity 2013 is currently at #4 on the UK chart (the new chart was released today.)

In the end I can see this game getting plenty of expansion packs (unless EA cancels them like they did for Simcity 4) and really good sales .

[Mr. Flibble 134]

How many were pre-orders and how steep was the cliff of declining sales after the "launch"? Really what it did was sell 1.1 million copies of other titles that SimCity was given away with as a free bonus now that the compensation is underway. And there appears to be very little, at all, "hardcore" about the new SC. They couldn't have done much market research and data gathering or Lucy Bradshaw would never have said "well we could have, but we didn't" about offline play.

[Hoipus 292]

What remains to be seen is whether the sales follow the Dragon Age 2 pattern or not. For those not familiar, it had a higher first week than it's predecessor, then sales quickly dropped in the second week and the game ended up selling less in the same time period.

[RRtexasranger 45]

EA has revealed that Simcity has sold 1.1 million during the launch week.

This includes all the returned/refunded  copies.

 

Currently sales are just passing 1.3 million and counting.

 

What does this mean?

 

1. It is half way to outselling all the verisons of Simcity 1 combined
2. It is almost half way to outselling all the verisons of Simcity 2000
3. It is almost 1/5th of the way to outselling Simcity 3000
4. It is over half way to outselling Simcity 4

By Easter Sunday Simcity 2013 will be the second best selling Simcity to date (behind Simcity 3000)

 

Never underestimate the power of online gaming...

 

Where exactly do you get the numbers from that it's halfway to outselling simcity 4? If you're going to cite facts you need to provide a source. It's also hardly suprising that its sold more than the earlier simcity games, the market size is much much larger now. I can't help but think a game more like Simcity 4 but with better graphics and a few more options would have sold a lot more than Simcity 2013 has.

The market is also very different than what is was when the early Simcity games came out. Plainly put, simulators and strategy games aren't as popular as they once were. They are close to non-existent on consoles and are only a major genre in PC gaming, which itself hasn't seen too much growth since console gaming has become more popular. Either way, 1.3 million copies for a city simulator in the first two weeks is pretty impressive for a PC game. 

[mastorofpuppetz 199]

What remains to be seen is whether the sales follow the Dragon Age 2 pattern or not. For those not familiar, it had a higher first week than it's predecessor, then sales quickly dropped in the second week and the game ended up selling less in the same time period.

 

 

Yep Windows 8 is another example MS bragged about strong initial sales it has since tanked (Along with their tablets). Its how long it sells after launch is key.

[Xenocity 343]

PC, Mac, Nintendo and smartphones = kiddy and "casual" markets.
There is no proof of "hardcore" gaming on any of these platforms.
Xbox and Playstation are the staple of hardcore gaming as they have been for over a decade.

Simcity has always been labeled as kiddy due to the graphics and the lack of mature content.

Call of Duty has been the defining "hardcore" gaming for the past 7 years, it dethroned GTA.

Sales data and market research don't lie, Simcity 4 fans do.

[The_City_Builder 299]

I love the game, but stop and think. How many of them actually were happy with their purchase?

They were given the opportunity to return the game for a refund.

Which almost nobody got because EA took down the support number and banned users for complaining.

 

Seriously, I love SimCity. But I'm just saying.

[Biscuits33 0]

UPDATE: Sim City sells over 1 million units in first two weeks!

 

http://news.ea.com/press-release/company-news/simcity-sells-more-1-million-launch

 

“SimCity had a great weekend with sales strong across both North America and Europe, adding to overwhelming demand at launch that has us tracking well beyond expectations for the game,” said Peter Moore, Chief Operating Officer for EA.

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

It'd be quite interesting to know what the sales target is -- I'm sure it would be far in excess of previous versions. The influence of the marketing campaign has obviously played a key role here. This kind of mass media wasn't as dominant in 2002/03. Social networking (such as Facebook, Twitter) has only become very popular in the last five or so years.

 

Also, since this is technically the first SimCity for a decade, many people rushed to preorder it at a very early stage. The SimCity community has grown quite considerably, with many new players becoming interested in the franchise. The younger generation have grown up being accustomed to social networking, so it's no surprise that an online multiplayer game has a strong appeal to this audience.

 

---

On a side note, comments that personally attack others have been removed. It's absolutely fine to have an opinion. But please share it constructively, discussing the topic, not each other. Thanks

[Ion_Cannon 677]

Simcity 4 fans in denial of reality per usual.

PC, Mac, Nintendo and smartphones = kiddy and "casual" markets.

There is no proof of "hardcore" gaming on any of these platforms.

Xbox and Playstation are the staple of hardcore gaming as they have been for over a decade.

Simcity has always been labeled as kiddy due to the graphics and the lack of mature content.

Call of Duty has been the defining "hardcore" gaming for the past 7 years, it dethroned GTA.

Sales data and market research don't lie, Simcity 4 fans do.

 

You clearly don't have much of a grasp of the games market.

 

First of all core games and hardcore games are not the same thing. Core games are things such as COD, Assasins Creed, Gears of War, Hitman ect, these are generally aimed at quite a large audience, have a low skill ceiling and have high production values. Core games such as the above are available on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, though admittedly not all core games release onto PC. Hardcore games are games that have a high skill ceiling, and often have highly competitive and active communities, these are games such as Counter Strike, Starcraft 1/2, Tribes ect and you'll find all these games on the PC. Make no mistake, competitive and/or hardcore gaming is still almost solely on the PC.

[wozzar 154]

It'd be quite interesting to know what the sales target is -- I'm sure it would be far in excess of previous versions. The influence of the marketing campaign has obviously played a key role here. This kind of mass media wasn't as dominant in 2002/03. Social networking (such as Facebook, Twitter) has only become very popular in the last five or so years.

 

Also, since this is technically the first SimCity for a decade, many people rushed to preorder it at a very early stage. The SimCity community has grown quite considerably, with many new players becoming interested in the franchise. The younger generation have grown up being accustomed to social networking, so it's no surprise that an online multiplayer game has a strong appeal to this audience.

 

---

On a side note, comments that personally attack others have been removed. It's absolutely fine to have an opinion. But please share it constructively, discussing the topic, not each other. Thanks

So did SCS and look what happen to that it failed miserably. This was aimed at the casual gamers and the gamers that played the Sims. It is the same with SC13 execpt the take up rate of SC13 is  slightly better than SCS but it will never beat SC4 in sales.

[macvirt 361]

EA has revealed that Simcity has sold 1.1 million during the launch week.

This includes all the returned/refunded  copies.

 

Currently sales are just passing 1.3 million and counting.

 

What does this mean?

 

1. It is half way to outselling all the verisons of Simcity 1 combined
2. It is almost half way to outselling all the verisons of Simcity 2000
3. It is almost 1/5th of the way to outselling Simcity 3000
4. It is over half way to outselling Simcity 4

By Easter Sunday Simcity 2013 will be the second best selling Simcity to date (behind Simcity 3000)

 

Never underestimate the power of online gaming...

 

Where exactly do you get the numbers from that it's halfway to outselling simcity 4? If you're going to cite facts you need to provide a source. It's also hardly suprising that its sold more than the earlier simcity games, the market size is much much larger now. I can't help but think a game more like Simcity 4 but with better graphics and a few more options would have sold a lot more than Simcity 2013 has.

 

Not to mention how it is comparing relative scales  

 

We can't compare the sales figures of an SC1 with those of an SC XYZ, different market targets, different times, different economies, different volumes. And so forth

 

Ofcourse, that does not stop people, this is after all the art of statistics ... 

[T Wrecks 10,210]

I am yet to see a source (link to the medium where these numbers are mentioned, plus hopefully a description of how these numbers were put together). Only then can we start talking in the first place.

 

So far every single post in this thread has been claim, speculation, or an attack on what's regarded as the respective opposing group. I miss the bread and butter here. Oh, and some cool temper couldn't hurt, I guess. I'd gladly trade in some excess personal involvement and discipleship for that.

[Xenocity 343]

I am yet to see a source (link to the medium where these numbers are mentioned, plus hopefully a description of how these numbers were put together). Only then can we start talking in the first place.

 

So far every single post in this thread has been claim, speculation, or an attack on what's regarded as the respective opposing group. I miss the bread and butter here. Oh, and some cool temper couldn't hurt, I guess. I'd gladly trade in some excess personal involvement and discipleship for that.

You can lock the thread now.

Every time a game is scanned out at a register or downloaded it is recorded as a sale.

[cirugo 1,889]

was it profitable? particularly considering all of the additional servers they had to put up and the free games they've been giving to people?  and the lost potential due to the incredible backlash and bad press?

[macvirt 361]

Core = AAA titles in our industry, but it also is a concept used for categorising prospect markets related.

 

The format however is a different case, for example an FPS AAA title can be released as a Core game but it can also be a niche game and a leisure market game, or casual market game, and so forth. Formats used to be a case of genres and niches, but that has changed with the entry of microtransaction concepts and mobility & social market orientations.

 

It's why I have stated before that SC2013 is such a smart and well developed product for the volume market targets desired by EA under the circumstances of today and in service of its own strategic goals. The quality or individual reception of the game is not relevant to them in any way or form in this. The real issue is that EA got caught using Big Lie methodology. And that is really its own fault.

[michal27278 68]

Core = AAA titles in our industry, but it also is a concept used for categorising prospect markets related.

 

The format however is a different case, for example an FPS AAA title can be released as a Core game but it can also be a niche game and a leisure market game, or casual market game, and so forth. Formats used to be a case of genres and niches, but that has changed with the entry of microtransaction concepts and mobility & social market orientations.

 

It's why I have stated before that SC2013 is such a smart and well developed product for the volume market targets desired by EA under the circumstances of today and in service of its own strategic goals. The quality or individual reception of the game is not relevant to them in any way or form in this. The real issue is that EA got caught using Big Lie methodology. And that is really its own fault.

 

I agree with you. But at certain point no one can hide the truth. Maybe more people have tendency to believe in something without critical thinking, but not all of them. EA goes too far with this. Very far. 

[Kabloosh 7]

They played on my want for a more modern Sim City to play.

 

I didn't even bother looking at Sim City Societies because it lacked many core logistical challenge aspects that are in the more traditional Sim City games.

[macvirt 361]

Core = AAA titles in our industry, but it also is a concept used for categorising prospect markets related.

 

The format however is a different case, for example an FPS AAA title can be released as a Core game but it can also be a niche game and a leisure market game, or casual market game, and so forth. Formats used to be a case of genres and niches, but that has changed with the entry of microtransaction concepts and mobility & social market orientations.

 

It's why I have stated before that SC2013 is such a smart and well developed product for the volume market targets desired by EA under the circumstances of today and in service of its own strategic goals. The quality or individual reception of the game is not relevant to them in any way or form in this. The real issue is that EA got caught using Big Lie methodology. And that is really its own fault.

 

I agree with you. But at certain point no one can hide the truth. Maybe more people have tendency to believe in something without critical thinking, but not all of them. EA goes too far with this. Very far. 

 

 

What does truth have to do with it? Well, it is only ever a factor when people pull their own pants down, but even then most of the time publishers are smart enough to ensure that truth serves their purpose. Look at SC2013, a lot of issues are really only issues because people who came from SC4 bought the marketing and came to the game not only with created expectations, but more importantly with their tendency to puzzle. So when things did not add up, they picked things apart. 

 

But one very desired result of that in a reboot execution format is that this way because of such issues you cut off those types of users, and they are not your target market anyway. They are a resource, they have served their purpose, the target is a volume market where people play casually online without picking apart the game when their expectations are not met - because they are given just that which fits their behaviour. 

 

SC2013 is really well designed in that way. Any next SimCity is an easy venture for that volume market of leisure and casual social / multi play. EA may decide to once again try to generate exposure and messaging by means of using those who's expectations are not met by a straight reboot application, but chances are they won't even have to or want to. Such user types cost more. They are a niche. Cutting them off pays more, it makes control over volume markets easier and cheaper. 

 

Yes, I do agree that EA has grown to be counterproductive to its own long term interests. But those interests do not matter as long as EA can maintain short cycle investment runs. Simple. It does not pay for EA to change. They just have to entrench deeper, and enhance the current instrumentation to control the narrative better. Which is cheap. Especially now that many of those niche markets who do go deep, so to speak, are a lot less likely to jump on the next incarnation.

[michal27278 68]

 

Core = AAA titles in our industry, but it also is a concept used for categorising prospect markets related.

 

The format however is a different case, for example an FPS AAA title can be released as a Core game but it can also be a niche game and a leisure market game, or casual market game, and so forth. Formats used to be a case of genres and niches, but that has changed with the entry of microtransaction concepts and mobility & social market orientations.

 

It's why I have stated before that SC2013 is such a smart and well developed product for the volume market targets desired by EA under the circumstances of today and in service of its own strategic goals. The quality or individual reception of the game is not relevant to them in any way or form in this. The real issue is that EA got caught using Big Lie methodology. And that is really its own fault.

 

I agree with you. But at certain point no one can hide the truth. Maybe more people have tendency to believe in something without critical thinking, but not all of them. EA goes too far with this. Very far. 

 

 

What does truth have to do with it? Well, it is only ever a factor when people pull their own pants down, but even then most of the time publishers are smart enough to ensure that truth serves their purpose. Look at SC2013, a lot of issues are really only issues because people who came from SC4 bought the marketing and came to the game not only with created expectations, but more importantly with their tendency to puzzle. So when things did not add up, they picked things apart. 

 

But one very desired result of that in a reboot execution format is that this way because of such issues you cut off those types of users, and they are not your target market anyway. They are a resource, they have served their purpose, the target is a volume market where people play casually online without picking apart the game when their expectations are not met - because they are given just that which fits their behaviour. 

 

SC2013 is really well designed in that way. Any next SimCity is an easy venture for that volume market of leisure and casual social / multi play. EA may decide to once again try to generate exposure and messaging by means of using those who's expectations are not met by a straight reboot application, but chances are they won't even have to or want to. Such user types cost more. They are a niche. Cutting them off pays more, it makes control over volume markets easier and cheaper. 

 

Yes, I do agree that EA has grown to be counterproductive to its own long term interests. But those interests do not matter as long as EA can maintain short cycle investment runs. Simple. It does not pay for EA to change. They just have to entrench deeper, and enhance the current instrumentation to control the narrative better. Which is cheap. Especially now that many of those niche markets who do go deep, so to speak, are a lot less likely to jump on the next incarnation.

 

I completely understand what are you saying. Maybe next most successful game from EA will be a rolling cube on the screen. And maybe they will sell it for $100 in 50 000 000 copies. And maybe they will sell it as RPG genre... And many people will believe that it is best RPG game ever.

[macvirt 361]

As long as people buy it, anything goes. Making people buy anything is easy. Just control the narrative, and if that does not work throw them a bone so you can divide them between those who want to believe and those who want to inform themselves. The latter are too expensive to bother with anyway. 

[T Wrecks 10,210]

@ Xenocity: Ah, oops... missed the link there behind the "EA". My bad. So straight from them, eh? 

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find any info on how that was counted. You say this number included refunded/returned copies, but the article didn't mention any of that, or I'm being blind again. You also say that "Every time a game is scanned out at a register or downloaded it is recorded as a sale", which sounds logical enough, but that doesn't tell anything about refunded copies, either. I must have missed something.

 

 

"Currently sales are just passing 1.3 million and counting", you say... that may very well be possible, but all I read in that article that has this number in it is "SimCity gamers have also helped set new records for peak concurrent users on Origin, now at 1.3 million and rising" . In other words, the number of peak concurrent users on Origin (across all games offered via this platform) has been brought to 1.3 million in total, thanks in part to an unmentioned number of SC players.

 

I guess that shows that their approach to use SC2013 in order to boost Origin (as we have seen during the last days, there was little other use for "always online" apparently, despite claims to the contrary) has turned out to be successful, at least for the time being.

 

Future will tell how this story continues, if the success can be sustained in the long run, if it may have an intangible price tag attached to it, and, if so, we'll see how big it is and if it has an impact.

 

Oh, and by the way: I'm not a moderator in this sub-forum, and even if I was, why would I lock the thread? 

[Sunfighter 186]

Fact is, sales of this game will drop off rapidly after this amazing first week.  The first week was only due to the fact EA has great marketing, and itd been 10 years from the last cycle, so there was mass interest in seeing a new one, as well as the older generation wanting to share their game with their children..... It will collapse faster than a German advance into Russia. Its not only a terrible city simulator which kills off the hardcore, its just a downright terrible game too which kills off the casuals.

[macvirt 361]

@ Xenocity: Ah, oops... missed the link there behind the "EA". My bad. So straight from them, eh? 

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find any info on how that was counted. You say this number included refunded/returned copies, but the article didn't mention any of that, or I'm being blind again. You also say that "Every time a game is scanned out at a register or downloaded it is recorded as a sale", which sounds logical enough, but that doesn't tell anything about refunded copies, either. I must have missed something.

 

 

"Currently sales are just passing 1.3 million and counting", you say... that may very well be possible, but all I read in that article that has this number in it is "SimCity gamers have also helped set new records for peak concurrent users on Origin, now at 1.3 million and rising" . In other words, the number of peak concurrent users on Origin (across all games offered via this platform) has been brought to 1.3 million in total, thanks in part to an unmentioned number of SC players.

 

I guess that shows that their approach to use SC2013 in order to boost Origin (as we have seen during the last days, there was little other use for "always online" apparently, despite claims to the contrary) has turned out to be successful, at least for the time being.

 

Future will tell how this story continues, if the success can be sustained in the long run, if it may have an intangible price tag attached to it, and, if so, we'll see how big it is and if it has an impact.

 

Oh, and by the way: I'm not a moderator in this sub-forum, and even if I was, why would I lock the thread? 

 

It includes batches (boxes but also key packs) bought by retailers. It's not the same as sales to end-users.