Wondering how Wiz 8 will sell...

[Scronan]

Howdy all,

I've just spent a little time browing Babbages/Software Etc online, and have confirmed that they do not have Wiz 8 listed. And after going to their stores in person yesterday and hearing from others that many big name stores may not carry the title, I'm a little worried and curious about how this game will sell.

As I mentioned the game store being packed, it was mainly since they had an XBox set up that a bunch of teens were jammed around playing and starting at it like the strange thing was a shrine or something. So, the gaming market is not only flooded with many game titles, but with the Xbox coming out there is A LOT of other choices for people to make.

I know at $500 for one of those babies, that not too many people will be buying them, but I noticed that most people in game stores are concentrating on that unit to make the big bucks. It seems like Wiz 8 may be left at the wayside.

Well, we know how to get the game and I know all of us RPG veterans will love and cherish the game, but I have an eerie feeling that it may not sell very well.

However, over time the game will probably be noticed....so I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that it will beat out all the competition out there! How does everyone else feel about this?

Best,

Scronan

I think the Wizardry series has a cult of followers (myself included) who will own it no matter how far they have to travel or how much trouble getting it is.

I also think with the financial bind Sir-Tech is in, that if it sells out in a minimal amount of time, they'll work to produce more copies.
I am hoping anyway. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I would hope that someone out there sees what a following the series has and work to keep it going.

But, if this happens to be the last Wizardry game in line, I am able to live with that. Of course, I'll have to make a trip north and shake my "Ultimate Collection" out of my friends toybox, but I don't think he'll mind much as long as he gets to play 8 too.

Wasn't Wiz 8 released for the PS2 already? Do you know how sales went? I am wondering if we all might be forced to buy a game station in order to play any future games in the series. I would.

[Sazerac]

Dear Scronan,

I think it can be safely said that all non-Black Isle CRPGs (anything other than Baldur's Gate, et al) are in a niche market at the very best. Back in the ancient days of DOS, that was the only market. Since then, so many other options have come out for gamers during the mid-nineties that CRPG's have moved to a back-seat position. Still a viable back seat, but a back seat nonetheless.

The reason that CRPGs are a niche is that there is basically a learning curve required on them that is NOT there for Super Mario Bros. or NASCAR GT3 racing or Madden's Football. In those games, you don't have to develop characters, you don't have to follow a storyline; basically, you only have to do a minimal amount of thinking. Games that appeal perfectly to the bulk mindset of the masses. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

In a CRPG, the game is so involved that it requires a lot of commitment from the player; a commitment that many players are no longer willing to give. For us hardcore RPG gamers, this is not a problem...but we are a minority in the gaming community nowadays. The corporate bloc of the West, which produces these games, is comprised of people who are NOT interested for the most part in what a remote segment of gamers think about a certain game (like Wizardry 8) no matter how good it is. They are interested, rather, in how much market share a game can potentially garner because they are interested in maximizing their shareholder profits. In a recession economy such as we have right now, large corporations are even less willing to take a risk on a game like Wizardry 8. It's why Wizardry 8 is self-published. They couldn't find a publishing corporation willing to promote them at their terms.

In short, Wizardry 8 couldn't have come out at a worse time. It's a game from a genre whose heyday was 10 years back, which heyday was based on a now-defunct platform (DOS), and is emerging onto a market dominated by Playstation II and X-Box gaming, which, whether we like it or not, is going to appeal to the tweener "Nintendo Jockey" set, (ages 9-13), who have an IMMENSE amount of buying power and influence on the gaming market. Wizardry 8 is like a Rip Van Winkle, who wakes up, stumbles back into town, only to find that it's twenty years later and his entire world has been viciously rearranged; a lot of his old friends have died, the land is under a completely new rule, and the new people in town stare at him like he's a sideshow freak.

On the other hand, I have been pleasantly surprised to see on the USENET (comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg), one of the most harsh, critical, and unforgiving public forums on gaming, being populated by the "intelligensia" of the hard-core gaming market, Wizardry 8's demo is a smashing hit among them and many of them are ready to beat a path out the door to buy it when it hits the shelves. Money does talk, so let's hope that the USENET, (Cleve Blakemore notwithstanding [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) is a good indicator of this game's popularity.

Back to the publishing: since Wizardry 8 is self-published, it is going to be self-promoted as well. Because the Curries have bailed out, this will be happening on an "osmosis" basis. I think Wizardry 8 has foud a couple of channels of distribution, is looking to see how well it does with that, and based on its income the remaining people working on the team will then promote it through other retailers.

Anyway, I've rambled on far too long. Just some of my ideas on the subject.

Cheers,

[Scronan]

Hi Sazerac,

Well said my friend, I couldn't have used better words to describe my thoughts. I could write a book (hey, I should!) about my experiences with video games. Starting with Pong in the late 70's, I've seen the rise and fall of the trends over the years.

Who knows sometimes though, the way this crazy world works. About the same time as video games started, so did the band Kiss. And lo and behold, almost 30 years later, those over-hormoned crazy guys are still at it, although their audience is much different, they're still at it. Sometimes I think "hey there Gene Simmons, why don't you just retire and save yourself some make-up bills?". Then another part of me says "well, its part of American culture, so rock on!" [img]smile.gif[/img]

So, the world is all about changes, but many things remain constant. I feel there will always be a market for ye old RPG games, buy aye it is a bad time for Wiz 8 to hit the shelves.

Anyway, time to dust off my Wiz 7 party and get them ready to be resurrected...I believe they're waiting to start adventuring again!

Well make sure the game is heard about here at least, and all those who love it can come here to share their experiences! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Best,

Scronan

[Pangur Ban]

Unless Wizardry 8 REALLY shines through as something special, I can't see it getting objective reviews from popular computer magazines.

It seems the done thing to start CRPG reviews by a slagging off of the genre first -- "Ho, hum another swords and scorcery game for the dwarf lovers" sort of thing.

Too many reviews these days compare everything to frag-em-ups, rather than reviewing games by genre. Its a wonder some reviewers don't give lower ratings to spreadsheets and serious software because they don't have multiplayer and team play !!

( Or maybe I'm just reading the wrong magazines )

Lets hope that there are more hard core followers of the Wizardry name, than the D. W. Bradley name !!