How well was MGR marketed? Are we talking a commercial the week of release or plenty of media fellatio (Tomb Raider, Far cry 3, Skyrim) for the better part of a year?
It was marketed about as well as a game like that can be. "High Profile" announcement, Constant media updates, commercials, web stuff, and at least some media attention based on the fact that it's a metal gear game. I'm not sure what more any reasonable company could do for it. It's not going to get the Rockstar games or CoD treatment, it dosen't deserve it. You say Far Cry 3, it probably got more if not the same level of marketing that game did. I don't even remember seeing that much crap for Far Cry 3. It did get a lot of word of mouth though. The game's existence was made well aware, Konami did as much as any other company would for Rising. Maybe it just didn't catch the public's eye. You mention Skyrim and Tomb Raider, but it's not like the marketing for those games were so above Rising, but they did have kind of more word of mouth. I get this strange feeling people did not care about Rising until well the reviews starting coming out and well why was that?I know Tomb Raider was getting attention, because it was this more gritty reboot of a famed franchisee. Likewise Skyrim was riding off Bethesda's momentum and looked to be an even more "get lost in this extremely detailed world". A world that would probably be more appealing right now then the world of a equally good jrpg. Hell whats also extremely popular with perhaps the same crowd that's bying video games? Game of Thrones. How would you describer GoTs? Well I would describe it as this very serious and realistic take on fantasy, and maybe thats why it's caught on. Good storytelling now doubt, but is that all it needed to make it a hit? But that's my point, right now this kind of realistic and seriously toned stuff is what's popular. Nolan's Batman makes tons of money and yes while there is stuff like The Avengers, it doesn't change my point. I'm not saying everything needs to be "realistic", but I think people right now are more receptive to things that don't seem wacky.
In the age of the AAA game, simply having a commercial on TV does not mean "marketed well". Look at the new Gears of War
I have no clue when that game comes out but I'm seeing it all over the place ALREADY. that is good marketing. I didn't even know MGR was coming out last month until the demo by comparison.
You sure the problem isn't just you? I mean you we're both just saying anecdotal evidence really, but I mean I'm not sure anyone who would have been interested in Rising would have not known. That type of gamer is online, watches channels where commercials of the game would be, some of them read forums, and so on. What more did you want? It had about the same level of crap as most AAA games that aren't CoD or Rockstar's stuff. It also has a name that's quite well known.
I mean if I had to guess what went wrong with MGR is that it came out way to late. It needed to come out two years tops after MGS4. It needed a main game to ride the momentum off of. Plus MGS4 came out in 08, I don't think the actual identity of this gen had settled in. Shit changed.
You mention popular games that are popular based on how they look,
I mention popular games that are the complete oppisate in style, tone, and storytelling then what Plat does. But I don't mean they are popular because of that. I mean if they weren't good games, it wouldn't matter. But I think their subject material is more inviting to people then that of Plats games.
using Dark souls as an example when - and I'd love to be proven wrong by factual sales data - I'm sure Bayonetta sold about as well if not better than Dark Souls.
In the US? I have no idea. I'm sure Dark Souls has sold almost as well if not better, but it's a series that will continue to grow, unlike Bayo. And it's not because of its looks, its mostly about gameplay. But would the game had caught on with a more typical anime art design? With a story like Tales of? Same gameplay, but more like your everyday jrpg? I doubt it.
You say all these games need is better marketing, but what does that mean and why would that make them sell significantly better? What games like them have sold better? I'm sure their are quite a few games that have received worse or the same level of marketing that have sold better then Bayo or Rising.
