Company’s biggest recent releases proved unable to meet targets
Despite each game clearing at least a million sales, Square Enix has revealedTomb Raider,Hitman: AbsolutionandSleeping Dogsall failed to meet their targets. This news comes on the same day the company projected a13 billion yen loss and saw its president resign.
Sleeping Dogshas sold an estimated 1.75 million copies to day, followed byTomb Raiderat 3.4 million andHitmanat 3.6 million. Square Enix blames these “slows sales” in part for its “extraordinary” financial losses this year.
The company particularly points its finger at the North American market, claiming an “ineffective” sales force compared to Europe, where games performed two-thirds better. Another alleged problem is “price pressure,” forcing Square Enix to spend more on such things as “price protection.”
The publisher’s report is yet more evidence of the so-called “AAA” market’s downward spiral, where you can’t even be considered a success in the face of selling millions of copies. This, along withResident Evil 6“failing” in spite of nearly five million salesandDead Space 3needing“five million” to survive, points to a market that’s crashing and burning.
