C56: Importance of Sales

In our office at Neon Game, everyone is closely monitoring the progress of "Escape."

This project is our team's first big attempt, and we've put most of our funds into it. The investment is no small matter either—our R&D and promotion costs have amounted to seven million.

Compared to the first- and second-tier game manufacturers, this might not seem like a huge deal. But for us, it has already surpassed the typical budget for an independent game.

That's why we're all very concerned about how "Escape" will perform.

"Chen, how's the situation with 'Escape' looking?" someone asked during our lunch break.

"Yeah, it's been online for two days now," added another.

I leaned back on my comfy chair, feeling the weight of everyone's expectations and questions. Although player feedback and online popularity for "Escape" have been incredibly positive, sales figures are what truly matter in the end.

No matter how much praise we receive, if the project loses money, we won't be able to sustain or continue forward with new games.

The story of "Angel Hunter" comes to mind. It was considered a masterpiece on par with games like Ninja Gaiden, God of War, and Devil May Cry. However, despite being well-received, its IP changed hands multiple times, and the third sequel has been in limbo for years.

The key issue was that sales didn't match the critical acclaim of players and industry. Games like Bayonetta, hailed by players as classics, still couldn't sell enough copies to make a significant impact.

Even with the release of the HD 1+2 collection, the combined sales didn't come close to the numbers that something like Devil May Cry V pulled off.

The hard truth is that, while popularity and good reviews are important, strong sales ultimately determine a game's future.

The game industry occasionally exhibits unreasonable behavior.

"It's not bad— besides, the situation with player refunds. Our current sales volume has crossed 100,000 copies. We should be able to recover it in three days," I said with a smile.

Compared to other games, Escape's refund rate is quite high. But this is something we expected.

After all, it's a horror game, and a very scary one. It's normal for players to be too frightened to continue playing.

I had already considered this aspect before developing the game.

"However, our own Neon game platform has only sold more than 2,000 copies," Yang Xin said with a hint of regret.

Although I didn't say it outright, the resources of the Neon game platform are prioritized for Neon games at the moment.

Some visionary team members inside have already begun to guess the reasoning behind this.

"The discounts aren't prominent enough, and Escape isn't a major draw yet. We'll need to build it up step by step," I reassured, not feeling disappointed.

Building a game platform doesn't happen overnight, especially considering that every medium-sized studio has at least one.

In the past, during the battle between Microsoft and Sony in the gaming console field, there were winners and losers across three major eras.

Even though Microsoft is often ridiculed by Sony fans, they still have the advantage in the long run.

They achieved certain advantages, but the key was that Microsoft lost to Sony in the most critical generation.

That was the age of networking, which kicked off with the PS4.

During this period of rapid Internet growth, the convenience of digital games, and the rise of social media among players, Sony's victory in that generation solidified their foundation in the console competition.

Even though Microsoft has deep pockets and is acquiring major game companies while launching subscription services, it's still being overwhelmed by Sony.

On the PC platform, EPIC used Fortnite to open up the road with its financial backing, gaining a large number of users, but its platform is still losing money.

On one hand, there's a lack of exclusive games that are enough to attract players, and on the other hand, Steam has accumulated a huge advantage from the early days of the internet. It's similar to how instant messaging accounts played a huge role in allowing Tencent to surpass other companies in the gaming industry, such as Shengda and Wangyi.

From my perspective, it's clear that it's not just one or two games that can make a company an industry giant—it's a strategic and gradual process.

I have a clear plan for the future, but right now I'll focus on the immediate potential of our current projects. Specifically, "Escape" is about to enter a period of explosive growth in sales.

"Hey!" Ruan Ningxue seemed curious after hearing me say this.

"The blowout of live-streaming and video platforms is driving more players' curiosity," I said with a smile.

For a horror game to succeed in sales, it must break out of its niche. I don't mean just getting noticed by people in the gaming world, but expanding beyond the circle of horror-game lovers. If a horror game only appeals to its niche, its sales will be limited.

Take, for example, some of the biggest horror games from the past. Characters like Leon, Ada, and even the quirky internet memes like "Hand Sanitizer God of War" from Resident Evil and Lady Dimitrescu, as well as fan-made mods like the Fly Swatter MOD, made them viral sensations. Another good example is Five Nights at Freddy's, which topped the YouTube broadcast results for weeks.

Games like Silent Hill and Escape became more familiar to mainstream gamers thanks to movies, live streams, and video content, reaching audiences beyond the horror enthusiast circle.

In contrast, excellent games like Fatal Frame, Siren, Clock Tower, and Evil Spirit didn't break through to wider audiences, mostly remaining known only to true horror game fans.

For a horror game to sell well, it has to break into broader markets—similar to how horror movies attract audiences who aren't hardcore horror lovers.

Many people are curious why a particular game or movie scares others so much. When it comes to games, even if they can get refunds, a lot of players won't ask for one, even if they don't plan on playing it again.

That's how I see the future of "Escape"—not just keeping it within the realm of horror enthusiasts but expanding it to a much wider audience.

After buying the game, why should I spend time playing it? This is exactly why the completion rate for most horror games is so low.

Now that I've sold 130,000 copies in just two days, it feels great, but I know this is only the beginning.

I can foresee that as time passes, the sales will only increase. The full potential of live-streaming platforms and video platforms hasn't even been tapped yet. This means the peak of "Escape" is still ahead.

The popularity of "Escape" didn't immediately spread like wildfire among players. However, on live-streaming platforms, many casual viewers started flocking to various streams out of curiosity.

Streamers who were in a game drought, with nothing good to broadcast, started recommending this new game that had just come out.

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"The streamer is about to play 'Escape'! The designer of 'To the Moon' has created this heartwarming game!"

"Hey, why don't you try playing 'Escape'? It's been trending lately!"

"Yeah, and the stream of 'Escape' is doing well! Someone in a nearby region streamed it, and the view count crossed 3 million, with double the usual VIPs!"

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Some streamers who don't follow the gaming scene closely were drawn to "Escape" for different reasons. Some were curious because it was made by the designer of "To the Moon," while others saw the success other streamers were having with it.

No matter the reason, we saw all these streamers jumping into the "Escape" craze. Soon enough, the live-streaming platforms were buzzing with excitement.