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Titanfall 2 sells less than a quarter of its predecessor's launch + mini-review


StrickenBiged

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Source: Gamesindustry.biz

 

 

Titanfall 2's launch sales (physical data only via GfK) are well below the ones achieved by its predecessor, which arrived in March 2013 on Xbox platforms and PC only. In fact, the game's launch sales are barely a quarter of the ones achieved by its original - despite the fact that this sequel has the added benefit of launching on PS4. Titanfall 2 debuts at No.4 in the GfK Top 10, while the original reached No.1.

 

I can't imagine that Respawn will be very happy with that performance...

 

EA's "we think there is a space for this kind of shooter" justification for the weird launch date (sandwiched between EA's own Battlefield 1 and Activision's Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare) would have made more sense if it had bothered to advertise the game. Personally, I haven't seen a single ad for Titanlfall 2 and only realised it had released after reviews started popping up last weekend. In contrast, I see Battlefield 1 ads all the time. 

 

It's a shame, IMO, because Titanfall 2 is a fantastic game. I'm currently enjoying my second campaign playthrough on Master difficulty, and - and this is a big AND from me - I intend to pop back into the multiplayer once I've got the plat. I'm even looking forward to my third playthrough in which I intend to hoover up all the collectibles, because speed-running this game should be massive fun given the movement mechanics. 

 

Speaking to Playstation Lifestyle, Respawn's producer Drew McCoy said:

 

 

I actually don’t know where the [release date] decision came from. I just know it was locked in a long time ago and there was no changing it. I’m not really worried about it. We tried not to [worry] really…When you care about what other games are doing, when they’re releasing [, you worry]. At the end of the day, we’re releasing a game that we’re happy with, and we enjoy playing, that we’re proud of. As long as we’re doing that, I think we’re gonna find an audience. It doesn’t really matter when it comes out. A good game gets noticed.

 

And that's one of the reason's I've started this thread - to help the game get noticed. Who know's why EA decided to release the game between the two most well known and mass-market military shooter FPS games... maybe they hoped that Titanfall 2's sci-fi setting would steal a few CoD: IW players away from that release and help Battlefield to claim the biggest grossing game crown this year? At any rate, if they're not going to promote it, it falls to us gamers to help spread the word about a good game that you really shouldn't miss. So, without further ado:

 

Short review

 

Anyway Titanfall 2 is fantastic. The gunplay is a mixture of CoD's precision, DOOM's frenetic, "always-be-moving" energy, and Mirror's Edge type flanking and out-maneuvering. The level design is really great, with each enemy encounter taking place in gigantic spaces which allow you to make the best use of your pilot's mobility - this is no "corridor shooter". Titan-play (if I can call it that) is engaging and strategic, nothing at all like the boring vehicle sections in military shooters. 

 

The campaign itself is also very well structured, with some nifty mechanics thrown into the mix for you to toy around with. The level where you get to flip between the present and the past as you make your way deeper inside a high-security research facility is a particular favourite of mine, and allows for some really clever and amusing play. Another highlight is the level where pre-fabricated houses are being made around you, while you negotiate moving platforms and walls while fighting off the defending soldiers. 

 

As for MP, it really reminds me of CoD at it's fastest and most energetic while you're all on foot, again becoming a lot more tactical once the Titans start to arrive. I particularly enjoyed flitting around as a pilot - piggy backing on enemy titans, stealing their batteries, and flitting over to friendly titans to deliver them and give my teamates a health boost. There is a huge deal of scope for customisation and varied playstyles in the MP, and everything you do during a match helps you earn your titanfall or (of you have a titan) their special attacks.

 

If you haven't given Titanfall 2 a go yet, you really should. I haven't had this much fun with a shooter since this year's DOOM, and I highly recommend it if you enjoyed that game.

 

Edit: Removed some accidental Ctrl-V'd repetition. 

 

2nd edit: amended title, to include reference to the short review.

Edited by StrickenBiged
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. Personally, I haven't seen a single ad for Titanlfall 2 and only realised it had released after reviews started popping up last weekend. In contrast, I see Battlefield 1 ads all the time. 

 

Really?! Maybe they are pushing it a little harder in other regions. In the states we had a relatively steady stream of TF2 commercials even a few days after release.   

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Really?! Maybe they are pushing it a little harder in other regions. In the states we had a relatively steady stream of TF2 commercials even a few days after release.   

 

To be fair, I don't really watch TV, so most of the ad's I consume are via the internet generally, YouTube, or in the cinema. BF1 ads have featured prominently on YouTube and in the cinema for weeks now. I'm yet to see a Titanfall 2 one. 

If it wasn't for seeing a Titanfall 2 ad on a Mountain Dew can, I would never have known about it at all.

 

They don't really sell all that much Dew here, much to my dismay. You can get it in a few stores, but it is marketed and priced like an energy drink because of the caffeine content. 

 

I love Dew...

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The first game had Microsoft creating hype to sell it and hopefully pull the Xbox One into the lead. The thing is Titanfall wasn't an exclusive, are they including PC sales in that as well? Releasing on a Friday doesn't help. Sales are normally taken from Tuesdays, since, you know, that's when games normally launch.

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EA pretty much screwed it over by having it launch in between Battlefield and CoD, which sell solely based on name alone regardless of how good they are whereas Titanfall doesn't have that. It would have likely done much better if they pushed it back to December, or even next year where CoD fatigue starts setting in. It's a real shame since it's been reviewing basically dead even with Battlefield and they aren't charging for maps and modes. It might have better legs overall based on that since there's no divided community and you can jump in to it whenever. 

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The first game had Microsoft creating hype to sell it and hopefully pull the Xbox One into the lead. The thing is Titanfall wasn't an exclusive, are they including PC sales in that as well? Releasing on a Friday doesn't help. Sales are normally taken from Tuesdays, since, you know, that's when games normally launch.

 

Good point, T1 did have 3 more days on the market before sales were polled.

 

The rankings don't include digital sales, which is where the majority of PC sales would have been, I'm guessing. 

 

 

EA pretty much screwed it over by having it launch in between Battlefield and CoD, which sell solely based on name alone regardless of how good they are whereas Titanfall doesn't have that. It would have likely done much better if they pushed it back to December, or even next year where CoD fatigue starts setting in. It's a real shame since it's been reviewing basically dead even with Battlefield and they aren't charging for maps and modes. It might have better legs overall based on that since there's no divided community and you can jump in to it whenever. 

 

I forgot to mention their (these days) generous post-launch support promises. Rewarding a game that has free updates planned is another good reason to support TiF2

 

Maybe Respawn will drop EA next time. IIRC, the former Infinity Ward guys who set up Respawn made a point of retaining their rights to their intellectual property. (Lack of ownership of the IP might also explain EA's lack of enthusiasm?)

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Alright I played the MP beta when it released and it was great. Had a lot of fun with it. Yet the single player is what worried me. Stuff like the time it takes to beat, and if there was anything extra to do in it( collectibles, certain kills with weapons, etc). So I neglected to pick it up. Yet if I was going to but any standard game it would defiantly be this. IW looks like sludge from the sewers, I tried battlefield and still didn't like the MP. But the issue is had overall with getting this was the time I thought would get out of it. A 5hr campaign( not sure how long it really is) and maybe 20hrs in MP didn't entice me enough to buy.

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Was thinking about getting TF2 because it included a campaign unlike 1 but I have to say I kept my money for Rise of the Tomb Raider, COD IW, AC Enzio collection and Skyrim. Might get it later down the line because it does look good

 

Personally, I recommend it highly even based on the campaign alone. So if a good SP mode is what you're after, I'd give it a look. 

Alright I played the MP beta when it released and it was great. Had a lot of fun with it. Yet the single player is what worried me. Stuff like the time it takes to beat, and if there was anything extra to do in it( collectibles, certain kills with weapons, etc). So I neglected to pick it up. Yet if I was going to but any standard game it would defiantly be this. IW looks like sludge from the sewers, I tried battlefield and still didn't like the MP. But the issue is had overall with getting this was the time I thought would get out of it. A 5hr campaign( not sure how long it really is) and maybe 20hrs in MP didn't entice me enough to buy.

 

The MP is however long you want to play it. The only MP trophies can be obtained in one match. 

 

The campaign is about 6-7 hours on Hard mode, I'd estimate. Master mode takes a bit longer as you are squishier and will die more. 

 

6-7 hours per playthrough is perfect for me and my gaming habits - means I'll get the game finished in a reasonable time. 

 

I hope that helps. 

Edited by StrickenBiged
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Personally, I recommend it highly even based on the campaign alone. So if a good SP mode is what you're after, I'd give it a look. 

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I was having a looking at some of the SP gameplay and tbh it looks sick. The weapons and sights just my type of thing. Will have to hide some money from the wife and go buy it now :lol:  

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Thanks for the recommendation. I was having a looking at some of the SP gameplay and tbh it looks sick. The weapons and sights just my type of thing. Will have to hide some money from the wife and go buy it now :lol:  

 

Opposite of my household, but we'd be broke and homeless if I didn't let the wife control the nest-egg! xD

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The MP is however long you want to play it. The only MP trophies can be obtained in one match.

The campaign is about 6-7 hours on Hard mode, I'd estimate. Master mode takes a bit longer as you are squishier and will die more.

6-7 hours is perfect for me and my gaming habits - means I'll get the game finished in a reasonable time.

I hope that helps.

Thanks for the reply. Glad to hear it's a good campaign. Might end up getting it something soon. So much has been pushed back for me till next year. So the next two months for me all I have to look forward to is The Last Guardian.

Do hope this helps some people purchase it tho. The MP I played was by far better than any recent CoD or BF game.

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I saw this coming from a mile away. Literally nobody was talking about this game. Why did EA think it was smart releasing two multiplayer focused FPS games right next to each other? They sent this game out to die, and it doesn't help that Call of Duty was just around the corner too.

The first game only did so well because it was released so early on in the console generation. The player base quickly fell off a cliff too. People have moved on.

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The first game had Microsoft creating hype to sell it and hopefully pull the Xbox One into the lead. The thing is Titanfall wasn't an exclusive, are they including PC sales in that as well? Releasing on a Friday doesn't help. Sales are normally taken from Tuesdays, since, you know, that's when games normally launch.

The first one is exclusive, it never came out to any other platform.

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The first one is exclusive, it never came out to any other platform.

 

I think he meant that the game was on PC as well. It wasn't an Xbone exclusive. To be fair, I don't think anything is exclusive to that thing anymore. :P

Oh yeah, and it came to Xbox 360 as well.

Edited by Undead Wolf
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I think he meant that the game was on PC as well. It wasn't an Xbone exclusive. To be fair, I don't think anything is exclusive to that thing anymore. :P

Oh yeah, and it came to Xbox 360 as well.

Lol, so it's still an exclusive. It didn't go to any other platforms (I've checked). A shame the game didn't get the spotlight it deserves. Edited by FlareXV
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Are you not counting PC and Xbox 360 as platforms? :P

 

Microsoft uses their own definition of "exclusive" when they use it, and that normally means stuff available only on Microsoft platforms. So Titanfall one was "exclusive" to the Microsoft ecosystem, but it wasn't exclusively available on the XB1. 

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Microsoft uses their own definition of "exclusive" when they use it, and that normally means stuff available only on Microsoft platforms. So Titanfall one was "exclusive" to the Microsoft ecosystem, but it wasn't exclusively available on the XB1. 

 

I know the word "exclusive" has been used very loosely in the past few years. I mean we have console exclusives and timed exclusives now, but I don't see the first Titanfall as exclusive at all. I guess I'm just old fashioned in how I use the term exclusive. I dunno. :dunno:

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