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Why Do Games Sell?

Posted by Zonk on from the psychic-powers-beats-gang-violence dept.

simoniker writes "Game designer Pierre-Alexandre Garneau has published a new article compiling a list of factors that make games popular, and although he notes: "The test assumes that the game is good — if it's bad, chances are it won't sell no matter how high it scores on this test," his comparison of GTA 3 and Psychonauts tries to apply common-sense reasoning to why one sold well and the other did not."

1 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Licensing, licensing, marketing by bogjobber · · Score: 5, Informative

    2006 top ten:
    Madden NFL 07 - PS2
    New Super Mario Bros. - DS
    Gears of War - Xbox 360
    Kingdom Hearts II - PS2
    Guitar Hero 2 Bundle- PS2
    Final Fantasy XII - PS2
    Brain Age: Train Your Brain - DS
    Madden NFL 07 - Xbox 360
    Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - Xbox 360
    NCAA Football 07 - PS2

    2005 top ten:
    Madden NFL 06 - PS2
    Pokemon Emerald - GBA
    Gran Turismo 4 - PS2
    Madden NFL 06 - Xbox
    NCAA Football 06 - PS2
    Star Wars: Battlefront 2 - PS2
    MVP Baseball 2005 - PS2
    Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - PS2
    NBA Live 06 - PS2
    Lego Star Wars - PS2

    2004 top ten:
    GTA: San Andreas - PS2
    Halo 2 - Xbox
    Madden NFL 2005 - PS2
    ESPN NFL 2K5 - PS2
    Need for Speed: Underground 2 - PS2
    Pokemon Fire Red - GBA
    NBA Live 2005 - PS2
    Spider-Man: The Movie 2 - PS2
    Halo - Xbox
    ESPN NFL 2K5 - Xbox

    Out of the thirty possible, there are only three games that are not sequels or licensed content: (Halo, Brain Age, and Gears of War). 1/3 are EA Sports titles. That's pretty sad.