Tag Koei Tecmo

Can Mario Tennis Aces take the top spot?

Nintendo Switch eShop – UK Sales Charts (24/06/2018)

Sean Alexander

With Mario Tennis out now, and the winding down of E3 sales, how are the UK Charts this week?

Numbers in brackets are previous positions based on: 17/06/2018 (Unless they haven’t moved) in the UK eShop

Can Mario Tennis Aces take the top spot?

Mario Tennis Aces debuted this week!

 

All Games Charts (Including Retail Releases)

 

1: Minecraft (NEW) – £19.99
2: Hollow Knight (NEW) (Down from 2nd) – £10.99
3: Mario Tennis Aces (NEW) – £49.99
4: Splatoon 2 (Up from 6th) – £49.99
5: Astro Bears Party (Down from 2nd) (80% OFF) – £0.89 (Usually £4.49)
6: Golf Story – £13.49
7: FIFA 18 (Down from 3rd) (67% OFF) – £18.14 (Usually £54.99)
8: Overcooked: Special Edition (Up from 10th) – £17.99
9: Rocket League (Down from 9th) – £15.00
10: Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong (Up from 14th) (NEW) – £6.29
11: Stardew Valley (Down from 4th) – £10.99
12: Paladins: Founder’s Pack (Down from 9th) (NEW) – £24.99
13: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Up from 21st) – £59.99
14: Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengerss (Up from not Charting!) – £34.99
15: Football Manager Touch 2018 (Up from 17th) (33% OFF) – £20.09 (Usually £29.99)

16: Darkest Dungeon (Up from 23rd) – £17.99
17: Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (Down from 5th) – £17.99
18: Arcade Archives: Vs Super Mario Bros (Down from 15th) – £6.29
19: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Down from 13th) – £8.99
20: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Up from 22nd) – £49.99
21: Resident Evil Revelations (Up from 26th) – £15.99
22: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Down from 19th) – £49.99
23: The Sexy Brutale (Down from 18th) – £17.99
24: Sonic Mania (Up from 28th!) – £15.99
25: Wizard of Legend (Down from 16th) – £13.99
26: Robonauts (Up from not Charting!) (80% OFF) – £2.69 (Usually £13.49)
27: Super Mario Odyssey (Up from not Charting!) – £49.99
28: Violett (Up from not Charting!) (80% OFF) – £1.79 (Usually £8.99)
29: Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Up from not Charting!) – £19.99
30: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Up from not Charting!) – £49.99

 

Download Exclusive Charts

 

1: Hollow Knight (NEW) – £10.99
2: Astro Bears Party (80% OFF) – £0.89 (Usually £4.49)
3: Golf Story (Up from 5th) – £13.49
4: Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong (NEW) – £6.29
5: Stardew Valley (Down from 3rd) – £10.99
6: Paladins: Founders Pack (NEW) – £24.99
7: Football Manager Touch 2018 (Up from 12th) (33% OFF) – £20.09 (Usually £29.99)
8: Darkest Dungeon (Up from 15th) – £17.99
9: Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (Down from 4th) – £17.99
10: Arcade Archives: Vs Super Mario Bros – £6.29
11:Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Down from 8th) – £8.99
12: Resident Evil: Revelations (Up from 17th) – £15.99
13: The Sexy Brutale – £17.99
14: Sonic Mania (Up from 19th) – £15.99
15: Wizard of Legend (Down from 11th)– £13.99

16: Robonauts (Up from 21st) (80% OFF) – £2.69 (Usually £13.49)
17: Violett (Up from not Charting!) (80% OFF) – £1.79 (Usually £8.99)
18: Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (Up from 24th) – £19.99
19: Celeste (Up from 20th) – £17.99
20: The Sparkle 2 Evo (Up from not Charting!) (80% OFF) – £0.89 (Usually £4.49)
21: West of Loathing (Down from 16th) – £9.00
22: Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together! (Up from 27th) – £17.99
23: Uno (Up from not Charting!) (30% OFF) – £5.59 (Usually £7.99)
24: Nine Parchments (Up from 30th) – £17.99
25: Subsurface Circular (Up from 28th) (20% OFF) – £3.83 (Usually £4.79)
26: Jackbox Party Pack 3 (Up from not Charting!) – £20.03
27: Ikaruga (Down from 18th) – £13.49
28: I Am Setsuna (Up from not Charting!) (50% OFF) – £14.99 (Usually £29.99)
29: OwlBoy (Up from not Charting!) (30% OFF) – £13.29 (Usually £18.99)
30: Kamiko (Up from not Charting!) (40% OFF) – £2.69 (Usually £4.49)

 

 

UK eShop Analysis

So this has become a bit of a mess to read. First of note – Mario Tennis came in behind Hollow Knight and the new update for Minecraft.

Secondly, most movements are simply readjustments based on sales. The stories are the return of Mario + Rabbids and Mario Odyssey, alongside some games on sales in the lower ends of the charts. Interesting, Ultra Street Fighter 2 has reappeared despite a better value Street Fighter Collection being available.

In the Download Exclusives charts, things remain mostly the same in order, minus retail titles, until the lower ends, as usual. Here we see resurgence from Kamiko, OwlBoy and I Am Setsuna, all on sale.

The real story is the domination of sales once again, with new sales filling the lower charts and old sales leaving lingering effects.

 

Next week we will see the three-way battle between Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy! Happy Gaming!

The UK Charts received a slew of new games over E3.

Nintendo Switch eShop – UK Sales Charts (17/06/2018)

Sean Alexander

With E3 now over, games like Hollow Knight released and a whole plethora of sales, how are the UK Charts this week?

Numbers in brackets are previous positions based on: 03/06/2018 (Unless they haven’t moved) in the UK eShop

The UK Charts received a slew of new games over E3.

Fortnite: Battle Royale launched on Nintendo Switch this week.

Note, the charts now have TWO categories: Games also at retail, and eShop exclusives. Both will be covered here, and there are now 30 games per list. However, as the Download Exclusives chart is new, there will be no chart placement shifts this week.

 

All Games Charts (Including Retail Releases)

 

1: Hollow Knight (NEW) – £10.99
2: Astro Bears Party (Up from not Charting!) (80% OFF) – £0.89 (Usually £4.49)
3: FIFA 18 (Down from 1st) (67% OFF) – £18.14 (Usually £54.99)
4: Stardew Valley (Down from 2nd) – £10.99
5: Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (NEW) – £17.99
6: Splatoon 2 (Up from not Charting!) (33% OFF) – £33.49 (Usually £49.99)
7: Golf Story (Up from not Charting) (34% OFF) – £8.90 (Usually £13.49)
8: Rocket League (Up from 11th) (25% OFF) – £11.25 (Usually £15.00)
9: Paladins: Founders Pack (NEW) – £24.99
10: Overcooked: Special Edition (Up from not Charting!) (40% OFF) – £10.79 (Usually £17.99)
11: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition (Down from 6th) – £19.99
12: Mario Tennis Aces (Pre-Order) – £49.99
13: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Down from 3rd) – £8.99
14: Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong (NEW) – £6.29
15: Arcade Archives: Vs Super Mario Bros (Down from 12th) – £6.29

16: Wizard of Legend (Down from 4th) – £13.99
17: Football Manager Touch 2018 (Up from not Charting!) (33% OFF) – £20.09 (Usually £29.99)
18: The Sexy Brutale (Up from not Charting!) (50% OFF) – £8.99 (Usually £17.99)
19: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Down from 9th) – £49.99
20: Mecho Tales (Up from not Charting!) – £7.49
21: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Up from not Charting!) (25% OFF) – £44.99 (Usually £59.99)
22: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Up from not Charting!) – £49.99
23: Darkest Dungeon (Up from not Charting!) (25% OFF) – £13.49 (Usually £17.99)
24: West of Loathing (Up from not Charting!) – £9.00
25: Yoku’s Island Express (Up from not Charting!) – £15.99
26: Resident Evil: Revelations (Up from not Charting!) (25% OFF) – £11.99 (Usually £15.99)
27: Ikaruga (Down from 10th) – £13.49
28: Sonic Mania (Up from not Charting!) – £15.99
29: Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Down from 8th) – £49.99
30: Celeste (Up from not Charting!) – £17.99

 

Download Exclusive Charts

 

1: Hollow Knight (NEW) – £10.99
2: Astro Bears Party (80% OFF) – £0.89 (Usually £4.49)
3: Stardew Valley – £18.14 (Usually £54.99)
4: Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (NEW) – £17.99
5: Golf Story (34% OFF) – £8.90 (Usually £13.49)
6: Paladins: Founders Pack (NEW) – £24.99
7: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition – £19.99
8: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon – £8.99
9: Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong (NEW) – £6.29
10: Arcade Archives: Vs Super Mario Bros – £6.29
11: Wizard of Legend – £13.99
12: Football Manager Touch 2018 (33% OFF) – £20.09 (Usually £29.99)
13: The Sexy Brutale (50% OFF) – £8.99 (Usually £17.99)
14: Mecho Tales – £7.49
15: Darkest Dungeon (25% OFF) – £13.49 (Usually £17.99)

16: West of Loathing – £9.00
17: Resident Evil: Revelations (25% OFF) – £11.99 (Usually £15.99)
18: Ikaruga – £13.49
19: Sonic Mania – £15.99
20: Celeste – £17.99
21: Robonauts (80% OFF) – £2.69 (Usually £13.49)
22: ICEY – £7.59
23: Plague Road – £11.99
24: Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (28% OFF) – £14.39 (Usually £19.99)
25: Legendary Eleven (NEW) (11% OFF) – £7.99 (Usually £8.99)
26: Hollow – £17.99
27: Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together! – £17.99
28: Subsurface Circular (20% OFF) – £3.83 (Usually £4.79)
29: SteamWorld Dig 2 – £14.99
30: Nine Parchments (50% OFF) – £8.99 (Usually £17.99)

 

 

UK eShop Analysis

So this has become a bit of a mess to read. First of note – Sushi Striker is nowhere to be seen.

Secondly, E3 sales have propelled games right up the charts, disrupting the usual flow. Paladins has had a successful launch and due to the new nature of the charts we can see many first party titles filling out lower areas of the charts.

Interestingly, the pre-load for Mario Tennis Aces is charting. Indie gem Hollow Knight has taken the top spot.

In the Download Exclusives charts, things remain mostly the same in order, minus retail titles, until the lower ends, where Snipperclips, Hollow, and more reside. This added exposure will likely help sales along in future.

The real story is the domination of sales though. Interesting, Free To Play titles like Pokemon Quest, Fortnite and Fallout Shelter aren’t included here.

 

Next week we will see if Mario Tennis Aces can prove a hit, and if any other classics reappear in sudden sales or pre-loads! Happy Gaming!

FIFA 18 has a new mode and sale for the World Cup

Nintendo Switch eShop – UK Sales Charts (03/06/2018)

Sean Alexander

With FIFA 18 on a world cup sale, and Mega Man still in the mind share, how are the UK charts faring this week?

Numbers in brackets are previous positions based on: 27/05/2018 (Unless they haven’t moved) in the UK eShop

FIFA 18 has a new mode and sale for the World Cup

FIFA 18’s World Cup Mode launched last week, alongside a sale.

 

1: FIFA 18 (67% OFF) (Up from 4th) – £18.14 (Usually £54.99)
2: Stardew Valley (Down from 1st) – £10.99
3: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (NEW) (Up from 8th) – £8.99
4: Wizard of Legend (Down from 2nd) – £13.99
5: 60 Seconds (Up from 10th) – £8.50
6: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition – £19.99
7: Mega Man Legacy Collection (NEW) (Up from 9th) – £11.99
8: Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Down from 3rd) – £49.99
9: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Down from 7th) – £49.99
10: Ikaruga (NEW) – £13.49
11: Rocket League (Up from 12th) – £15.04
12: Arcade Archives: Vs. Super Mario Bros. (Up from 14th) – £6.29
13: Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (NEW) (Up from not Charting!) – £11.99
14: SteamWorld Dig 2 (25% OFF) (Up from not Charting!) – £11.24 (Usually £14.99)
15: Hollow (75% OFF) (Up from not Charting!) – £4.49 (Usually £17.99)

 

UK eShop Analysis

 

Only one truly new chart entry this week in Ikaruga. The cult classic appears to have resonated with fans in the UK. Elsewhere all other new titles are from the prior week.

Mega Man Legacy Collection climbs again, and the second Collection, though less popular, has appeared in the lower reaches below mainstays Rocket League and Arcade Archives.

At the lower end of the chart we see Hollow and SteamWorld Dig 2 appearing yet again on sale. The power of sales is evident each week in the UK.

60 Seconds is fresh out of sale, and Wizard of Legend will likely begin a descent now that the new period has passed. Of course Bloodstained shot up the charts, showing hunger for old-school Castlevania action.

Finally, the first party titles hold strong in the middle with both Hyrule Warriors and Donkey Kong steady long after launch.

The main story though is the dropped price for FIFA 18 proving that at the right price, the Switch version will sell. It’ll likely stay there for as long as the sale lasts.

 

Next week we will see if Sushi Striker can prove a hit, and if any other classics reappear in pre-E3 sales! Happy Gaming!

Does Hyrule Warriors live up to it's Wii U and 3DS counterparts?

Impressions – Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

Sean Alexander

Is Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition the truly definitive experience?

Fresh on the Nintendo Switch is the Wii U cross-over between the Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors. Better described as a mix of Dynasty Warriors with Zelda aesthetics, items and a few mechanics, it is undeniably a Warriors game through and through. So how does Hyrule Warriors fare?

Does Hyrule Warriors live up to it's Wii U and 3DS counterparts?

Hyrule Warriors returns, with all the trappings of a Warriors experience.

That will be the first hurdle for any player. Do you like Warriors titles? If not, and cleaving through thousands of enemies per battle isn’t your thing, then this game will immediately turn you off.

This is of course the bulk of the gameplay. Moving from keep to keep, reacting to real-time objectives and changing win or loss conditions. There is plenty of strategy and running around. It’s worth remembering that your own actions matter more than any others. Your army doesn’t help much.

This makes the game fairly chaotic. Indeed it can be quite a hurdle and losses can sneak up alarmingly fast. Compounding this is the mini-map, which highlights changing objectives but actually catching where they are amongst all the information on-screen can be difficult. Pausing may be necessary, but this slows the pace of what should be a hectic battlefield.

How does Hyrule Warriors play?

This is one of the premier questions surrounding Hyrule Warriors. The game was 720p with a sub-30 frame rate on Wii U. On 3DS it was naturally hampered. The volume of enemies, performance and look of the game just didn’t justify the purchase, despite the expanded content.

Sometimes the game can get a bit messy...

Imagine the frame rate in a moment like this.

On Nintendo Switch, the game runs at a native 1080p, granted with no real improvements otherwise. It certainly runs better, well above 30 frames per second, but a constant 60 isn’t around. However, the instability is preferable to sub-30. The drops were only noticeable in intense situations, though they are ever-present to some degree.

In handheld mode then, the game maintains a clear and crisp image. What doesn’t carry over is performance as it is inferior to the docked experience. At a glance it looks about as unstable as the Wii U release. Of course in handheld mode, the system feels fine when playing. There were no gripes with controls here, though a Pro Controller did prove best when docked due to the fast button presses required.

This is the best performing version of the game, but it does feel lacking in some respects.

 

So what about content?

This is the single most alluring point in favour of this game. If you consider the performance a minor annoyance rather than a deal breaker, and don’t find Warriors titles monotonous, you will get value for money.

Combining all the Wii U content with the extra story and modes from the 3DS release with all the DLC and some new quality of life features makes a very robust package. All the story content is intact and the My Fairy mode transitions as well. All the DLC Adventure maps, where you cross 8-bit maps from various games clearing challenges, return as well.

You won't be putting this mode down anytime soon.

Hyrule Warriors is absolute bursting with things to do.

There are countless hours to be had here, and helping this is the small improvements made to the game. Most notably, some stages and missions will feature Owl Statues which once activated, act as warp points for fast travel. In this release, that allows you to mitigate running across maps in time sensitive moments. A much-needed feature in my opinion.

Another nice addition (From the 3DS release) is character swapping. Some missions will let you take in up to 4 warriors at once, and you can swap between them. This allows you to be at multiple places at once. Again, a much-needed feature that makes some challenges manageable compared to the Wii U iteration. Of course, you can also have them be controlled via AI using a Command prompt in the menu if you need them moving remotely.

Added to the Adventure Modes is the ability to buy Item Cards you have already owned for a hefty fee. This simply cuts down on having to replay missions, though any with two Gold Skulltulas still requires a second run.

 

Lots To Unlock!

There is a swath of things to unlock. Gold Skulltulas for meeting certain requirements. Heart pieces and containers for each character. Weapons, skill trees to upgrade, materials from enemies. Costumes, more characters, more things to buy and upgrade. Hyrule Warriors is a very rewarding game. Every action gives you something usable.

However, those actions will be very repetitive across the many maps and modes. Sure the objectives can change, missions can be very dynamic and change at a whim, but the process remains the same. In the moments the game presents quiz battles or special giant boss challenges, it’s a breath of fresh air.

 

How does Hyrule fit into this?

The Zelda influence is more than a coat of paint

Imagine this scenario in a proper Zelda title…

The Legend of Zelda is more than a skin for this game. Items to be used in battle to expose weak points or counter attack are ripped from the franchise. Several musical tracks and locations are as well. The items in question are used almost exclusively for giant bosses or smaller enemies, but rarely you can see situations to use them in movement. This is hardly necessary however.

Naturally, the giant bosses are a highlight. They do come across as more time wasters than challenges though, often being a distraction on a battlefield than a real challenge.

Perhaps this is a good time to mention the game can in fact be quite challenging. You can level up characters with Rupees should you not have time to grind. Skill trees however, require items. Items you can only get from enemies. There is a constant feedback loop but it does get tiring.

One big problem is in Adventure modes, when a certain character is needed that you haven’t touched. Better get the Rupees and items out to prepare them. It doesn’t take too long, but it can bog the pace of a good play session down.

That’s the other big hurdle with Hyrule Warriors. There will be a lot of grinding and most of it comes naturally but mixed with progressing simply being a process of repetition, it takes someone who loves Warriors to fully experience this game.

 

So, the Verdict?

How DO you enjoy this game?

There are several “Keys” to enjoying Hyrule Warriors.

This game ultimately has two main hurdles. The first is whether you like Dynasty Warriors. The repetitive gameplay is fine in short bursts, but if it doesn’t engage you, there is no point.

Secondly, be prepared to grind. There will be many times your progress feels stunted but keep at it. If performance drops don’t hamper your experience in any way and this game seems like it may be for you, then you will be in for a full experience.

Just don’t play it as much as I did in the first week. It’s fun but exhausting.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition gets our recommendation, if you’re willing to overlook repetition.

 

 

Thanks for reading our Impressions of Hyrule Warriors! Stay tuned for more impressions in the future, and even reviews! Of course as always, Happy Gaming!

Can Mega Man climb the charts?

Nintendo Switch eShop – UK Sales Charts (27/05/2018)

Sean Alexander

With Hyrule Warriors a week behind us, and Mega Man freshly released, how are the UK charts faring this week?

Numbers in brackets are previous positions based on: 20/05/2018 (Unless they haven’t moved) in the UK eShop

Can Mega Man climb the UK eShop charts?

The Mega Man Legacy Collections released only on the UK eShop in the region.

1: Stardew Valley – £10.99
2: Wizard of Legend (NEW) (Up from 8th) – £13.99
3: Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (NEW) (Up from 5th) – £49.99
4: FIFA 18 (67% OFF) (Up from not Charting!) – £18.14 (Usually £54.99)
5: WonderBoy: The Dragon’s Trap (Up from 9th) – £17.99
6: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition – £19.99
7: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Down from 2nd) – £49.99
8: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (NEW) – £8.99
9: Mega Man Legacy Collection (NEW) – £11.99
10: 60 Seconds (75% OFF) (Up from not charting!) – £2.12 (Usually £8.50)
11: Death Road to Canada (Down from 3rd) – £11.99
12: Rocket League (Down from 7th) – £15.04
13: Timber Man Vs. (Down from 3rd) – £1.79
14: Arcade Archives: Vs. Super Mario Bros. (Down from 11th) – £6.29
15: Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (NEW) – £22.99

 

UK eShop Analysis

 

Interesting Hyrule Warriors shot up digitally but can’t claim the top from Stardew Valley. The game is very limited at retailers such as Amazon, so this will persuade many to go digitally. Donkey Kong also begins it’s fall.

Timber Man falls fresh out of sale, and Rocket League continues to be pushed down by new releases as does Arcade Archives. Death Road to Canada fell sharply after the sale ended there too.

Speaking of sales, 60 Seconds appeared in the charts for the first time. Wizard of Legend has made a name for itself as well, climbing fast. WonderBoy also maintains a high spot after leaving a sale.

New release really dominate this week. Bloodstained and Mega Man both fill the middle of the charts, but Legacy Collection 2 is nowhere to be seen. Maybe it will appear in coming weeks?

The real story is the sale on FIFA 18 (Now being sold for a higher price I must stress!) has catapulted it once again up the charts. Yes, Runner 3 is nowhere to be seen.

 

Next week we will see if any indies can prove powerful forces on the storefront, and if Mega Man can get the second collection on the board. Maybe Hyrule Warriors will even hit number one? Happy Gaming!

EA Conferences typically put people to sleep.

EA and Nintendo: Is It Time To Give Up?

Sean Alexander

Let’s be honest: Nintendo and EA are two companies that don’t really sit together. There is a long myriad history stemming from Nintendo’s approach to their hardware, and EA’s approach (Oft noted for being less than flattering) approach to software. The two simply don’t mix.

 

With Nintendo Switch, back in January at the reveal in Japan, onto the stage trots EA executive Patrick Söderlund with Bill Trinen to translate to the Japanese crowd: A show of commitment that EA will support the new hybrid platform…with FIFA 18. He really doesn’t look happy to be there does he?

Baby steps then, and after the Wii U rightfully so, but as weeks turned to months and E3 finally rolled around…it became clear: A custom built version of FIFA 18 that runs very well for what it’s worth, missing key things that apparently can only be done in their custom Frostbite engine. Yet the hype maintained, the best portable FIFA ever (Which objectively is the case).

EA kept making the case for the game, saying “we want you to try it, we have faith in it”, but there was no demo. There were no review copies sent out until launch day (Other platforms got both of these a fortnight or so in advance!) and things felt off.

And for some reason, despite Sony having a marketing deal with EA for the game (And most multi-platform games as it happens), Nintendo somehow got away with advertising the game themselves (Frankly, more than EA did!) at their E3 Spotlight, in Nintendo Directs, and on TV in advertisements or social media:

fifa18-switchpage-switchontable-lg

Then it comes out. Some bugs aside, it was exactly as advertised. Except you couldn’t play with friends online, and where the blame rests for this is unclear. On one side, yes the Switch online infrastructure isn’t ready yet. On the other, plenty of other countless games on the system manage that feature. When asked by Eurogamer, EA gives a complete none answer, touting portable play and local multiplayer as a replacement:

FIFA 18 on Switch offers Local Seasons allowing friends to play against each other across two consoles in close proximity to one another, and we encourage those looking to compete online to take advantage of online modes on Switch including FIFA Ultimate Team, Online Seasons, and Online Tournaments.

So the result? Well critically…the game didn’t do so hot, scoring below the Vita version from years past. Fans generally liked the game though, niggles aside, and for what time the developers in Romania (Yes, really) had, it’s a very valiant effort.

Sales wise, the game sold through its allotment of physical copies in the UK and other countries with outlets like Amazon promising more stock. And concurrently the eShop showed FIFA 18 sitting high on the charts for a good few weeks too, riding the digital waves on the new platform.

 

Considering that and the sellout of physical shipments that EA themselves determined and shipped out…it must have met expectations right? Apparently not. EA, in a statement to Wall Street Journal, announced the following:

So, I only have educated guesses here – based on the history of EA – as to why this is. First is that they genuinely produced as many physical copies as they needed to meet expectations and that sold through, with digital filling a big hole in those figures. Or they produced a bare minimum (As again, EA dictates shipments) and threw it out due to obligation. Of course, this is the company that said Dead Space 3 had to sell 5 million units to secure a future, so for all we know their expectations could have been to match Xbox One sales on a smaller install base: They have a history of being unreasonable with expectations.

The other question is what are they waiting for? They put their game out with their assigned shipments. Was it not enough? Do they want to see how other third party titles sell? This is certainly a strange situation but they haven’t actually said what it is they are waiting for specifically, just waiting to see what the demand is for the system in general.

 

But a little history. Who remembers the “Unprecedented Partnership” for Wii U? Gamers got Mass Effect 3, the conclusion to a story focused trilogy, out of that deal. Except no one had a reason to buy it, given that ecosystem had missed the prior two instalments of the story. And there was an at the time newly launched and cheaper Trilogy release on other platforms and in the power of the internet age they knew that was a thing.

So that game didn’t sell: Cue Shock and horror. FIFA came and went, becoming (And not in a sarcastic way, a quite literal way) roster updates of existing games, no mechanical or visual adjustments whatsoever, and then EA walked.

eau

What did they do wrong? They supplied the wrong games to the wrong market. If it was the Trilogy release? Probably would have been fine. Not amazing, but fine. The same mistake was taken with Switch.

 

EA is well noted in the industry for being a “Minimal Effort, Maximum Profit” kind of business, like any business wants to be really, so this stance isn’t exactly new. Back in the days of the Dreamcast it is documented EA wanted SEGA to let them have the monopoly on sports titles on the system: This didn’t happen, EA walked. And with the expectations EA frequently has on it’s games? Man, who knows what they thought FIFA 18 would do.

 

This wait and see approach is, unfortunately, damaging. Looping back to the question of Should we just give up on EA?, at this point I want to say no.

Come a year or so of the Switch being on the market I want to see what EA has to say before bringing a decision on them. But I see three possibilities:

 

1 – EA just walks away. This wouldn’t be new, and frankly is most likely depending on if they are looking for profits equal to other platforms rather than something supplementary, and that can also potentially factor in the cost of tweaking games for the system: Does it make sense for them?

2 – EA brings some games, misreads the market again, and walks. This is also very likely, as again, EA and their noted expectations for games would make anyone on any platform nervous.

3 – EA brings games, does them right for the market, and sticks around. This really is the best case scenario: More games for a platform are good for everyone, especially with the heavy hitter franchises being locked squarely under EA. Those are names you won’t get from anyone else.

 

But the reason this question popped into my mind in the first place is that is this the straw that broke the camel’s back? Has EA finally just nailed the coffin shut? After some pretty lacklustre cash ins on DS and Wii, the Wii U and it’s hilariously bad marketing (From both Nintendo in hardware and EA for just throwing whatever and expecting it to sell) and now this.

After leaving the ecosystem behind; promising a single game; stating that single game will be used to judge future support; evading questions about said game and in some ways sliding some missing features under a rug; asking people to try it but mandating they buy in first; and then back peddling on using the game to test the market and instead waiting for “Something else” to judge demand instead, at what point do the consumers just say enough is enough?

 

But in the end, Koei Tecmo said it best:

“We bet big on the Switch as a game changer so we began making games before the Switch’s launch, but many software companies showed reluctance in releasing Switch games before they witnessed the current success.”

Something is going to give, and gamers aren’t ones to forget.