WipEout HD a success or not?

[ProblemSolver]

Usually we would have to define a metric in which we can messure 'success'
(or the lack of), first. And let me tell you, there are many valid metrics one can
define. Of course there is the trivial metric, investment vs. profit, but this metric
can be rather shortsighted.

It's obvious that any further support depends on whether WipEput HD is a
success or not. How many copies were sold? Judging from the leaderboards of
SR, TT, SP; all at VINETA K, VENOM speed; and ZONE a tight upper bound can
be estimated. We have about 240k entries on these leaderboards (date: 08/01/04),
hence 240k copies of WipEout HD were sold, at best, up until today. What does
this tell us? I don't know.

Personally, I consider WipEout HD as a success according to my very own metric.

[IH8YOU]

While I have no idea as to the sales figures, or profit margin this game may or may not have generated, this game has been a smashing success in stealing the past 3 months of my life!

I absolutely adore this game.

[eLhabib]

I'm afraid it sold worse than Sony / SL hoped for.
...which is strange really, given that Pure sold how much? A million?

[IH8YOU]

Thing is - what kind of sales were they hoping for in the States - with ZERO marketing? I'm not talking about minimal marketing - I'm talking about an absolute NULL .

If not for the fact I've got some type of mental AG disorder that I caught in 1995 - I would have been none-the-wiser about this games release.

To the casual AG racer - this games existence likely still eludes.

Making this game physical, I'm sure would increase sales too. Not everyone has a credit card, or desire to find a PSN card. If it were on a Disc, in a store - it would catch the eyes of passers-by, AND, capture the demographic that isn't heavily networked into PSN. (i.e. people who reside in reality)

I'd have no hesitation about going out and purchasing a hard-copy - should one become available. (in spite of already having a digital copy already)

[swift killer]

I think Sony have lost the plot, i think it might be time for them to throw in the towell because in terms of console and game sales, it's having it's teeth kicked in at the moment. I started a thread on this over in the off topic section, it's the same reason i ended up buying a Wii and putting my PS3 back in it's box as a warning of what happens when you believe the hype.

[Darkdrium777]

i ended up buying a Wii and putting my PS3 back in it's box as a warning of what happens when you believe the hype.

I think that about sums it up What you think the Wii doesn't sell on hype?
I'd expect stuff like that on sites like the three fanboys blogs, but here? Disappointment. :/

[RJ O'Connell]

I think Sony have lost the plot, i think it might be time for them to throw in the towell because in terms of console and game sales, it's having it's teeth kicked in at the moment. I started a thread on this over in the off topic section, it's the same reason i ended up buying a Wii and putting my PS3 back in it's box as a warning of what happens when you believe the hype.

Except this thread isn't about PS3 sales, it's about the sales for Wipeout HD. We would be having this same discussion if the game sold poorly on the Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Mac OS X, iPhone etc....why did you have to bring this shiat up here?

As for Wipeout HD being a "failure"? OK, it doesn't look like it will sell a half-million "copies" after all, but I have full confidence that SCE and Studio Liverpool will continue to back the series until SL gets bored with making it. The numbers may not reflect it but HD is one of the marquee titles of PSN.