Square Enix issue apology for Octopath Traveler supply shortage in Japan

[Arthands]

Square Enix is apologing for the shortage of Octopath Traveler in Japan, and ask that the fans to consider buying it digitally or buy a download card at convenience stores instead.

Japan is celebrating Marine Day (a holiday in Japan) in the coming Monday.

 

[Deleted member 3010]

Good sign, I want this to sell as if there's no tomorrow.

 

[cw_sasuke]

This is the good kind of bad news.

 

[Azure Wanderer]

By doing so they don't have to kiss their business goodbye. Well done.

 

[Ridley327]

Of all the regions, Japan seemed like the one that I would have expected to have the most ample supply. I guess Nintendo saw something in it that even they couldn't see.

 

[Wispmetas]

Lol this game bombed! Get on making those copies square!

 

[srtrestre]

I'm sorry.

 

[NotLiquid]

I expected the game to blow up but not that much

 

[Kouriozan]

Yeeep, we got a hit on our hand.

 

[NHarmonic.]

Please understand.

 

[Zedark]

Quite promising for the game's sales. Really want it to do well, absolutely loving it so far.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Thats a good sign.

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

good thing I had preordered mine. Whew

 

[Buzzman]

So, how many copies do we think Square shipped?

 

[Busaiku]

I expected the game to blow up but not that much

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It's more that retailers and SE were tepid due to lower preorders.
The estimates are good, but not amazing, likely lower than Bravely Default.

 

[Herb Alpert]

Very good sign
I just hope they didn't understock it by fear it wouldn't sell.

 

[Beartruck]

Square yet again underestimating how much people want a classic style RPG. SMH.

 

[Solobbos]

In Finland it's also hard to find a physical copy at shelves. Seems like the demand was way underestimated.

 

[Comic Obsessed]

Hope this doesn't mean that shipments were low.

 

[Mr Swine]

Hopefully this means that SE can make more games for Switch!

 

[Sadist]

Its always with games on Nintendo systems. I remember the original Theatrhythm selling out quickly and S-E was taken aback in regards to demand.

 

[Braaier]

100k+ FW?

 

[Lwill]

Sucks for the short term, but the game doing better than what SE expected is great. I wonder what they were expecting?

 

[ILikeFeet]

Of all the regions, Japan seemed like the one that I would have expected to have the most ample supply. I guess Nintendo saw something in it that even they couldn't see.

Click to shrink...

when you sell to 3 territories (NA, EU, Upside Down Land) compared to 1, it makes sense to be just a little over

 

[Deleted member 3700]

It's more that retailers and SE were tepid due to lower preorders.
The estimates are good, but not amazing, likely lower than Bravely Default.

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Is this based on comg? Their ranking does not reflect much.

 

[big_z]

Square yet again underestimating how much people want a classic style RPG. SMH.

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To be fair switch is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to game sales. It's kind of a device to fill in the gaps the other platforms have and I don't think developers have caught on quite yet.

 

[Lizardus]

Square just shot themselves in the foot yet again.

 

[Shepherd]

Why cant Nintendo give us digital numbers?

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

So, how many copies do we think Square shipped?

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In Japan? Probably in the 100k range.

 

[ScreamingMadden]

Great sign. Interesting that SE wasn't ready for this game selling out in Japan. Makes me wonder how else it sold in other parts of the world.

 

[Sebastopa]

Not sure if undershipped or...

 

[Deleted member 27751]

when you sell to 3 territories (NA, EU, Upside Down Land) compared to 1, it makes sense to be just a little over

Click to shrink...

Mate, I will throw a crocodile and a kangaroo at you. Just you watch out calling us upside down, maybe you are the one upside down ;)

I am actually intrigued to see Australian sales as we are usually pretty big Nintendo supporters.

 

[Deleted member 2791]

Why cant Nintendo give us digital numbers?

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In Japan this is a Square Enix game.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Is this based on comg? Their ranking does not reflect much.

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no, publishers have access to actual preorder numbers than just what one store says.

 

[Shepherd]

In Japan this is a Square Enix game.

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Yeah, forgot about that :s
Digital sales count towards Media Create numbers?

 

[Ximonz]

to me though, this seems more like a missed opportunity.

rarely see a game missed initial sale (whether due to shortage or not) have a great life time sale in Japan.

 

[404LinkNotFound]

By doing so they don't have to kiss their business goodbye. Well done.

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I take it that you're an expert on japanese culture :p

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Yeah, forgot about that :s
Digital sales count towards Media Create numbers?

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No.

 

[Braaier]

I could see a lot of digital sales for this now. Same thing happened with mhw when that sold out

 

[iamsgod]

Is this based on comg? Their ranking does not reflect much.

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probably yso

 

[mjc]

A good bad sign, hopefully people buy digital copies to compensate. I know Amazon sold out in the US for whatever it's worth.

 

[Koozek]

Maybe this was planned so people would buy more digital copies which have bigger profit margins.

 

[Slime Stack]

Makes 8 different printable cover versions to incentivize buying multiple copies.

Ships a conservative amount of physical copies to drive the desirability up.

Genius.

 

[eseqko]

Hopefully this means that SE can make more games for Switch!

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What'll happen is a multiplat sequel with new elements to appeal in the West, doesn't sell as expected for a multiplat release and the franchise is canned.

Makes 8 different printable cover versions to incentivize buying multiple copies.

Ships a conservative amount of physical copies to drive the desirability up.

Genius.

Click to shrink...

I thought that offer was only for the US?

 

[Plankton2]

But it digitally so we get more profit

 

[Deleted member 925]

Maybe this was planned so people would buy more digital copies which have bigger profit margins.

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Let's not go down that rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.

 

[Pooroomoo]

Maybe this was planned so people would buy more digital copies which have bigger profit margins.

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It doesn't work this way, and especially not in Japan. While this will increase digital sales to a certain extent, many sales are lost whenever a situation like this happens.

 

[gordofredito]

Of all the regions, Japan seemed like the one that I would have expected to have the most ample supply. I guess Nintendo saw something in it that even they couldn't see.

Click to shrink...

probably after Setsuna and Lost Sphear, their expectations were rock bottom

 

[Herb Alpert]

The nostalgic old geezers demographic really is an important target on switch

 

[Xita]

Yaaaaasssss the best bad news