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Do reviews sell games?

April 14, 2008 in News comments 19

IGN has recently looked over the top 100 best-selling games of 2007, in order to see if the best-rated games are also the best-selling, and vice versa.

Games such as Bioshock and The Orange Box were in the top 3 best-rated games, yet did not even rank in the top 10 best-selling games.

IGN admits that Halo 3, Super Mario Galaxy, and Call of Duty 4 sold many copies because they were hyped up for a while before release.

Check the link provided for more information.

It would appear that review scores don't necessarily move game copies off store shelves. More likely, as in the case of Super Mario Galaxy, Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4, the hype and anticipation of a series is what moves the initial flood of boxed copies and then the lasting quality of the final product takes care of the rest. Despite the constant petitioning on Internet forums and chatrooms for more original intellectual properties, mainstream America is still more likely to pick up a copy of a trusted series than they are an original creation. Nine of the top 10 best-selling titles of '07 were either sequels or continuations of a franchise. Assassin's Creed was the only new IP to sell more than 4 million units.
nnkklo via wii.ign.com »
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Most recently commented on by on Apr 15, 2008

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  • -2
    Zeon I Apr 15, 08
    They do and they don't tbh.

    I say Bioshock didn't sale because It was extremely overrated and treated as if it was God's Gift to gaming, when it was nothing but a bizzare amalgamation of other good, yet forgotten games.

    Now, I can't explain Halo, but Super Mario Galaxy was like the best game on the Wii (Next to Metroid Prime 3) released in 2007.
  • 2
    MusiKon Apr 15, 08
    Reviews don't sell games, marketing does.

    Or else games like Zack & Wiki and Okami would've sold just as much as games like Smash Bros. and Halo.
  • 0
    TurMoiL911* Apr 15, 08
    Games like Halo 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Metal Gear Solid 4 are going to sell extremely well regardless of what kind of review they get mainly because people aren't going to shut up about them.
    • 1
      Storm* Apr 15, 08
      I tend to think it's more along the lines of: the prequels coming at the right time. Timing and marketing is important. Hell one reason GTA IV was delayed was because of the other heavy hitters such as Halo 3 and CoD4.

      Yeah, ratings don't necessarily mean more games sold. They help during the holidays I'd assume, but it's more about what games changed a particular console, what stood out more for many of us, what came out at the right time. The first Halo, the first SSB., the first MGS, all came at the right time to be hits.

  • 0
    theundertakergonzo Apr 15, 08
    Reviews can help sell a game i reckon, if a game is given a good review then if could persuade people who weren't going to get it to possibly get it. But there is the big games which come out and there going to sell regardless what anyone is going to say.
  • 0
    Seproth* Apr 15, 08
    Needs good review and hype...If it gets a good review but it's not hyped nobody will go looking for a review. If it's hyped up and doesn't get a good review enough people will notice and maybe hold off on picking it up.
    • 0
      Final Blade Apr 15, 08
      Yea it seems GTA4 has the hype and the perfect review to make an epic classic. Hopefully MGS4 does the same.
  • 0
    Gamesta100 Apr 15, 08
    Well 50 Cent Bulletproof got really crap reviews and still sold at least 1 million copies.
    • -1
      theundertakergonzo Apr 15, 08
      Yeh but that's because a heap of little kids think 50 cent is cool.
  • 0
    LordMaChao Apr 15, 08
    Assassin's Creed really sold that many copies?

    Obviously the only damn thing that matters is hype then. And a tappable developer.
  • 0
    Synergized Apr 15, 08
    I read reviews since I do find them helpful, but what it all comes down to is your opinion and your opinion only. Yes, the review does help me in a small way, but my overall decision if the game looks good, I'll get it.
  • 0
    Capn Droid Apr 15, 08
    Outrageous and blown out of proportion advertising sells a game, tbh.
  • 0
    Atsumi Apr 15, 08
    Reviews can't sell games... but they can deter people from buying them.

    But that might be just because I only read the reviews of the games I was originally interested in.
  • 0
    Gamesta100 Apr 15, 08
    I read reviews to see if there's something in a game that will make me not want it.
    • 0
      Kokoro Apr 15, 08
      Same here. A game could get a bad score and I'd still want if I'm interested and a game could also get a good score and I still wouldn't want it if I'm not interested. I look at the points of the game, rather than the score.
  • 1
    Hell Fire Apr 15, 08
    I guess if games have incredibly followings (like Mario and Halo) then they're going to sell a large portion even if they are utter crap. I don't really follow reviews anymore. I just go by what I liked in the past.
  • 0
    djjimmy2k2 Apr 15, 08
    i read reviews but i cant say that they truely influence my purchase of a game. i read a few reviews of a game i was already thinking of buying and see what the general opinion of it is. if its good i dont worry about buying it, if its ok i dont worry about buying it and if its bad i remember i dont care what reviews say.
  • 0
    Zero and X Apr 15, 08
    If reviews sold games, Uncharted would be one of the best selling games.
  • 0
    Seproth* Apr 16, 08
    I think Mass Effect is proof that reviews sell games. People just forget that reviews are by gamers for gamers.

    I see so many used Mass Effect copies in Gamestop. I just know it's a bunch of madden gamers pissed that the game isn't pick up and play.

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