OP
OP
You've got the time frames wrong. RE5 only recently (like last couple years) reached over 10 million, it didn't perform 10 million on launch. You're comparing how RE5 has done over 9 years to how RE7 has done in in less than a year and a half. I'd need to dig to get exact number, but if I recall RE5 sold 2-3 million in its first month (which was essentially the fiscal year as RE5 launched in March). RE7 was comparable by selling 3.5 million in 3 months. However, RE5 was releasing as the sequel to RE4, so anticipation was high, while RE7 was releasing as the sequel to RE6, so anticipation was low. RE5 also was co-op and played similarly to RE4, while RE7 was single player and was an entirely new gameplay style for the series. RE6 sold well despite critically bombing.
REmake 2 has at least nine tricks up its sleeves in terms of how it'll perform.
01. It is a remake of a beloved classic, a classic which sold over 5 million copies back in the 90s and holds nostalgic value being over 20-years old.
02. The game is releasing on the heels of RE7, a game that was very well received and restored more consumers faith in the brand.
03. BUT for those who disliked the first-person perspective of the previous entry, it also is a return to third person, which some consumers want.
04. The game has high production values that shine through to many. People like shiny things, and REmake 2 looks better than RE7 before it.
05. The game actively is appealing to two user-bases; it has enough atmosphere, good sound design, survival emphasis, classic series staples, and disturbing enemies to appeal to horror fans, while enough good gameplay, visceral violence, detailed hit reaction, and interesting combat scenarios for action fans. It being able to strike more successfully than past entries with these two userbases at once will benefit it.
06. While tapping into RE2 nostalgia, it's also tapping into RE4 nostalgia, another of many people's favorite game of the series and even all time for a number of people. It's the first single-player focused game of its type since RE4, and one with a focus on the atmosphere like RE4 had.
07. It had an incrediably successful unveiling at E3 and benefited both from being one of the few surprises at Sony's conference and having a good demo. This is a case where I think Sony's new presentation style directly benefited Capcom. Also Capcom had the DMC5 reveal the day before this, which I think the two titles benefit rather than hurt the other from being unveiled and releasing closely together. Spaced out enough not to get in the others way, but close enough they may signal boost each other.
08. Early press and people who've played it at E3 are glowing about the game, making early word spread from the get-go.
09. The game's smaller announcement > release cycle benefits it heavily, ESPECIALLY as another beloved classic being remade (FFVII) announced right before REmake 2, is stalling and hasn't shown anything since its reveal. Meanwhile Capcom is almost done and releasing a very fine looking remake before the other comparable remake output even shows anything more, so Capcom gets free publicity and positive spins due to Square's failure there.
I think it's definitely going to perform better than RE7 with all of this in mind. I'm predicting 5 million the fiscal year, over 8 million for the first actual year.
