Enslaved: Odyssey to the West failed to meet sales expectations due to the fact it released in a “busy holiday” period, Namco marketing boss Carson Choi’s deduced.
The critically acclaimed adventurer hit stores last October for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, though ultimately failed to break the 500,000 unit sales barrier. To be precise, it moved 460,000 copies.
“It really didn’t do what we anticipated,” Choi told Siliconera, adding, “To be perfectly frank, I think as a company prior to us reforming this organization, going to market, I think the game went to market at a very busy season. It launched in the midst of a busy holiday season. Last year, there were like 4000+ games for consoles.”
Choi observed that the game’s quality wasn’t a cause for concern – it racked up over 80 percent on metacritic, after all – and that shoddy sales were simply down to poor release timing. However, this is an area that Namco will seek to rectify for future releases.
“We didn’t do a good job finding the right time for it because when you look at the quality of the game it speaks for itself. An 80+ rated game is guaranteed a hit. We got DLC that came out that got 10 out of 10,” he added.
“Ultimately, I think that game had the quality needed to address the gamers. I think it’s a matter of getting into the market at the right time, which is something you will see us do much better.”
As for the series’ future, Choi wouldn’t outright confirm that a sequel is on the cards, though did let slip that Namco’s currently evaluating opportunities for the IP.
“I can assure you, a title like Enslaved, and every title we’ve worked on in the past we’re going to re-examine them and say what is the potential for the game? We’ve been doing a lot of studies, consumer engagement, and community engagement… let’s put it this way one of these days stay tuned there will be more news to come.”