A word to publishers: Taking your franchise away from a developer two week’s before the release of the next game in the series doesn’t make for strong first week sales.
According to Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz, the second plastic skateboard installment of the Tony Hawk franchise only managed to move 3000 copies during its first week of release.
That’s pretty abysmal, but it really isn’t much of a surprise. Considering the poor critical and retail reception Tony Hawk: Ride received, I’m surprised the Tony Hawk: Shred even exists. Giving the sequel a green light was a real gamble for publisher Activision, and it did not pay off. The end result is a game that’s not selling and development studio Robomodo having to lay off a large portion of its staff.
At least we now know that a lack of snowboarding wasn’t the reason the first game failed, right?
Blackwater
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 9:31 AMIts like looking into the future at the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises.
Kato
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 1:55 PMWell done Blackwater – you get Knobhead Comment Of The Week! Tell him what he’s won Pete…
Psst – the latest Call Of Duty installment just broke sales records! Again!
Patrick Ashforth
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 2:48 PMPsst – Tony Hawk games used to sell pretty well too.
Aaron
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 5:46 PMPssst- That didn’t stop it being the weakest CoD game of the series so far. This is the peak, it’s downhill from here.
Steve0410
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 6:09 PMSales figures don’t mean shit. Before we picked up the wafting stench of stagnation from Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk, they were still selling millions of copies despite 0 innovation.
And judging by Activision’s new mantra of:
“Dear nerd developers,
Kids still aren’t buying your games. Package it with more plastic shit and release maybe… one.. no, two! more add-ons before year’s end or pack up your shit.
Love, Bobby Kotick”
I don’t have high hopes of CoD continuing as an innovative franchise.
Shazzo
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 10:19 AMI wonder if Tony Hawk still thinks this was a good idea.
Blayde
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 11:09 AMI wonder if Tony Hawk still has any kind of sway in the franchise anymore
lolwut
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 12:42 PMI wonder if Tnoy Hawk gives a shit as he revels in the bottomless well of hookers and blow he no doubt bought with all the money he made from his association with the frachise when it was popular.
Adam
Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 7:32 PMDo you know who Tony Hawk is?
veddermandan
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 2:35 PMWell Tony Hawk Ride was actually really fun. It was a lot more fun than any Wii balance board game. It was a very tiring though. I had sore knees after an hour.
I picked it up for $50 a few weeks ago at Harvey Norman. I have Shred but have not played it yet. Shred has snowboarding as well as skateboarding so should be fun.
They just overpriced it initially. If it was $50 from the start most people would give it a go.
Tell you now people i guarantee you’ll have more fun playing this than any of the Kinect releases. Give it a go.
Aaron
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 5:47 PMDo we still make ‘plant’ jokes about posts like this? Or is that old fashioned now.
Steve0410
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 6:12 PMNo. Seriously. How much are you being paid to say this? I’m surprised anyone can make a post like that with a straight face.