The Great Mystery: Why Don’t Platinum Games Sell Well?

bayonetta

Who would’ve have thought that by 2014 the Wii U would arguably have the best next gen action game line up ? Sure PS4 has Infamous Second Son, and XB1 has Sunset Overdrive, but they do not have The Wonderful 101, Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta and the undisputed Queen of the genre in Bayonetta 2 (that’s right I’m on the Bayonetta Bandwagon). If you have not yet played Bayonetta 2, and action games are your jam, you my friend are missing out. I can personally attest to the insanely high reviews it’s getting. So why isn’t it selling like gangbusters? Well…

First off it’s on Wii U, and to some that’s just a turn off. It’s not that the system is bad by any means, but it has a small install base of just over 7 million, and it specializes in family fun. Just look at the marketing for Mario 3D World, and Mario Kart 8. Both feature the ever popular commercial scenario of kids smiling from ear to ear playing Wii U on a bright colored couch. Hurray for family fun!  Now you can call me a cynic, but I don’t think an M rated game featuring a witch who loses her clothes, while summoning demons from hell to bite the heads off of angels is going to resonate with that audience (it’s a shame though cuz it is quite awesome).

Bayonetta 2, like Bayonetta , like The Wonderful 101, like Vanquish, like Metal Gear Rising could also be considered very difficult. To put it simply, Platinum Games refuses to hold your hand. There are easier modes in each game, but you still need to figure out the combat mechanics like timing dodges, and counter attacking by yourself. All Platinum games especially in normal and above difficulty modes punish a button masher. You almost just have to endure the humiliation of sucking throughout your entire first play through of any Platinum game just to learn the basics. For those without patience (and lets face it we are a generation of on demand) that’s a tall order.

I love Platinum’s games especially Bayonetta 2. When you do finally figure out it’s mechanics you have that light bulb over the head moment where everything just clicks. There’s not to many games that make you work for that moment these days, and to some it’s a huge payoff. Combos, dodges, counters, over the top action! It’s hyper violent, in your face, poetry in motion between the controller in your hand, and the action on your screen. It’s Platinum’s staple in every title they make.

Personally I really hope sales climb for Bayonetta 2 over the Holidays. I think the gaming industry needs them. They’re a shining example of old school sensibility in games where you have to figure it all out on your own. Not everybody like that, but the ones that do love it.

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40 Comments

  1. Yeah, it sucks. I root for Platinum Games ever since Clover Studio was shut down. They made Okami, one of my favorite games of all time. They will always have credit with me for that. But still, considering the original Bayonetta wasn’t that big of a hit and that the Wii U isn’t doing well (no idea why, it has a bunch of good games) it isn’t surprising that Bayonetta 2 isn’t selling a lot.

    1. I agree with what you are saying to an extent, but one could argue that even if it was released on PS or XB it still may not sell well. I mean the reason Bayonetta 2 is on Nintendo to begin with is that the main fan base you are referring to wasn’t big enough to begin with to merit a sequel on both of those consoles. Nintendo saved this franchise for at least one more go around by ponying up the dough for the sequel.

      1. so in the 6 weeks since Bayonetta 2 came out its only shifted 0.25 million, had it been released as a multiplat like destiny which even with poor critic and user reviews has still sold over 7 million in just over 7 weeks, what ever Nintendo payed for it they wont see much return for their investment

        1. Saying it has been out for 6 weeks is pretty flawed. In Japan, true, in the rest of the world it’s about 2,5 weeks. It has sold bad in Japan, there is no denying it. But the first weak in the rest of the world (or two days when the cut was made) it sold well, especially in the US.

  2. Yeah, can’t do the Wii U. Sorry, Bay-Bay. Loved the first game, though. I’m not a big action game guy, but Bayonetta is awesome sauce so it’s worth stepping outside my comfort zone for. It’s a shame i won’t get to play this one.

    1. Wonderful 101 is pretty good too, as is Deus Ex Director’s Cut, Zombi U, Mario Kart and Splatoon and X look fantastic.

      But … I understand … some people can’t afford the console.

  3. I don’t understand the fascination with Platinum Games. They rely on OTT action and bombastic visuals to hide the fact they make thin stories with thin characters. In my book, they’re the Micheal Bay of video games.

    1. Story isn’t really the point of their games. It’s mostly an excuse to have these characters do what they do while you control and figure out how they work and move. If anything, they are the prime example of classic gaming done in a modern way.

    2. They are making games with amazing style and great gameplay, i for once prefer that they make games that i can replay again and again, instead of pretentious mass produced Hollywood movie wannabes like TLOU, which is average at best in its gameplay.

    3. That’s because you’re under the impression video games are supposed to be movies in the first place.

      Some of the best games I play don’t even HAVE a story. Because they’re actual purebred games. They don’t need story as a crutch. I like movies, and I enjoy games that pretend to be movies too, but first and foremost I’m a gamer, and I enjoy games where the fun comes from PLAYING it, not from watching it.

      Platinum games are meant to be PLAYED, not watched. The entertainment lies in the gameplay. That’s not to dismiss the story though, because it’s actually more engaging than most “serious” games I’ve played lately.

      That’s why I don’t understand people like you. The game isn’t supposed to be enjoyed via story, but even if it was it STILL has a better story than 95% of AAA games out there. There nothing wrong with Bayo2 story. It’s actually very engaging indeed. But that’s a bonus seeing as it’s a real game, not a movie game.

      Vast majority of gamers now are movie gamers. Very few real gamers. But it’s been like that for 30 years, only now the cool kids play movie games instead of sports. But they have no interest in real games it seems

      1. Just because a game has narrative doesn’t make it a “movie game”. Games are a unique storytelling medium that can enhance engagement through interactivity. In this way I consider games as an art form, not like toys as you and your ilk do.

        I disagree with your assertion that the “vast majority of gamers now are movie gamers”. Proper narratively-driven games are very rare while most gamers are content with gameplay-driven games like COD, Madden and most Nintendo titles

  4. If you think Bayonetta is hard, you must suck at gaming. Then again, I’ve beaten Dark Souls at level 1, but what do I know, you post articles on a website!

    1. I didn’t play Bayonetta 2, but you’re right, Bayonetta 1 is not hard at all, Ninja Gaiden is, I finished Bayonetta only pressing the buttons, don’t have to think a lot, DMC series is also harder.

  5. Huge Bayonetta fan and i have Bayonetta 1 of course, but i am not buying
    a Wii U only for that game i am sorry. If this game was for PS4 i would
    have bought it day one.

    Bayonetta 1 had the problem that PS3
    version sucked and these types of game normally only does well on Sony
    platform, if say this was a Playstation exclusive (only for PS3 and PS4)
    it would probably reach north of 1 million by the end of this month
    easily, still not as much as it deserves, but still enough for the
    developers to make a nice profit.

    Personally i would have liked to see it being released on every platform including my platform of choice these days (PC).

      1. Why does nintendo fanboy thinks that everybody wants to play nintendo games? I’d like to play Bayonetta 2 and maybe Xenoblade X for Wii U, nothing else, on the other hand, ps4 and xone have Metal Gear, Shadow of Mordor, Batman Arkham Knight, Resident Evil Revelations 2, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Assassin’s Creed Unity and Mortal Kombat X, there are also the exclusives, but the point is, Wii U was abandoned by the 3rds and I don’t like nintendo exclusives, only Fire Emblem and I bought a 2DS for Bravely Default, not for Fire Emblem.

        1. Yet some of the games (most of them) “on ps4” you say would also be on wii u if it had sold good enough. So there is that again, you are quoting a catalog from non-exclusive third party games which choose to not put their games on nintendo because “they don’t sell well”, and why don’t sell well?, because people has some strange hatred toward nintendo. So people don’t buy nintendo consoles cuz it has no third party support, and there is no third party support cuz people don’t buy nintendo consoles.

          1. The reason why none of the exclusive is not for WII has nothing to do with sales, Wii was the best sold platform last gen yet it got the worst 3rd party support. Also the Wii U has sold better than Xbox One still nobody releases games for it.

            The reason why Wii U get no 3rd party support is a combination of multiple reason, the primary being that 3rd party games just does not sell that well on WII, people buy Wii to play nintendo games. But it has also to do with the fact that the console is old, some games which are current gen only just wouldn’t work on the platform.

          2. “Worst third party support”, that depends, it got a lot of games, mostly exclusive (and a shitload of shoverlware), yes, the wii missed the annual iterations of the “big franchises”, but that’s different than no having thid party support, or “having the worse third party support”.

            As a deloper i’m gonna tell you a couple things:

            Console being old that’s just a piece of crap (tell me why power7 based is worse than amd’s bobcat based?) sombody said and lil dude bros keep repeating, power pc has way higher IPC than x86, the die is smaller on the GPU but has higher bandwidth. Meanwhile xbone and ps4 are lazy x86 boxes, the wii u is a console, the others are watered down PC’s. While is impossible to deny that ps4 and xbone will be able to achieve more effects on screen, is also naive to think there is much of a difference. The key element, the differential element, is money.

            Last gen nintendo moped the floor with sony and ms, being the cheapest console and having the least investment, also because of the age of the hardware it was the cheapest console to develop for. This time is the most expensive to develop for, the main reason, developers won’t have to separate from the pc development when deving for ps4 and xbone (crap the devkits are frigging pc’s), that’s why you have under optimized pc ports on xbone and ps4. And THAT’S TERRIBLE for console players.

            Now, apparently, you guys love saying is weak and not capable, because of sayings from ubisoft and dice (with their frostcrap), and because they show crappy versions of some of their own games, well, the most advanced engine by crytek is also available for wii u, and citing crytek engineers, “It’s a challenge for designers, but once thought through it can add value, and that’s what ultimately important”.

            Talking to some people is as hard as talking to bible fanatics, god says because the bible says, the bible is cool because god says.

          3. You are right Xbox one and PS4 are just watered down PCs and a wish everybody would understand that PC is the one true console to rule them all, but its not as simple as that. However yes, its technically possible to make Xbox One and PS4 games for Wii U its not really worth the effort and the results would not be that great for most games. Have you seen what for example The Evil within looks like for PS3 and 360? Now this is a lazy port, but most current gen games would look like this on Wii U, which is another reason most developers just don’t bother with the platform.

          4. I’m really looking forward to see project C.A.R.S and Fast racing neo on the wii U, those games will show that the wii U is powerfull enough to display HD graphics and complex effects with smooth frame rates. “PC true console” i find it doubtfull, PC’s have their downfalls, what really bugs me is having X86 as a computing platform, now that ARM is gaining traction i really hope we can get rid of x86 eventually.

    1. Wonderful 101, MarioKart, Deus Ex Director’s Cut (best version), Bayonetta 1 (fixed), Zelda Wind Waker (which I never thought I’d like and LOVE) … actually a LOT of content … not hard to find things you like, and with Splatoon, X, and Smash Bros there is more coming .. fast

      1. Already own Deus Ex “best version” as you call it for PC. Bayonetta 1 and Wind waker is not worth to buy a new console to play again, also “best version” for Wind Waker is again for PC on the dolphin emulator.

        I have a 3DS and besides my friend is most likely gonna get a Wii U for smash so if we get together to play 8 people it will most likely be at his place.

        Its not about money i can afford it, but its not worth it for 1 game, i don’t like games like mario kart for example. Only other game thats out for Wii U that i want is Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, as DKCR was superb, hopefully it comes out for 3DS.

    2. This is precisely the attitude which prevents great games from selling.

      The illogical refusal to acknowledge any great games other than those which fall into the tiny little box the mainstream gaming media has created. There are TONS of great games on Wii U, in fact, more so than any other console this generation. Most of which rival Bayonetta 2 in terms of sheer fun and enjoyment. But, people just refuse to see it. They refuse to believe Nintendo does indeed have great games, and that they too would indeed very much enjoy them

      1. It has nothing to do with mainstream games, Bayonetta is anything but mainstream imo. The problem is that all the “great” games as you call them are not for everybody certainly not for me, i like games which either brings something new to the table or has excellent gameplay. The only with the latter in Nintendos lineup is usually Mario games and before i get another Super Mario Galaxy i am not investing in a console that will just collect dust after i am done with my 2 games.

        There are some games that brings new things to the table, the problem is that there aren’t any good ones for WII U yet. Give me a new Zelda, SMG3 and a new Metroid and i might consider getting the console, but right now there is nothing i want to play except Bayonetta 2 and DKCTF.

    3. There is also ‘The Wonderful 101’ as well, by Hideki Kamiya, which is actually a better action game than Bayonetta 2 in many respects.

      The reason it didn’t review well is due to the skill-cap being way beyond anyone in the gaming press. Look up the PhantomResonance combo videos on YouTube for a real eye-opener.

      But it’s fine, no one is forcing you to pick up the console to play these two (three, including Bayonetta 1) magnificent games, whilst supporting PlatinumGames in the process.

      1. Wonderful 101 is the type of game i would probably buy if i had the console, but its nothing that i cant live without.

        Bayonetta 1 i’ve already played to death, completed it on “non stop infinite climax” with platinum on every level as well as gotten every achievement for 360.

  6. People have some strange fixation against nintendo. I mean they’d love to play some of the games of nintendo’s catalog, but they pick ps4 over wii u because “is more powerfull” or other dull excuses like the promise of good games in the future. So basically people buy promises over facts. Marketing over truth. Then they give lame excuses, they are eager to give lame games a chance and then they trade them in for a tiny fraction because marketing over sold the game for them and games are flawed, even when specialized press points out that in advance. Despite all that, they still seem to be cool with spending a lot of money on crappy games, but they still won’t buy nintendo because they have strange prejudices against it.

  7. Who says the game isn’t selling? Really, I’d like to see the stats. No, it won’t sell the same as it would with a PS3/360 install base, but there is every reason to believe Bayonetta 2 will sell 500K+.

    I’ve downloaded it to my hard drive, as have many others, so even the retail numbers don’t reflect reality, and it sits at #1 on Eshop.

  8. Bayonetta was the number one game the week it launched, beating out The Evil Within on PS4 (not counting both systems) and almost hitting 200,000 sold… some developers would kill for those numbers! What’s this about it not selling? It way outpaced W101.

  9. Too weird for the COD audience, too violent for the kids audience. It’s doing well though considering the actual market. Anarchy Reigns or Killer is Dead or Yaiba : Ninja Gaiden Z showed weird action games are very risky projects in these days

  10. That’s ok. While everyone else gets frustrated with games that don’t work and fail to meet expectations, we’ll be playing AAA games that work perfectly at launch

  11. Stop pigeon-holing Wii U owners as families, when it is the PS4 that is the new trendy go to console for kids and Christmas presents like the Wii was. The Wii U is owned by loyal fans and multi console owners like myself.

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