Gaph on 31/10/2008 at 22:51
(
http://www.edge-online.com/features/1m-sold-the-witchers-secret-pc-success)
Quote:
In hindsight, the reason for the game's unlikely success is clear to Kicinski: Know your audience and make a game for it. Maybe even throw a little respect their way and make them feel special. Basically, wine them and dine them.
Game makers these days are adamant about making games for the masses. It must be cross-platform. "Accessibility." Proven storylines in proven genres based on proven IP released on proven platforms. That's the mantra, and what many publishers will say is the best way to get return on investment.
But CD Projekt, which spent $11 million to develop The Witcher and its "Enhanced Edition" follow-up, found success by narrowing its focus from a spotlight to a laser beam, and making a game for a certain kind of gamer instead of trying to be everything to everyone.
"Some companies make a game for everyone. We decided to stick to a specific audience," said Kicinski.
This is really refreshing to hear coming from a developer. Every major game these days finds a lot of success from all of the focus on accessability, playtesting, cross platform development and marketing -- but I think the games themselves are worse off. I feel like a lot of developers stopped making games they and their audience love and now only measure success by the number of units sold. So I'm glad to hear that The Witcher, a game that was definitely made for a specific audience (read: me), was successful going against the grain.
Gryzemuis on 1/11/2008 at 00:05
I agree. I've played the first 4 chapters last year. Then stopped because I didn't have enough RAM. I will continue playing soon, when I have a little bit more time again. I loved those 4 early chapters. I've always looked forward to finish the game. And indeed, the support from the developer has been great. I really respect them for how they supported their game after initial release.
In the US it seems a movie is judged solely by the amount of money it makes during its opening weekend. After that, nobody cares about the movie anymore. It's madness. It seems games are going the same way. A game is released, a huge audience buys it, and after 2 months, nobody cares anymore. How the heck can you build good products with that mindset ? I'm very happy to see a bunch of enthousiastic polish guys produce a game they think is perfect. Because if you want to make something that you don't like yourself, but you hope is good for the masses, it will probably be good for no one. I congratulate CDProject, and I hope they will make more good games.
Vraptor7 on 1/11/2008 at 07:48
I haven't really gotten into the Witcher, but CD Projekt's passion is well known and they deserve this, and I wish them the best.
jtr7 on 1/11/2008 at 08:20
Now that's what I've been talking about, dammit!;)
Koki on 1/11/2008 at 08:28
Well, the lesson all devs learned from this is making a game for a specific audience means it sells a measly 1m copies.
june gloom on 1/11/2008 at 08:47
Ah, yes. The glass is always half-full- of urine. :tsktsk:
dj_ivocha on 1/11/2008 at 10:45
More like the box with sarcasm-detecting goggles is fully empty. :p
Koki on 1/11/2008 at 11:10
Actaully, sadly, I was serious. Sorry but 1m copies is not all that great for a game which was advertised so heavily.
And my glass can't be half empty, it's broken :p
june gloom on 1/11/2008 at 11:26
Just remember, when Koki is being negative he is always serious.
aguywhoplaysthief on 1/11/2008 at 16:25
How was the Witcher advertised heavily?
