What the hell is going on with Hellblade 2 on Steam? Why is it so low on charts?

[sazz]

The problem with player numbers is that they're an entirely empty metric. If I play a game for fifteen minutes and go "nah" and never touch it again, I'm still counted as a "player". And in a Game Pass era where people don't even have to spend any money to try a game out, you have LOTS of people who will download a game, boot it up once to see if they like it, and then never revisit it. I would honestly argue that those kinds of players are a negative metric, not a positive one.

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I do agree that player numbers are largely a pointless metric, for me it's just surprising that a sequel to a game that was well received and actually at least downloaded by a fair amount of people, is #235 on steam charts, less than 2 weeks before release

I was never expecting HB2 to do anything special in regards to sale numbers but so low on the charts it literally feels like the game is not wanted by anyone on PC

 

[Brat-Sampson]

I have PC Game Pass, so in a sense, I've already bought it.

 

[Mesoian]

I literally didn't know it was coming out this month.

I've heard more about Hades 2 in early access than I have about Hellblade this year.

 

[Creamium]

It's crazy. This game is gonna release to no fanfare after being paraded out in like 50 different conferences, or so it felt like.

I will say I'm 100% gonna jump into Hades II first and this was always kinda low on my radar after not liking the first one much.

 

[vixolus]

They really need something like PS Blog to keep pumping content for their twitter. Their ratio of gimmick tweets to helpful tweets is way too high.

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That's what the Xbox Wire is…

 

[Scarface]

its not really a game i really wanna play.

its subject matter is tough and its kinda slow. IDK. I feel like they arent capturing any new folks.

 

[jroc74]

With the type of game this is....this doesnt bode well.

Not shocking to say its almost expected to be a low seller.

 

[Ahti]

Basically it's the studio that has been doing all the marketing. New video.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVBxvlRV0d4

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This. And it's for the better, I believe.

 

[bes.gen]

its bit expensive for 6hours one and done experience honestly. they were selling the first one for $30 if i remember correct.
still should do good if reviews deliver.

 

[.exe]

I thought the first was just so-so. I was very surprised Xbox pinned their next gen hopes and dreams on the sequel to a dressed-up walking sim -- i.e. decidedly not mainstream appeal.

Hope it does well for Ninja Theory's sake.

 

[Jencks]

This game was revealed with the Series X itself and now is releasing to no fanfare

 

[Footos22]

I liked the first one even though it's not exactly the most engaging game ever. But it was depressing as all fuck. The last thing I wanna play is the same thing but even more bleak. Pretty though I'll give it that.

 

[Nayenezgani]

Didn't really find the first one to be a good game as a whole. Impressive for the size of the team in many respects, but I uninstalled it before completion because it was a drag to play.

 

[Hellstruck]

As an outsider, I'm amazed people think this was ever in any way going to be a huge hit. The writing and setting seem 'indie' as can be while the graphics are on the exact opposite end. The entire approach of the main character being insane and constantly having voices go off along with the tribal aesthetic and less gameplay focus reminds me a lot of those more stylized indie games that are ~6 hours long and generally a good romp. They're good games, but they're typically not blockbusters either.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I wonder if the game is donkey balls.

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I bet it is a perfectly fine, or good game. At the very least, I bet if you liked the first, you'll like this one.

I just think they know it isn't going to be a big seller. It can be a 10 out of 10 game, and it wouldn't matter much. Trying to google the first games sales, the only announcement I am seeing is them celebrating it selling 1 million copies. I just don't think the game was very big as far as the "AAA" gaming space is concerned. And MS is now on the hunt for big fucking AAA (or mobile) games. So, it's get this out there door for the fans and then move on to the next project.

 

[gifyku]

Fun to read this thread and see both blame assigned for lack of marketing and the majority of folks saying they wont buy it anyway. Marketing budgets are also set based on ROI and yes, it doesn't bode well for Hellblade 2 because this doesn't seem to be the type of game that gamers today want to play.

We will see increased marketing but it wont substantially improve the final results of this game. If anything, this is a game that needed to also be on PS5 Day 1.

 

[Duxxy3]

Could just be that Xbox spent all of its marketing budget on the Call of Duty E3 show. They also cancelled Blizzcon.

So basically Xbox is just Call of Duty now.

 

[Yuntu]

As an outsider, I'm amazed people think this was ever in any way going to be a huge hit. The writing and setting seem 'indie' as can be while the graphics are on the exact opposite end. The entire approach of the main character being insane and constantly having voices go off along with the tribal aesthetic and less gameplay focus reminds me a lot of those more stylized indie games that are ~6 hours long and generally a good romp. They're good games, but they're typically not blockbusters either.

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First one did well though and was well received.

 

[Minthara]

Fun to read this thread and see both blame assigned for lack of marketing and the majority of folks saying they wont buy it anyway. Marketing budgets are also set based on ROI and yes, it doesn't bode well for Hellblade 2 because this doesn't seem to be the type of game that gamers today want to play.

We will see increased marketing but it wont substantially improve the final results of this game. If anything, this is a game that needed to also be on PS5 Day 1.

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Yep. You don't sink marketing dollars in something you don't think will make its ROI, or if you have something else that'll yield a higher ROI.

 

[Garulon]

As an outsider, I'm amazed people think this was ever in any way going to be a huge hit.

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Me too I'm so amazed in fact that I think it's being set up for "another XBox flop, buy Sony" type reaction.

 

[egg]

It's both the fact that Hellblade was never the biggest ip to begin with but also Microsoft has not been ramping up the marketing until a day ago. And even that still seems like the bare minimum.

 

[Rosebud]

I don't even know who the marketing leads are at PlayStation or Nintendo, but I know you won't find them on Twitter/X convincing, and trying to prove to fans with evidence that they're actually marketing a game.

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Xbox leadership is so filled with incompetent white dudes, it's astonishing

 

[Garulon]

First one did well though and was well received.

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No it wasn't. I mean it reviewed great (short games usually review great) and I loved it and got it, but it sold a million copies, it wasn't designed as a blockbuster game and it'd be great if everyone stopped pretending it was

 

[Prototype]

Didn't even know it was out so soon. The only thing I loved about the first game was the stuff they were doing with the voices while weating headphones. Gameplay wass pretty boring.

 

[jroc74]

Fun to read this thread and see both blame assigned for lack of marketing and the majority of folks saying they wont buy it anyway. Marketing budgets are also set based on ROI and yes, it doesn't bode well for Hellblade 2 because this doesn't seem to be the type of game that gamers today want to play.

We will see increased marketing but it wont substantially improve the final results of this game. If anything, this is a game that needed to also be on PS5 Day 1.

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Yup, this game definitely needed to be on PS5 day one. At this point, it doesnt even matter wrt Xbox consoles. Its about the studios.

Well...it always should be about the studios regardless but this week has been rough.

 

[Freedonia]

There's been zero marketing, and it's coming out on the 21st. It feels like a setup, and I fear for the future of this studio

 

[Re-Tails]

Marketing's the obvious reason, pointed out by many above already.

For me. I have GP, (also got Hellblade 1 on Steam from a bundle I think?). Still haven't played it, probably not gonna anytime soon. Nothing about the game really interests me tbh.

Are this sort of narrative-driven cinematic artsy game that popular?

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Not just PC/Steam, this genre is a niche. The only one I wanted to try has been Firewatch, and looks like Valve also realised they had extreme value.

 

[Praedyth]

That's what the Xbox Wire is…

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Oh. I thought Xbox Wire was just business related news lmao. I just found out they also have a separate twitter account. 😬😬😬

 

[tokkun]

Hellblade was a single-player arthouse game that reviewed well for its handling of difficult subject matter, but was not actually fun to play.

It's the gaming equivalent of a movie like Zone of Interest. It had some broader success due to critical reception and awards buzz. Even if people appreciated what it was doing, I don't think many of them came away from it thinking "Yes, I need more of that! I can't wait for the sequel!"

 

[A.J.]

Given the length of the game, it seems like a better Game Pass game than an outright purchase game.

 

[Tortillo VI]

It's on Gamepass and has had no marketing push I can see so far.

 

[Byron Hinson]

Wasn't it well received but only started selling well when it got its huge discounts?

 

[Duxxy3]

No it wasn't. I mean it reviewed great (short games usually review great) and I loved it and got it, but it sold a million copies, it wasn't designed as a blockbuster game and it'd be great if everyone stopped pretending it was

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20 people worked on the game. Hellblade 2's team is about double that.

It's also likely that it sold considerably more than 1 million units. Steamspy has a larger number and that doesn't include Xbox or Playstation sales. And once again that's with a staff of 20 people.

The second game should be very profitable, but it won't light the world on fire.

 

[Badcoo]

I remember reading somewhere that marketing will start next week or something. Either way, the 1st game was a cult hit more than anything. I'm excited to play it but only b/c I have game pass. I wouldn't buy it intentionally unless it was on sale. That also depends on the reviews.

 

[MeltedDreams]

They still haven't shown any decent gameplay video.

 

[Rappy]

At one point I could see they wanted the scope of this game to be much larger. But from what it sounds like, it's just going to be like the first but a new story and better graphics. You could push the marketing and overhype it (like they originally were doing), but that just seems like a short term boost before people actually get time with it and realize it's not what they expected. But perhaps a short term boost is enough considering what's happened to other low performer studios.

 

[Gestault]

Hellblade itself is basically a big-budget arthouse game, so I totally get why it wouldn't be highly ranked, even in the leadup to launch while full-priced.

That being said, I feel like Xbox basically isn't advertising in any ways that I encounter (beyond minimal, lazy-looking social media posts). Maybe the cost math works out in everyone's favor (i.e., without the ad campaign, you can sell 30% fewer games but come out ahead), but Xbox/Microsoft feels like a bad publisher to work under these days if your game needs advertising that "gets out there."

 

[HStallion]

It feels so odd that MS has been giving a big focus to Hellblade 2 in several of their big gaming shows for years and years but weeks before launch there is barely a peep out of them. Seems so backwards but this is MS and their focus is baffling at best with some of their titles.

 

[Yuntu]

No it wasn't. I mean it reviewed great (short games usually review great) and I loved it and got it, but it sold a million copies, it wasn't designed as a blockbuster game and it'd be great if everyone stopped pretending it was

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Where did I pretend that? I said it did well. And you just proved my point. It sold over a million and above NTs expectations (back then not under MS so they shared sales data very openly). It has 59k reviews on Steam and over 90% rating, so it was also received well.

 

[Parcas]

0 marketing
a niche game that has had no buzz from comunity.

 

[oneils]

Never played the first game. So I am not really that interested in the sequel. I feel like sequels to smaller titles are always at a disadvantage. I don't know what they can do about that. Even for big titles it can be tough. I saw that FFV VII Rebirth sales don't match the first. It makes sense to me as I am guessing many bought the first one and still haven't finished it.

 

[Undeniablybiased]

Do people seriously not know it's coming out soon? I feel like if you even remotely were following gaming news you would hear something.

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I only heard it was coming out soon because of the current Microsoft controversy.

 

[BraXzy]

I think I had fatigue on the existence of the game to even realise it released?

It's been used by MS as a figure head of things to come for so long (how many years have we seen trailers now?) that part of me forgets it wasn't already out. The previous game wasn't a mega hit so a numbered sequel isn't going to necessarily change things. I also don't think it helps the title starts Senua's Saga… why not just 'Hellblade II' to be punchy?

 

[Dinjoralo]

I'm not really sure why anyone would think this game would be a massive, mainstream hit.

I also hadn't really registered just how soon it was coming out, myself. Only reason I know is from people mocking that bare-bones tweet from Xbox that just had the name and date.

 

[SCUMMbag]

The problem with player numbers is that they're an entirely empty metric. If I play a game for fifteen minutes and go "nah" and never touch it again, I'm still counted as a "player". And in a Game Pass era where people don't even have to spend any money to try a game out, you have LOTS of people who will download a game, boot it up once to see if they like it, and then never revisit it. I would honestly argue that those kinds of players are a negative metric, not a positive one.

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The thing is, if you're just touching a different game for 15 minutes each month and keeping your subscription going then MS are likely happy with that.

I agree it's an empty metric, but it is pretty much universally considered a positive one. Cause if no one is even bothering to try your game on a service like Game Pass where the barrier to entry is so low, you're mega fucked.

 

[Rosebud]

Can we take a moment to appreciate Bloons TD 6 doing well after so many years? Amazing game

 

[Zaro]

At the same time, do they need to sell a lot.
I don't know what's they expected for this game.

 

[DontHateTheBacon]

There's no marketing for it and the only times they've really talked about it lately are to manage expectations about how big it is, how long it is, the price, the scope, etc.

I'd guess a lot of engagement for this game will come through Game Pass, not actual sales?

 

[WhtR88t]

Probably they dont even know its coming out because it has had a total of cero (0) marketing from Microsoft

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lol what?

I feel like they've been promoting it at every Xbox showcase since the launch of the Series X 3.5 years ago?

 

[ZangBa]

I'm going to go against the grain a bit and say it has less to do with the lack of marketing but instead, the game is just painfully uninteresting, unnecessary and irrelevant.