[Game] [PS3] Umineko no Naku Koro ni ~Rondo of the Witch and Reasoning~

[zorahk]

it's not the end of the world guys:

11,631 copies x 7,980円 = 92,815,380円 = 1,121,098 USD.

their actual profits are obviously less but how much could this game have possibly cost to make...

they probably broke even.

obviously even if the game sold 1,000,000 copies it never would have been released outside japan so who cares.

but its still possible they'll try a chiru port, as said in the interview with the producer who said they were planning that from the beginning.

[Jan-Poo]

Still they said they hoped to sell 30k, it's very doubtful they'll do chiru if they don't reach at least 2/3 of that.

[Kurizu204]

11k huh? Even though it is low numbers I'm curious as to how many import copies were sold.

[Kuro19]

Well it was said that a VN (a port even) is lucky to sell even a 10K...
and wasn't a sequel already confirmed?
source

[Iromaru]

Higurashi PS2 port sold 80k on the first week, but that was the whole VN in one release and it even had a lot of exclusive content. Not to mention that linear VN was changed to include choices and branching plot. It really offered much more than the PC version.

Umineko PS3 port is just the PC version with voice acting, slightly improved art and few CG scenes. It don't really offer much more than the PC version. And it's just half of the story. Besides, who needs 1080p for still images?

I really don't know what Alchemist was hoping for.

[KoiYuki]

Originally Posted by Iromaru

slightly improved art

..I think it's more than slight.

[Xplosivv]

Originally Posted by KoiYuki

..I think it's more than slight.

Hell no, I prefer Ryu's art over this generic stuff.

Still didn't keep me from buying it though.

How long does yesasia usually take, btw?

[LROlsson]

Originally Posted by Xplosivv

Hell no, I prefer Ryu's art over this generic stuff.

Still didn't keep me from buying it though.

How long does yesasia usually take, btw?

For me who lives in Sweden, around a week.

[Xplosivv]

Originally Posted by LROlsson

For me who lives in Sweden, around a week.

Seriously? Damn. They shipped on the 17th, still nothing.

Edit; Just realised, Christmas may have slown things.

[Bluemail]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Honestly, it was really not surprising for Rondo to fall flat like that, and it just makes the possible english localization even harder than it was.

Higurashi was absolutely not the same. IIRC, Higurashi managed to break the 100K, with 80K the very first week.
That just shows how the difference is gigantic.

Maybe I was being too positive (doesn't stop me from trying anyway)... Well most of the fans seemed okay with buying PS3 just for Umineko and I'm surprised how the price would scare them off as their DVD prices are horrible as well.

I consider Umineko better than Higurashi (not to say Higurashi isn't wonderful) and it gets much less sales. Is it because of the anime!? DEEEEEEEEN!!

Well the other reasons you mentioned too...

[Klashikari]

"Most of the fans"? No offense but are you really seriously thinking that more than 50% of those who want rondo are ready to spend $400 dollar just to run it?
Especially that it has nothing to do with buying the anime adaptation DVD anyway (I'm sure the amount of fans willing to buy umineko DVD/BD are vastly a minority, borderline inexistant).

I don't pretend there isn't any, but you are focalising on the mob effect: the most eager fans aren't really representative of the whole fanbase.

As far as it goes, the plateform choice was incredibly poor, and doesn't justify the eyecandy effect.

[Bluemail]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

"Most of the fans"? No offense but are you really seriously thinking that more than 50% of those who want rondo are ready to spend $400 dollar just to run it?

I don't pretend there isn't any, but you are focalising on the mob effect: the most eager fans aren't really representative of the whole fanbase.

As far as it goes, the plateform choice was incredibly poor, and doesn't justify the eyecandy effect.

Oops I didn't take much note on the exaggeration again...

If Alchemist cares enough, they might release a portable version sometime, like Higurashi Kizuna on the DS. If they like to keep up with the trend, Umineko portable would be on Nintendo 3DS. Or "PSP2". I don't know about how PSP is doing in Japan (or actually any part of the world) but what I've heard I don't think they would have chosen PSP as the platform. Though I don't know what use 3D has with visual novels. I agree with the comfort a portable VN has compared to one on a big console, even if it is by the expense of graphics. But it's not like Umineko is known for its graphical value.

I'm not giving up hope on Chiru port or English localization yet, but the odds look even worse than when it started. Nobody could know how much a game would sell before it's released so hopes have been high. Everyone here probably thinks that "Umineko" should sell well, though there are various circumstances as Klashikari explained.

[Klashikari]

Okay, just to put facts straight: the -best- plateform for VN aside of the now late PS2 is... the psp, and I mean it.
The other only viable options are the Xbox (which has an atrocious position in Japan from the very beginning) and the DS.
Most non PS2 VN port you got nowadays are on the PSP, which isn't surprising because of its usual public and hardware whereas it is much more touchy with the DS (no pun intended) but workable still as shown with Kizuna.
This is also the readon why the interview included right away the question why they've chosen the PS3.

In any case, I don't think they are going to milk the franchise like idiots before they have the confidance they can fare well beforehand. As such, unless the PS3 version(s) is breaking their expectations treshold, they won't make any other port.

And just to be clear: I'm not trying to shut down hope and expectations by any means, but I think it would be much better for everyone's sanity not to going all rabid about this port. It just lead to compelling discussion in a very bad way.
Especially when the vast majority of the fans have no idea what's the ugly side of the VN business (or the whole business around these in fact).

[Mcjon01]

Ha, well, it seems like it's selling well enough given all the loser flags they tripped. On the other hand, that's still not great in an objective sense...

Still, I don't care if they don't turn Umineko into some kind of sprawling media empire like they did with Higurashi, so long as they don't change their minds about porting Chiru. That's basically all I want out of this.

[zorahk]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Okay, just to put facts straight: the -best- plateform for VN aside of the now late PS2 is... the psp, and I mean it.
The other only viable options are the Xbox (which has an atrocious position in Japan from the very beginning) and the DS.
Most non PS2 VN port you got nowadays are on the PSP, which isn't surprising because of its usual public and hardware whereas it is much more touchy with the DS (no pun intended) but workable still as shown with Kizuna.
This is also the readon why the interview included right away the question why they've chosen the PS3.

In any case, I don't think they are going to milk the franchise like idiots before they have the confidance they can fare well beforehand. As such, unless the PS3 version(s) is breaking their expectations treshold, they won't make any other port.

And just to be clear: I'm not trying to shut down hope and expectations by any means, but I think it would be much better for everyone's sanity not to going all rabid about this port. It just lead to compelling discussion in a very bad way.
Especially when the vast majority of the fans have no idea what's the ugly side of the VN business (or the whole business around these in fact).

you're greatly underestimating how popular the ps3 is, but okay.

[TJR]

Originally Posted by zorahk

you're greatly underestimating how popular the ps3 is, but okay.

Well, it's more a matter of what platform the target audience is interested in. While still small in Japan, the PS3 installed base is larger than the Xbox360's. However, unlike the latter, it has never been popular within the otaku market.

If nearly all otaku content is produced for/marketed toward the PSP or Xbox360 (which are favored by developers for the lower production costs), you're rolling the dice by producing games for the PS3.

[Iromaru]

Originally Posted by zorahk

you're greatly underestimating how popular the ps3 is, but okay.

It's far less popular than PS2 was back when Higurashi port was released.

[Vylen]

Well.. if you want to get into numbers and speculative reasoning....

Based on these stats... you can assume some things... If 13.7% of 1,171 polled attendees play a PS3 the most, then, out of the 5million+ consoles sold in Japan, 685k+ consoles receive the most active use.

<1.6% of these active consoles loaded up PS3 Umineko...

Unfortunately, I don't have numbers to compare against Higurashi for example... or more importantly, PC Umineko sales... it would put some things into perspective...

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by zorahk

you're greatly underestimating how popular the ps3 is, but okay.

The console popularity has nothing to do here. Its public and development costs are much more relevant.
You really can't expect the majority of the otaku/hikkikomori buying a 30000 yens console whereas you have cheaper consoles with that content with far more suitable content for them.
You just don't see as much VN developped on PS3 than in xbox, PSP or even DS.
It is just like that: the console is really not a PS2 V2 in term of games pool. Choosing the PS3 for a VN port is almost as bad as choosing the wii for that.

Aside of Tears to Tiara, White Album and Umineko, there is basically no major VN on it, and that's normal (there will be few surprise such like catherine, but that's that).

[Xplosivv]

Hm. Still no delivery from yesasia, and the mail just came in.

When do I start to worry?