Tony Hawk: Ride sold fewer than 114,000 units across all platforms in November, GameSpot reports. That's even less than the comparatively pricey DJ Hero sold when it debuted in October.
Despite favorable reviews Activision's DJ Hero struggled to find an audience in October, selling around 123,000 copies across all platforms. Ride was lambasted by critics and barely sold as much. Software sales in November were down over last year even with the massive numbers racked up by Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
There's probably some plastic-peripheral fatigue at work here, but if I was going to point fingers I'd say that the public is finally starting to catch up with what videogame critics have been saying for some time – Tony Hawk's games aren't getting any better.
Long before the boom and bust of music games, there was sentiment among gamers that the Tony Hawk series was being flogged to death. The average shopper may not read reviews or browse NeoGAF, but they're getting the message – stay away from Tony Hawk's games.
Having invested in a new, expensive peripheral, it's unlikely that Activsion will back away from this franchise or put it on a back burner: If the company wants to salvage what they can from this bloody mess, they'll follow up with a game that plays to the casual crowd.
I thought Ride's sunny disposition, girl-friendly attitude and fun apparel cross promotions were pretty much pitch-perfect. If only the actual game were as on-the-nose as the game's soundtrack and mall cred. Perhaps mini-games or health-conscious workouts are in the Birdman's future? Either option sounds more fun than what Activision shipped.
Under 114,000 ride Tony Hawk in November [GameSpot]
Image courtesy Activision
See Also:
