sales performance

AppWizard
May 19, 2026
Sony Interactive Entertainment will cease the release of single-player games on PC, focusing instead on its core console audience. Single-player titles like Ghost of Yotei and future Spider-Man installments will remain exclusive to PlayStation consoles, while multiplayer games such as Marathon and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls will still be released on PC. This decision follows concerns over the sales performance of previous PC titles and aims to protect brand integrity and future hardware sales. The last two single-player games expected on PC are Death Stranding 2 and Kena: Scares of Kosmora.
AppWizard
May 16, 2026
MercurySteam has announced a workforce adjustment following the launch of its game, Blades of Fire, on Steam. The game has faced commercial challenges, with its sales performance described as "underperformed," leading to an anticipated write-off of €8 million by its parent company, Digital Bros. Blades of Fire initially launched as an Epic Store exclusive but struggled against major titles and received mixed reviews, scoring 74. The recent Steam release includes a significant 2.0 update with new features such as a New Game Plus mode, a new difficulty level called Titanium, an arena system for boss battles, expanded death animations, and full Steam Deck support.
AppWizard
May 16, 2026
Subnautica 2 sold two million copies within 12 hours of its launch, with one million copies sold in the first hour. Peak concurrent players exceeded 651,000 across platforms, with over 467,000 on Steam. A judge ordered the reinstatement of former CEO Ted Gill due to a breach of contract by Krafton, which must fulfill its financial commitments. The rapid sales of Subnautica 2 may help meet the criteria for the reinstated leadership's payout.
AppWizard
May 2, 2026
Windrose was the best-selling PC game on Steam last weekend but has since been surpassed by Far Far West, a co-op first-person shooter developed by Evil Raptor and published by Fireshine Games. Far Far West has achieved an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam, with nearly 7,000 user reviews and a 97% approval rating. The game invites players to form a crew of bounty-hunting robot cowboys or embark on solo missions. Far Far West is currently priced at .99, reflecting a 10% discount until May 5. Evil Raptor previously released Pumpkin Jack in 2020, which received 2,824 user reviews, and Akimbot in 2024, which had only 628 reviews.
AppWizard
March 13, 2026
Denuvo is a widely recognized digital rights management (DRM) solution used by major publishers like Square Enix, Sega, and EA to prevent unauthorized copying and modification of games. A study indicated that a game could lose up to 20% of revenue if cracked within its first week. Concerns about Denuvo's impact on game performance have been raised, with reports suggesting that games without it may perform better. Issues with titles like Resident Evil Village and Tekken 7 were attributed to improper implementation of additional protection measures. Tekken 7 eventually removed Denuvo, while Resident Evil Village retained it until April 2023. Amplitude Studios launched its game Humankind without Denuvo due to performance issues found during beta testing. Michał Kiciński, CEO of GOG, argued that DRM complicates the experience for legitimate customers and fails to effectively prevent piracy. Saber Interactive decided not to use Denuvo for Space Marine 2, highlighting the nuanced nature of the anti-DRM movement. Denuvo costs around ,000 per month plus fees for each game activation, making its financial justification less compelling as sales decline post-launch. Square Enix has removed Denuvo from titles like Dragon Quest 1 & 2 Remake and Final Fantasy 16 within six months of release, while Capcom has retained it for longer periods. The decision to remove or avoid Denuvo is influenced by performance issues, financial implications, and operational efficiency considerations.
AppWizard
March 5, 2026
Sony's gaming division is refocusing on console exclusivity and moving away from porting PlayStation 5 titles to PC, including the cancellation of a PC version of Ghost of Yōtei. This shift contrasts with previous plans to have half of its games available on PC and mobile by 2025. Despite successful PC releases of titles like The Last of Us, Horizon, and God of War, the sales performance of these ports has not met expectations. Sony's change in strategy suggests a desire to attract consumers to its console ecosystem through exclusives, similar to Nintendo's approach.
AppWizard
March 4, 2026
Sony is scaling back its plans for releasing PlayStation 5 exclusives on the PC platform due to underwhelming sales performance of PS5 games on PC and concerns about brand dilution. While certain online games will still launch on multiple platforms, upcoming titles like Ghost of Yōtei and Saros will remain exclusive to the PS5. However, Death Stranding 2 and Kena: Scars of Kosmora are expected to receive PC ports. The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut was notable for incorporating PSN features, but the PC port of Helldivers 2 faced criticism over PSN connectivity requirements. Additionally, Sony may delay the launch of its next-generation console until 2028 or 2029 due to an ongoing AI-driven memory shortage crisis.
AppWizard
March 4, 2026
Sony is shifting its gaming strategy to focus on a more exclusive model for its first-party PS5 titles, moving away from its recent trend of releasing major games on PC. This change follows a series of successful PC releases starting with Horizon Zero Dawn in 2020, including titles like The Last of Us Part I and God of War Ragnarök. Upcoming games such as Ghost of Yotei and Saros will be PS5 exclusives, while some online games like Marvel Tokon and Marathon will still be multi-platform. Death Stranding 2 is expected to release on PC in 2026. The shift may be influenced by poor sales of PS5 games on PC and concerns that releasing games on PC could harm the PlayStation brand and console sales. Sony's strategy resembles Nintendo's approach to maintaining exclusivity for its flagship franchises.
AppWizard
February 20, 2026
Jake Solomon, founder of Midsummer Studios, announced the studio's closure and shared a gameplay video of "Burbank," a life simulation game. The game aimed to empower players as storytellers and was described as a blend of "Life Sims + The Truman Show." Despite receiving an 88% review score and being a Game of the Year runner-up for "Midnight Suns," the studio struggled with sales. Midsummer Studios had secured funding from various venture capital partners and Krafton but was seeking additional funding rounds. The gameplay footage of Burbank featured a polished aesthetic, with plans to use generative AI for character voices while ensuring visual art was created by human artists.
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