[27/11] Lightning Returns Had The Lowest Opening Sales Of Any Final Fantasy XIII Game

[Razberry Knight]

Siliconera

Last week, Square Enix released Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII in Japan, and the game sold 277,082 copies in its first week on the PlayStation 3.

How does that compare to the previous two Final Fantasy XIII games? Let’s take a look. Below are opening sales figures for all three FFXIII games on PS3.

(2009) Final Fantasy XIII – 1,501,964
(2011) Final Fantasy XIII-2 – 524,217
(2013) Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII – 277,082

Opening sales of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII were 53% of Final Fantasy XIII-2′s numbers and 18% of Final Fantasy XIII’s launch. Final Fantasy XIII-2 sales were 35% of Final Fantasy XIII’s launch.

We never expected Lightning Returns to do outstanding numbers, especially in light of the drop in sales from FFXIII to FFXIII-2, but judging by these sales, it’s probably for the best that this is the last game in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. It’s time to move on.




well...i knew it would suck, and i'm glad i was right about this one.

 

[Big Casino]

the sales of LR show just how well received the previous 2 games were. Perfect scores on 13-2 har har i think not

 

[.Mosh]

Sadly what I feel is that this could be better than that of FFXIII-2 but because XIII-2 wasn't too great everyone is put off it. S-E should of expected this but I expect it to make it's money back when it hits the US and the UK etc. The new super mario world game isn't fairing to well in Japan either so I wouldn't go with the game sucks just yet, also play before judgement =]

 

[Shaissa]

Sadly what I feel is that this could be better than that of FFXIII-2 but because XIII-2 wasn't too great everyone is put off it. S-E should of expected this but I expect it to make it's money back when it hits the US and the UK etc. The new super mario world game isn't fairing to well in Japan either so I wouldn't go with the game sucks just yet, also play before judgement =]

Basically this and think about it, how long did it take for XIII-2 to drop it's price? not even 4 months from what I remember, so why buy it on opening day when you could wait a few months and get it a hell lot cheaper?

 

[The Witch]

i am not surprised. they should have left it alone at the first game. i take that back, they should have concentrated on versus instead of this. maybe these sales will tell them something.

 

[Razberry Knight]

Basically this and think about it, how long did it take for XIII-2 to drop it's price? not even 4 months from what I remember, so why buy it on opening day when you could wait a few months and get it a hell lot cheaper?

But think about it, the game really advertised the heck out. And just barely.


But it just shows how people are uninterested. and how much proof so we have that price drop actually made the game profitable?

already there complaints about the game's ending.

 

[.Mosh]

But think about it, the game really advertised the heck out. And just barely.


But it just shows how people are uninterested. and how much proof so we have that price drop actually made the game profitable?

already there complaints about the game's ending.

So much negativity on this forum for this title without even playing it and worst of all already spoiling the ending for people who want to read it when they haven't played any of the game for the events leading up to it. Yes LR:FXIII has been advertised a lot but yer I see a lot of FIFA adverts doesn't mean I am going to buy it...or call of duty adverts. Like I said it is all down to the experience they all had with FFXIII-2 and that is the big issue. I can already see from the game trailers and gameplay that this looks a lot better than FFXIII-2. Also the ending being complained at well I don't think it could be worse than Mass Effect 3 world complaints so my mind is fine with that, as long as it makes sense and works to an extent great.

 

[Starships]

To be honest I would of brought this thing if it wasn't so Lightning focused and how great and super fantastic Lightning is and what a great Waifu she is and everything. But if had the usual party of 3- 4 I think I would of had no issue picking this up. I did enjoy XIII-2 after all, and XIII I complain about it alot, I admit, and it's not the best thing ever, but imo it's also not the complete worst.

But since for the past few years SE wants to push Lightning down our throats, guess it was not possible to avoid a project like LR being made. I hope that this is the end of FF 13 and that Square- Enix gets the idea that not everybody loves Lightning, even if they played through XIII and XIII-2.

So much negativity on this forum for this title without even playing it

Most people here have played XIII and XIII-2 and loathed them, so why would they buy and pick up a 3rd part of something that they highly dislike ?


That would be like me picking up XII RW on the DS.

And most of the XIII complaints are true and have good reason. XIII was linear and had shitloads of faults, same with XIII-2 and that Troll ending, and Lightning is a overrated hero, most of her hardcore fans are tweens or young teens who probs also like Justin Bieber as well.

and worst of all already spoiling the ending for people who want to read it

To be fair, it's not just these Forums. People are putting the spoilers for the game everywhere. I have Lightning Farron blocked on by Tumblr and yet I've still seen shitloads of LR ending spoils. It's just the human race having no respect for other people anymore.

I swear since about 2009 people have stopped saying fucking please and thankyou and jUST PUSH YOU ASIDE.

Like I said it is all down to the experience they all had with FFXIII-2

Sorta yes ?

& The original game.

I can already see from the game trailers and gameplay that this looks a lot better than FFXIII-2.

eww no.

 

[.Mosh]

To be honest I would of brought this thing if it wasn't so Lightning focused and how great and super fantastic Lightning is and what a great Waifu she is and everything. But if had the usual party of 3- 4 I think I would of had no issue picking this up. I did enjoy XIII-2 after all, and XIII I complain about it alot, I admit, and it's not the best thing ever, but imo it's also not the complete worst.

But since for the past few years SE wants to push Lightning down our throats, guess it was not possible to avoid a project like LR being made. I hope that this is the end of FF 13 and that Square- Enix gets the idea that not everybody loves Lightning, even if they played through XIII and XIII-2.

I understand your issues with the franchises but you even stated you enjoyed it, the thing is though it may not be selling well in Japan but once it hits over our shores it will go into profits and thatls all that matters for S-E. Yes it may only just be scraping profits, but its profits none the less. Yes they have also been cramming her character down her throats but I am one of the people that don't mind her as a character at all, there are far more worse characters in FF History.

Most people here have played XIII and XIII-2 and loathed them, so why would they buy and pick up a 3rd part of something that they highly dislike ?


That would be like me picking up XII RW on the DS.

And most of the XIII complaints are true and have good reason. XIII was linear and had shitloads of faults, same with XIII-2 and that Troll ending, and Lightning is a overrated hero, most of her hardcore fans are tweens or young teens who probs also like Justin Bieber as well.

Not most but a fair few I know didn't like FFXIII for it's linearity and simplistic auto battle system, but I felt the world and characters weren't to bad except for a few people. It was better then some other FF titles in my opinion. XIII-2 was an improvement for me, maybe not in terms of story but in terms of accessibility and improved combat mechanics which made it feel more of your input then letting auto battle do the work. Yes the ending had a big to be continued sign on it but if it hadn't I wouldn't have minded the way it ended as it was kind of cool and we had a cool last boss as well. I was also one of the few that bought the DLC for the story extensions and the lightning epilogue was really good. LR:FFXIII looks a bit messed up in terms of story but its concluding so you don't have to deal with her anymore as we now move onto the next generation with FFXV.

To be fair, it's not just these Forums. People are putting the spoilers for the game everywhere. I have Lightning Farron blocked on by Tumblr and yet I've still seen shitloads of LR ending spoils. It's just the human race having no respect for other people anymore.

I swear since about 2009 people have stopped saying fucking please and thankyou and jUST PUSH YOU ASIDE.

That is very much true, it is really annoying when people know its many months between releases and spoiling it is just wrong. I feel this way people are able to form the negative opinions and keep on spreading them leading up to the European and US launch. I am going to buy it no matter what because simply my console hasn't got enough RPGs to be honest. I can understand your dislike for LRIII and respect them but for me I see the game as an improvement

 

[Martel]

You don't need to experience something in order to know it's going to be a bad experience. You've never tried jumping in front of a train or stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork before, have you? It's essentially the same thing with the FFXIII trilogy.

These low sales please me immensely, because it's exactly what Square Enix deserve. They've had this coming for a long time now. Hahaha. Ha.

 

[Master Cat]

Is it bad that I'm actually surprised XIII: LR did even worst than XIII-2? >D I kinda was expecting similar numbers, or maybe even LR being a bit higher... It's pretty sad considering how much advertising this game received, with the pre-order incentives and whatnot.

I'm still going to get this game regardless since I've played XIII and XIII-2 - and actually enjoyed them unlike most people here, lol. I'm not a fan of Lightning or the costume concept, but I'm a little curious as to where the story is going and how different the main characters will be this time around a.k.a. Noel and Hope<3

 

[Shaissa]

Everyone talks about the advertising they did... Really they personally didn't do much...

All they kept doing was "and this week is another costume" and then there was the whole giving away basically the whole plot of the story right away...

I think they would of been better without giving away all the plot and also not showing/caring so much about costumes.

 

[L]

All they kept doing was "and this week is another costume" and then there was the whole giving away basically the whole plot of the story right away...

I've seen more advertisement for it than any other Final Fantasy game that has ever been released.

They even have a promotional event running in FFXIV right now.

But I am not surprised. All of the FFXIII games have been abhorrent in one way or another. FFXIII-2 would have been better if Academia and Caius weren't in it.

Spoiler: FFXIII-2 Spoiler

Srsly, fuck Caius. I wish he would have killed himself sooner than he did. The fuck was the point of that? And then you get this to be continued shit.

 

[Linnaete]

And 85-90% of the internet has just begun to throw big schadenfreude parties at Square-Enix's expense. Can't say I sympathise with the company. They had it coming to them, though given how LR's budget looks like a typical university student's bank account, they were probably anticipating this as well. Or not. Maybe they were banking on the fanservice and the infinite torrent of costumes, and thought that it would translate to inflated first week sales in Nippon.

Only the most deluded of fans would want more FFXIII. It's over and it's done (at least it will be after February). Time to pack up and move on. It's been a horrendous mega clusterfuck of a generation for the company on so many levels, and they better wish to God that they don't have a similar or worse experience next (current now?) gen.

That being said, LR, stupid costumes, plot and characters aside, at least looks like the most interesting game of the three, if you only compare them together and nothing more. It looks interesting because they've at least got half the things right about what a decent JRPG makes. However, it doesn't scream full-price game at all. It screams "pick me up after a few months when I've been slashed on Amazon to a tenner".

FFXIII-2 would have been better if Academia and Caius weren't in it.

Caius's voice alone makes the game sort of worth it. But yeah, Academia I won't be praising much. 15fps here and there, while endless spawning monsters were showing up in the other Academia era to munch your face every five seconds.

FFXIII-2 overall is a forgettable, incoherent experience anyway, though I'm still certain that it's got the worst writing and storytelling of all three games. From what I've seen storywise: FFXIII >>> LR: FFXIII >>>>>> FFXIII-2.

 

[Starships]

So much hate on XIII-2


But, opinions.

 

[Ohri-Jin]

SE claimed ppl wanted a sequal and then they claimed again that ppl wanted another game. You deserve this shit SE. I knew it all along.

 

[Razberry Knight]

http://www.siliconera.com/2013/11/2...-copies-lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii/

as Fleur said, SE most likely anticipated and only shipped so much. i'm starting to think the games we should care about the most in SE are the ones we hardly hear about because those are the ones SE knows we want more (FFXV, Type-0).

It kind of bitter sweet that they played it safe. for one, LR didn't ruin them, but second its almost as if they learned their lesson but at the same time rubbing it in hater's faces saying, "we knew it wouldn't sell as good, but we made it so its still a win for us! We love you lightning, we want to have you babies!"

 

[Baseballbat Boy]

shitty sales for a shitty game

then again, 13-2 sold well enough, and it was the worst piece of shit in existence.

 

[greenyxi]

See, I see LR being the best of the trilogy. Sure, it isn't saying much, but shouldn't that mean it gets the highest sales figures? In a perfect world . I'm sure it won't have the graphics or "high production values" of 13-1, but looking at the timed concept, at least there could be something slightly less overdone about the game. There don't seem to be too many RPGs that focus on time constraints out there, that I can think of (except Majora's Mask, if that counts).

What I'm trying to say there is: shouldn't the more unique games sell better and be encouraged? Meh, I'll be grabbing LR after a month or two anyways .

 

[Martel]

In the perfect world, FFXIII wouldn't exist

I'd hardly call LR: FFXIII "unique" in any sense - we've seen the pretty graphics, the awful gameplay, and the same bland, one-dimensional characters twice before recently, and they weren't particularly groundbreaking the first time either. As for unique in terms of story...as far as weirdness goes, this is tame compared to the likes of Drakengard, anything made by NIS, and pretty much any anime that has a title that is longer than six words. It's just a third crappy instalment in a consistently crappy franchise that is part of a getting even crappier franchise. So, whilst I agree with the point that unique games should be praised and should get more sales, "unique" is not a word I'd use when describing this monstrosity.