Sales numbers, continuity and growth

[Crext]

This thread is about putting to rest the numbers of DoA in regards to sales, and so on. This is a returning element in discussion, and it would be good to have a "correct answer" to this as it is based upon facts more than feeling. That said it will probably be updated and edited a lot, as not all sources are as good, and sometimes one must just go with "the best we got".

I will attempt to be more detailed about DoA than the other games, where the others are simply stated as references and comparison. Keep in mind that there are different business models, and so on. This does in no way indicate general health or predict future development.

All info is taken (for better and for worse) from VGchartz
Source will be given otherwise.

Dead or Alive

DoA5 (2012)
PS3 - 0,34 m
X360 - 0,15 m
Vita - 0,02 m
Total - 0,51 m
DLC supported ("favorable")

Wiki indicates 0,58 m shipped

DoAD (2011)
3DS - 0,28 m

Spinoff - DoA X2 (2006) / Paradise (2010)
X360 -0,22 m
PSP - 0,13 m
Total - 0,35 m


DoA 4 (2005)
X360 - 0,44 m

Wiki indicates 0,70 m shipped

Other sources indicates "1,00 m <" with http://s3.zetaboards...topic/212376/1/

Europe: 500,000 copies
North America: 400,000 copies
Japan: 100,000 copies

Not able to confirm.

DoA U (2004)
Xbox - 0,50 m

Spinoff - DoA X Beach Volleyball (2003)
Xbox - 0,59 m

DoA 3 (2001)
Xbox - 1,77 m

DoA 2 (2000)
PS2 - 1,11 m
DC - 0,14 m
Total - 1,26 m

Dead or Alive (1998)
PS - 0,28 m
SS - 0,18 m
Total - 0,46 m

Note, that DoA5 is less than 1 year old and do not include digital downloads (so one could expect somewhat greater numbers than indicated).


Stating sales chart of the main releases perhaps relevant to DoA franchise:
(Either as partner product, rivals or competition for reference)


Partners

Ninja Gaiden
NG3 (2012)
Total - 0,51 m

NG2 (2008)
X360 - 0,98 m

NG (2004)
Xbox - 1,23 m

Warriors Orochi
WO3 (2011)
Tot - 0,64 m

WO 2 (2008)
Tot - 0,87 m

Warriors Orochi (2007)
Tot - 1,25 m

Virtua Fighter
VF5 (2007)
Tot - 1,29 m

VF4 (2002)
PS2 - 1,81 m

VF 3 (1998)
DC - 0,37 m

VF 2 (1995)
SAT - 1,93 m

VF (1994)
SAT - 1,07 m

Competition

Tekken
T6 (2009)
Tot - 3,75 m

T3 (1998)
PS - 7,16 m

Tekken (1995)
PS - 3,24 m


TTT2 (2012)
Total - 0,84 m

Their financial reports indicate 1,5 m - source

TTT (2000)
PS2 - 4,05 m


Injustice
IJ (2013)
Total - 1,21 m


Street Fighter
SF IV (2009)
Total - 3,74 m

Capcom's own publishing indicate lower numbers of 3,20 m - Source SFIV

SF EX3 (2000) (Best selling for the period)
PS2 - 0,85 m

SF II: TWW (1992)
Total - 6,30 m


Smash Bros.
SB Brawl (2008)
Wii - 11,74 m

SB Melee (2001)
GC - 7,07 m

Smash Bros. (1999)
N64 - 5,55 m


Marvel vs. Capcom
MvsC 3 (2011)
Total - 2,26 m

MvsC 2 (2002)
Total - 1,04 m

Marvel vs Capcom (1999)
Total - 0,88 m


King of Fighters
KoF XIII (2011)
Total - 0,57 m

KoF XII (2009)
Total - 0,24 m

KoF XI (2006)
PS2 - 0,19 m

KoF 2001/2002 (2003)
PS2 - 0,11 m

KoF 97' (1997)
Total - 0,34 m

KoF 95' (1995)
Total - 0,65 m


Mortal Kombat
MK (2011)
Tot - 4,24 m

MK DA (2002)
Tot - 3,87 m

MK Tri (1996)
Tot - 3,75 m

MK (1992)
SG - 2,67 m


SoulCalibur
SC 5 (2012)
Tot - 1.06 m

SC 4 (2008)
Tot - 2.88 m

SC 3 (2005)
PS2 - 1,07 m

SC 2 (2003)
Tot - 4,56 m

SC (1999)
DC - 0,34 m


Persona 4: Arena
P4A (2012)
Tot - 0,46 m


BlazBlue
BB: Continuum Shift (2010)
Tot - 0,58 m

BB: Calamity Trigger (2009)
Tot - 0,86 m

Skullgirls
Tot - 0,05 m <

 

[David Gregg]

What a depressing thread. DOA 2-3 was TN's golden years.

 

[Crext]

What a depressing thread. DOA 2-3 was TN's golden years.

Heyhey, keep in mind that DoA 5 has been out for only 9 months, and probably gets a boost of ultimate as well.

That said, DoA 4 really took a ditch for the franchise it seems.
On the good side, no matter how you look at it, DoA 5 is on the road for recovery if nothing else...

 

[Matt Ponton]

DOA2 and DOA3 were launch units as well.

And some of the games like Tekken 5 and Virtua Fighter 4 had a longer shelf life due to being platinum hits (DOA3 included).

 

[grap3fruitman]

DOA2 and DOA3 were launch units as well.

DOA5 had the benefit of launching on systems with large, established user bases... I'm kind of shocked it sold as poorly as it did.

 

[Crext]

DOA5 had the benefit of launching on systems with large, established user bases... I'm kind of shocked it sold as poorly as it did.

Again, DoA5 is only 9 months into it AND has an ultimate version around the corner. But ye, it may have quite the road ahead to reach the glory days of DoA2 and 3.

 

[David Gregg]

You know something is wrong when a spin-off volleyball game sells more than the most current installment.

I do think though that DOA5U + F2P + arcade version will help.

 

[Crext]

You know something is wrong when a spin-off volleyball game sells more than the most current installment.

I do think though that DOA5U + F2P + arcade version will help.

Haha, nice catch.

 

[Berzerk!]

Are you counting Marvel VS Capcom 3 sales together with Ultimate MvC3?

This is the most important comparable because UMVC3 strengthened the games' position in the tournament scene. It also launched 9 mths after the initial game.

On a cursory look, Ultimate Marvel achieved sales of 1.2 million on top of what MVC3 initially sold, 2.6

Given TK's not putting much budget into repromoting the new game, I don't think we can expect much more than another 50% of original sales. That makes it a 300k title at best.

Hope that turns out to be wrong, being that its a game releasing free of competitive pressure from Tekken Tag 2 this time.

 

[Crext]

Are you counting Marvel VS Capcom 3 sales together with Ultimate MvC3?

On a cursory look, Ultimate Marvel achieved sales of 1.2 million on top of what MVC3 initially sold, 2.6

No, this is ultimate excluded.

Btw, what are the source for these numbers? The numbers I get for all Ultimate MvsC 3 is 0,31 m total over all platforms. If you add all of MvsC 3 and Ultimate MvsC 3 you get 2,57 million. Your 1.2 million for UMvsC3 alone is off from vgchartz numbers.

 

[Matt Ponton]

I remember looking at the NPD numbers at my previous job.

Virtua Fighter 5 for the 360 only amounted to 25,000 sales. Super Street Fighter IV amounted to 300,000.

Fighters in general sold 125% more on the PS3 for the same game. Tekken 6 sold around 150% due to its established fan base.

Can't provide you with the exact data, and those are only NA region obvious. DOA4 was around 425,000.

You know something is wrong when a spin-off volleyball game sells more than the most current installment.

I do think though that DOA5U + F2P + arcade version will help.

Those actually won't help as F2P wouldn't be calculated and the arcade version is limited to businesses in japan. Unless, you mean the awareness is how it will help. Having a high attach rate would be difficult though.

DOA5 had the benefit of launching on systems with large, established user bases... I'm kind of shocked it sold as poorly as it did.

Near the end of a generation where most of the competition in the same genre struggled to break the 1 million mark.

Even outside the same genre, some companies consider it a loss when their product "only" sells 6 million units ("Tomb Raider").

 

[Crext]

I remember looking at the NPD numbers at my previous job.

Virtua Fighter 5 for the 360 only amounted to 25,000 sales. Super Street Fighter IV amounted to 300,000.

Fighters in general sold 125% more on the PS3 for the same game. Tekken 6 sold around 150% due to its established fan base.

Can't provide you with the exact data, and those are only NA region obvious. DOA4 was around 425,000.

According to vgchartz, the sales of VF5 for the 360 seem to be 190 000 in NA, however it sold horrible everywhere else, Europe 10 000, Japan 30 000 and 20 000 over the entire rest of the world.
It did much better on ps3 though, with 0,28 m NA, 0,49 m Europe, 0,08 millions in Japan and 0,19 m in the rest of the world. All in all it looks like VF is more popular in Europe than anywhere else.
SSFIV has sold for 2,16 million, again according to vgchartz (both ps3 and 360).
DoA4 seems to be somewhat close to your numbers at 440 000 (360 exclusive).

 

[shunwong]

I didnt know VF5 had sold so much! Are there numbers for final showdown?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Matt Ponton]

VF5 was a launch title for the ps3.

No sales data for downloadable titles.

 

[synce]

Stopped reading at vgchartz

 

[Crext]

Stopped reading at vgchartz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VG_Chartz:

"Some sites, including Gamasutra and Wired News, have questioned the reliability of the information presented by the site.[4][6] VGChartz has defended the credibility and reliability of its sales data,[7] often comparing their numbers with the ones published by NPD Group,[8] although some charts have been retroactively adjusted to better match NPD's monthly reports."

Here you have the detailed version of them defending the credibility.

No sales data for downloadable titles.

This may be true, I do not know if Famitsu and Media Create calculate online sells. Either way pure downloads (like DLC costumes in DoA5) is not included.