'Resident Evil 5' sales remain strong

In early March, the much anticipated horror sequel Resident Evil 5 was leaked to torrent sites and P2P, a full ten days before its official release date. Capcom was understandably upset, but launch month sales were spectacular and it appears those sales remain strong despite the leak.

Capcom CFO Kazuhiko Abe adds that sales of the sequel are currently at 4.97 million and rising, on "very strong demand".

Abe notes that the company sold 4.4 million units in March alone, and that the title will top 5 million within days.

The publisher, like all other major publishers, has complained of piracy woes in the past, even citing piracy as the main reason Devil May Cry 4 had stagnant sales. The publisher said the PC version of the game had been "pirated to hell" and that Capcom Japan refused to release it digitally as a result.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 May 2009 2:23

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22 comments

EnigmaCM

Great game. I got a question though.Has anyone else experienced a disk read error every so often while playing the game or is it something with my 360, maybe getting hot or something? The disc is fine otherwise

26.5.2009 02:25 #1

ntense69

I bought this for my ps3 when it first came out and i must say i spent it well 60 bucks is a lot now a days to spend on anything and for games it better be good if I'm going to fork out that much dough.

26.5.2009 02:48 #2

Mik3h

This game is good the first run through, but tht re-playability is prety low since it is such a linear game, and certainly not like any of the other resident evils.

26.5.2009 03:11 #3

Lothros

More proof that Games Companies are talking out their asses about "Piracy"

26.5.2009 03:40 #4

Ryu77

As good as this game is, my opinion is (although it seems I am in the minority) that I liked the old Resident Evil formula so much more. The first time I played RE 4 (and this also goes for RE 5), I felt quite disappointed, not so much that it wasn't a good game but more so that the old style of RE seems to have been left behind. My feeling is that RE 4 and 5 really don't belong as part of the same series. The problem solving and adventure element are virtually non existant compared to RE 1, 2, 3 and Code Veronica X... Where 4 and 5 are more of a shooter style game. They certainly have a place in the RE franchise but I really feel that it was misleading to name them 4 and 5 respectively, maybe a name to signify an offshoot would have been more appropriate.

As Mik3h mentioned above, RE 4 & 5 are very linear style games which pretty much guide you in a forward moving direction. I much prefer the free roaming style of the earlier RE series.

Oh well, enough of my rant. To clarify, I think that RE 4 & 5 are great "shooter" style games. However, I am not a huge fan of shooters unless they offer quite a bit of diversity. I have a couple that I have enjoyed like the Half Life series and I am enjoying Perfect Dark Zero at the moment, but my favourite genre is survival horror, like the old RE games. The Project Zero (Fatal Frame in the USA) series have also met my expectations in this regard. At least the Silent Hill series have still retained the formula I love so much... Heart thumping, spine tingling, one eye open terror mixed with brain straining puzzles that offer the perfect midnight, lights off gaming session!

And yes, I am nuts. :-S

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26.5.2009 10:32 #5

phontek

Originally posted by EnigmaCM: Great game. I got a question though.Has anyone else experienced a disk read error every so often while playing the game or is it something with my 360, maybe getting hot or something? The disc is fine otherwiseBurn the game to your Xbox HDD. Runs better and not as much HDD use.

26.5.2009 15:54 #6

Amak

This just in: decent games sell even if they are pirated! Details at 11.

26.5.2009 18:27 #7

Hopium

Quote:
Burn the game to your Xbox HDD. Runs better and not as much HDD use.A. you dont burn it to your HDD you copy the disc over
B. and its actually more HDD use and less wear on the DVD-rom as a dvd drive is more likely to burn out before an hdd especially in the 360.

kinda wish they added this feature sooner as 3 of my friends currently have useless xbox that only allow us to play arcade games cause the dvd drives are shot even in his less then 6-month old elite that they say isnt covered under warranty. i have the same problem with my dvd drive its shot i have oblivion copied to the hdd but cant even play it cause the 360 cant even recognize this disc FSCkin POS i use it as a media player now and gave up on consoles atleast if my dvd drive failed on my pc it wouldnt cost $120 to fix it, only $20 and pay myself the rest to install it, btw anyone wanna buy some 360 games as i wont be using them anymore lol long live the XBLA i guess *cry*

26.5.2009 19:38 #8

lxhotboy

Resident Evil 5 is a great game and should continue to sale well regardless of the leaked download.

27.5.2009 01:27 #9

ZippyDSM

DMC4 was hella weak, and RE5 is plain shitty compared to the great RE4 RE5 is bland,unintuitive and stupid. I am playing Damnation PC and even its better than RE5 0-o

27.5.2009 03:14 #10

SDF_GR

I prefer the old style too. But at least RE4 was longer, RE5 is too damn short.
and it wasnt RE4 that started that style in first place, it was RE Dead Aim for PS2.

27.5.2009 06:13 #11

Ryu77

Originally posted by SDF_GR: I prefer the old style too. But at least RE4 was longer, RE5 is too damn short.
and it wasnt RE4 that started that style in first place, it was RE Dead Aim for PS2.Exactly my point! I was aware that Dead Aim was a shooter as it was clearly named as an offshoot to the original series in it's name. The name "Dead Aim" made it very easy to discern it was a shooter therefore making me aware before I play it. This also making me not consider it a part of the original series. Resident Evil 4 was launched with the impression that it was the next in the series after Resident Evil 3... The dissapointment for me being that it is a game that belongs in a completely different genre. RE 4 & 5 should have been named more closely to that of it's Dead Aim Cousin.

27.5.2009 09:23 #12

lxhotboy

You guys are right. The free-roaming RE were better b/c with the option to backtrack in the game it made it a lot better experience.

27.5.2009 18:30 #13

ddearden

It is funny that people always have something to bitch about! The game is fun and is selling well...that is great. Personally, I playing the game.

28.5.2009 10:47 #14

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by ddearden: It is funny that people always have something to bitch about! The game is fun and is selling well...that is great. Personally, I playing the game.And that's the problem with the modern wooly consumer, good enough is good enough when you have something that's over priced and under developed....

28.5.2009 13:33 #15

Ryu77

Originally posted by ddearden: It is funny that people always have something to bitch about! The game is fun and is selling well...that is great. Personally, I .... playing the game.Ok, well you can "...." playing for game for the short time that it lasts.

I am not "bitching" about anything... My point is completely valid. I already said in my first post that I am aware that I am in a minority (although I am truly surprised at this).

To continue a series in a game and completely change the genre is misleading. I loved the old Resident Evil formula so much more. I was really hoping that RE 5 would go back closer to the old formula. I honestly don't understand how mindlessly shooting things in a linear game path can be challenging or enjoyable. To me that offers no mental stimulus and I completed both RE 4 and 5 far too easily.

I would rate the original Resident Evil games as some of the best games of all time. Now I can only look forward to future installments of games like Silent Hill, that have stayed true to original "survival horror" genre.

To clarify (as mentioned earlier), I think RE 5 is a great shooter game but I like a little more depth in a game. There are other shooters that I enjoy a lot more as they offer more depth. As also mentioned earlier, games like the Half Life series come to mind.

28.5.2009 21:21 #16

XSilvenX

LOL I love when people complain about RE5 and RE4 straying off the path of the previous iterations. If the gameplay stayed the same as the others I'm 100% certain people would find something to whine about also lol. In that case you'd hear "man this formula is getting old it's time for them to change and do something new". So when they proactively change the formula to add a little excitement to the series people complain... I guess it's true what they say, people will ALWAYS find something to complain about. Ah well.... you can't please everyone.

Oh and to the guy complaining about them keeping the numbers for 4 and 5. There have been many, many games that are part of a series but have had their gameplay changed and were not labeled as spinoffs. Final Fantasy, Super Smash Bros, Zelda, Phantasy Star and Grand Theft series just to name a few off the top of my head. I think they (RE4 and RE5) deserve the name and shouldn't be labeled as spinoffs because they deal with the main characters of the series and are major additions to the game's lore.

29.5.2009 00:35 #17

Ryu77

Originally posted by XSilvenX: LOL I love when people complain about RE5 and RE4 straying off the path of the previous iterations. If the gameplay stayed the same as the others I'm 100% certain people would find something to whine about also lol. In that case you'd hear "man this formula is getting old it's time for them to change and do something new". So when they proactively change the formula to add a little excitement to the series people complain... I guess it's true what they say, people will ALWAYS find something to complain about. Ah well.... you can't please everyone.

Oh and to the guy complaining about them keeping the numbers for 4 and 5. There have been many, many games that are part of a series but have had their gameplay changed and were not labeled as spinoffs. Final Fantasy, Super Smash Bros, Zelda, Phantasy Star and Grand Theft series just to name a few off the top of my head. I think they (RE4 and RE5) deserve the name and shouldn't be labeled as spinoffs because they deal with the main characters of the series and are major additions to the game's lore.Why don't you address me personally instead of "the guy"... Besides how you see it as a complaint is beyond me. I expressed myself with reference to acceptance of alternate views to my own numerous times. Also, since when did the Final Fantasy series and Zelda become anything other than RPG's? Unless you are talking about Dirge of Cerberus which was quite a failure.

I am entitled to my opinion. I much prefered the old formula. Of course I welcome a new engine and a redesign of the game structure otherwise it would become boring. However, to jump genres in the same series seems odd to me. To clarify, when I have referenced "old" formula, I am simply referring to the genre "survival horror" which the first Resident Evil was soley responsible for coining that genre in the first place. Of course, I expect developments and innovative design concepts.

By the way, no I would have nothing to complain about if RE 4 and 5 included the puzzle solving and adventure element like its predessecors... I can not speak on behalf of everybody as I have clearly stated many times that I believe I am in the minority on this one but... My friend, the magic of having my own opionion is it is "mine". I don't expect everyone to share it. It is only my opinion and you can have yours so relax little Man. It is an open forum after all.

PS: Just out of curiosity, it would be interesting to know how many times people have played RE 1 through compared to 4 and 5. I know myself I have played the original at least 10 times through over the last decade and I am sure there are others out there that have played it a whole lot more.

29.5.2009 00:45 #18

avoidz

Piracy not hurting sales of this good game, then.

29.5.2009 08:57 #19

borhan9

I was never a fan of this series but i went and bought this game for my cousin to play when he came over. At first i thought a game with only 6 chapters and 2 to 3 sub chapters would not take as long and be just crap.

Ohh how i was wrong. This game is one of the best games of the year and i recommend people get it for just the pure game play. I got it for the PS3 and the graphics are great.

In regards to the piracy i think its a good thing people that did this should play it and if its good they should go out and buy it at the end.

I think the $A109 i paid was worth it at the end however thats only if your are committed to finishing it and i love playing co-op.

Is there going to be a Resident Evil 6? thats the big question.

29.5.2009 17:12 #20

borhan9

Originally posted by Ryu77: My feeling is that RE 4 and 5 really don't belong as part of the same series. The problem solving and adventure element are virtually non existant compared to RE 1, 2, 3 and Code Veronica X... Where 4 and 5 are more of a shooter style game. They certainly have a place in the RE franchise but I really feel that it was misleading to name them 4 and 5 respectively, maybe a name to signify an offshoot would have been more appropriate.I totally get where your comming from however i think the makers of the game made it this way as to get new gamers attracted to the series of Resident Evil games such as myself so that maybe the overall sales of the games in the series would increase.

Smart marketing in my books if thats the case. :)

29.5.2009 17:20 #21

canuckerz

Quote:Originally posted by Ryu77: My feeling is that RE 4 and 5 really don't belong as part of the same series. The problem solving and adventure element are virtually non existant compared to RE 1, 2, 3 and Code Veronica X... Where 4 and 5 are more of a shooter style game. They certainly have a place in the RE franchise but I really feel that it was misleading to name them 4 and 5 respectively, maybe a name to signify an offshoot would have been more appropriate.I totally get where your comming from however i think the makers of the game made it this way as to get new gamers attracted to the series of Resident Evil games such as myself so that maybe the overall sales of the games in the series would increase.

Smart marketing in my books if thats the case. :)I liked RE4, but the horror element was completely lost in RE5. I'd have to agree about the dev's changing the game to attract more people but they've wandered a bit too far imo. Which is the long story short for a lot of games this gen.

29.5.2009 23:36 #22

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