How Do You Like Us Now? (June 14, 2011)

[Bandit LOAF]

GOG has issued the first update to their sales rankings since the EA licensing deal was announced... and the numbers are good! Out of the 290-game GOG catalog, Privateer is now in 146th place--meaning that in under two weeks it has sold more downloads than half of the games ever released through the service. More telling, Privateer is also far and away the best selling of the Origin games released to date. Crusader: No Remorse ranks #204 and Ultima Underworld 1+2 ranks 284th. Privateer is also the top-selling EA game, beating out Alpha Centauri at #172 and Dungeon Keeper's sad last place. If you haven't picked up Privateer yet--keep buying so we keep flying!

EA on GOG - Sales Rankings

146 - Wing Commander: Privateer
172 - Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
204 - Crusader: No Remorse
284 - Ultima Underworld 1+2
290 - Dungeon Keeper

Looking for a franchise to relaunch, EA?

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Original update published on June 14, 2011

 

[Evan]

I hope it will rise above and beyond.

Nononono EA. Not another Earth and Beyond, you misunderstood me.

 

[DaveO]

Perhaps some of the reasons Privateer is popular is due to cost from other sources or rarity? I'm not sure how to take in the Ultima Underworld numbers since I believe that most people who wanted those games already have them.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Eh, because of OEM copies that shipped with a dozen odd manufacturers products Privateer actually held the record for most copies of a game pressed for several years in the 1990s. Getting a cheap copy of Privateer has always been very very easy.

 

[Dundradal]

Eh, because of OEM copies that shipped with a dozen odd manufacturers products Privateer actually held the record for most copies of a game pressed for several years in the 1990s. Getting a cheap copy of Privateer has always been very very easy.

I acquired my copy of Priv/Strike Commander CD when my dad bought a Gateway 2000 computer back in 1993-94.

I think I have 2 or 3 other ones around here somewhere although I've always used that original split disc.

 

[Iceblade]

Well, this definitely sends a positive signal to EA. Unfortunately, one wonders if they would pay much attention to it. I would imagine most users of GOG are not in the primary demographics (the larger console and maybe casual gamers market) they would be interested in for a new game.

Well every little bit helps. At least, this makes it much be likely that other WC games will be released through GOG (assuming that wasn't already decided before launch).

 

[NinjaLA]

erh.. EA made a conscious, collective decision to list games with GOG and you wonder if they'll be paying attention to it?

do you also wonder whether or not, for example, water turns to ice at temperatures south of 32 degrees fahrenheit?

 

[t.c.cgi]

EA works in mysterious ways.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Well, this definitely sends a positive signal to EA. Unfortunately, one wonders if they would pay much attention to it. I would imagine most users of GOG are not in the primary demographics (the larger console and maybe casual gamers market) they would be interested in for a new game.

I guarantee you there's one group at EA paying attention to these sort of numbers--the people busy developing an Ultima relaunch that's based on appealing to original Ultima fans.

 

[Iceblade]

I said "much" attention to it, and this is in regard to development of a new WC (a major title). Sure it would add some weight to such a WC pitch, but I'm not sure if the ones behind the go-or-no-go "button" for a large scale project would give it as much credence as some might think without additional support. Although, it definitely should get some people's attention that WC is worth another look.

All I'm saying is that even though this looks really positive, I just doubt it would be enough to green light a new WC (certainly not with Arena sales figures sitting off to the side ... they are a business). Granted, no one (at least on this thread) has said anything about this having a significant direct impact on a possible new WC, but still it seemed like it needed to be posted at the time.

As for those behind the Ultima relaunch, yeah this looks really good as it shows there are quite of few gamers interested in Origin's old titles, and would with little doubt be interested in new, updated, and/or remade Ultimas.

I do find the numbers of underworlds to be rather interesting, but then again maybe the GOG users recently saw Spoony's review and were soured on UW by them (that's a joke, btw).

Actually, I've never really gotten the impression that the UWs were ever as popular as the main games. Of course, they weren't be made by Origin, either.

 

[NinjaLA]

water does freeze, by the by, at temperatures of lower than 32f

 

[Quarto]

I do find the numbers of underworlds to be rather interesting, but then again maybe the GOG users recently saw Spoony's review and were soured on UW by them (that's a joke, btw).

I'd say the Underworlds just don't have much going for them today. They were technologically impressive at the time (though they didn't sell hugely even back then), but that's about all. There are games that remain in some way extraordinary even after a decade - and then there are those that can be forgotten. There's plenty of reasons to go back to Doom, for example - but can you think of any reason whatsoever to revisit Quake, however great it looked at the time?