Soul Calibur IV burns two million souls worldwide

by Jason Dobson { Aug 7th 2008 at 3:00PM }

Namco Bandai's ridiculously cross-branded Soul Calibur IV has cut a deep swath into retail shelves worldwide, shipping not one million units but two since its July 29 debut.

Still, and not to make an example out of you, Namco, but really all of this chest puffery over units shipped is a bit overblown. It's like bragging about how many pencils you threw at the ceiling, rather than what's really important, namely how many stuck. Then again, we imagine it's difficult to look up and count while you're ducking under the desk from falling profits.

Tags: namco, namco-bandai, namcobandai, soul-calibur, soul-calibur-iv, soulcalibur, soulcaliburiv

Related From Joystiq

Namco Bandai posts $66.7 million loss for first half of year
5 days ago
Namco announces 2.5 million shipped copies of Tekken 6
11 days ago
SouthPeak doubles game sales in 2009 amid dropping profits
27 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Aug 7th 2008 3:03PM

And it rightfully deserves that success, its a fantastic game. Now for some DLC, and don't make it too expensive please.

umm....hello??? @ Aug 7th 2008 7:09PM

a fantastic game would've had Vader vs. Yoda....this game is only great. and if Vader vs. Yoda is the DLC, then count me out because that should be on the retail disc, period, not something that should be charged extra.

Waqman @ Aug 7th 2008 3:05PM

Yeah its a fun game with lots of content, but still I'm just holding out for Street Fighter and Teeken.

Jimiisama @ Aug 7th 2008 4:00PM

Will be nice since TK6 will let you download the new patches instead of having to buy a brand new game every time they re-balance the game.. I believe the arcade version is supposed to have the ability to download the patches as well.

MC Double Def DP @ Aug 7th 2008 3:07PM

yea yea yea you got lots of money now, just hurry up and let me unlock Darth Vader that's sitting on my 360 disc for free. Thank you.

Nate @ Aug 7th 2008 3:26PM

Darth Sucks. How does Yoda play?

B @ Aug 7th 2008 3:43PM

Some say he's broken because he's immune to grabs and a lot of high attacks.. Some say hes easy since hes predictable (a lot of his moves have him jump up)

Snowblind @ Aug 7th 2008 4:47PM

I think Yoda is the better character, just because I actually enjoy playing as him. He plays exactly like you'd think Yoda would. Vader on the other hand, doesn't feel anything like Vader.. it's like they had a spare fighting style, so they gave it to him.

But who really cares. When are they adding Kit Fisto?

Dale @ Aug 7th 2008 4:48PM

They more than make up for it - the Lizard and Voldo-esque characters can still kick his little green arse.

AoE @ Aug 7th 2008 5:48PM

oh my god... all of you that are using these fucking star wars characters? You're only encouraging Namco to muck up the next one even worse. Thanks.

VSpeck @ Aug 7th 2008 7:37PM

Whoa, I haven't heard about this before. Is it confirmed that the Vader assets are already on the 360's disc?

Jacksons @ Aug 7th 2008 3:09PM

As long as most of those shipped units don't end up crushed and buried in a landfill like E.T., then congrats Namco.

Jhongerkong @ Aug 7th 2008 3:11PM

Breast implants for everyone!

baby sea tuna @ Aug 7th 2008 3:19PM

I still haven't decided whether or not to pick this up. Or, if I do, which system to even get it for.

Jcarpio @ Aug 7th 2008 3:40PM

I'll be as agnostic as possible with this answer. Play the game on the system with the most people you know will also be playing it.

Alan @ Aug 7th 2008 3:44PM

Ditto. I don't usually play fighters but this one looks too awesome to pass up. Hmm.

deaftly @ Aug 7th 2008 5:10PM

Yea its kinda hard to justify $60 on a fighter :\

AoE @ Aug 7th 2008 10:01PM

@deaftly,

Depends on what genres you're into, really. I say the same thing about most FPS that come out, but that's because I don't get nearly as much mileage out of the genre as some people do. DOA4 and VF5 on the other hand I play online the same way some people play Halo... I haven't had a chance to pick up SC4 yet but I imagine it'll be the same story; and $60 is a steal for the endless hours of gameplay I get out of fighting games.

john @ Aug 7th 2008 3:39PM

This is yet another game that looks really good, but as with most next-gen games I just can't justify spending $60. Hopefully everyone buys it in the first week, and it makes it down to $40 or so in a couple months.

I'm also waiting to see which system to get it for. So far I haven't heard of any technical differences between the 2, but time will tell if one version has any real advantage.

Madeira @ Aug 7th 2008 3:58PM

The PS3 version has some framerate issues on some stages that the 360 version does not (also Ivy seems to cause framerate drops), and the 360 version runs in a higher native resolution, displaying almost 40% more pixels:

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=46241

colinbell @ Aug 7th 2008 4:50PM

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/soul-calibur-4-ps3-vs-xbox-360-comparison
No significant difference

http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Too+Much+Coffee+Man/soul-calibur-4-360-vs-ps3-technical-assessment-97578.phtml
The 360 looks better - when you magnify the images 4x times!!!!

Anyway, the PS controller is better for fighting games and the 360 for shooters

AoE @ Aug 7th 2008 5:46PM

@colinbell,

regarding controllers... TOTALLY a matter of opinion. You say the PS3 controller is better for fighting games... I say it's a cheap flimsy piece of crap regardless of genre you're playing... See? It's a matter of opinion. It's not like the position of the single thumbstick and four buttons you're gonna be using for the game are that different between the two controllers.

Skewed Perspective @ Aug 7th 2008 4:11PM

Um... this story was on Kotaku a few days back stating that it was 2 million SOLD, not shipped as you state here. Who do I believe? Who reads Japanese?

http://kotaku.com/5033608/soulcalibur-iv-over-2-million-copies-sold-worldwide

jason @ Aug 7th 2008 4:15PM

Or we could just believe what NB themselves say in the link.

Skewed Perspective @ Aug 7th 2008 4:28PM

Nonsense...frankly, I smell a conspiracy.

AoE @ Aug 7th 2008 5:40PM

Jason Dobson,

To be fair, Q1 09 ended a good 29 days before this game hit store shelves, so the sales of SCIV don't have any impact on those numbers.

Also, you write about the shipped numbers like they're far, far off from the sales data... it would be shocking if that's the case. Namco doesn't force copies onto retailers unasked; and unless there's some game store in the midwest that likes to order 100's of copies of things "just in case" I'd guess that *most* of what's been shipped has been sold. isn't gamestop/eb's policy to only order a handful of copies for the store, regardless of how anticipated a game is? Beyond the preorders that is...

MasterCKO @ Aug 7th 2008 10:30PM

@AoE: you basically said everything I wanted to say. Thanks.

@Jason: NB shipped TWO MILLION copies of this game in a week and a half. WTF. Somehow, I think profits from this quarter will be ok. It seems like you tried to come off witty and instead sound like you don't know what you're talking about.

BTW, to anyone not sure, this game is pure awesome. Once you get over the head-slappingly odd Star Wars characters, that is (I knew it was coming and it was STILL really strange to me when I started playing).

Anyway, if you're thinking about it, you should buy it. And honestly, anyone who says one version is better than the other has an axe to grind. Seriously, they look and play exactly the same (fantastically). Go with your friends/the Force in your purchasing decision.

MasterCKO @ Aug 8th 2008 6:54PM

Also, Jason, I wanted to add one more thing: AFAIK, the most pertinent number to Namco Bandai (and in fact any video game publisher) actually IS units shipped, not units sold. This is because NB gets paid by retailers that buy the game in order to sell to the consumers. NB doesn't get paid directly by consumers. So to them, the number that actually means anything to their bottom line is how many units they shipped out, because that's their most direct indicator of revenue, not how many units were sold (since whether or not it's sold is really the retailers' problem).

StuScotsLazyEye @ Aug 7th 2008 5:55PM

One of the better 3D fighters ever made (and that's saying a LOT).

ice~ @ Aug 7th 2008 6:21PM

ahh such a great game! Honestly i dont even use the star wars characters, i use talim, i find the star wars guys boring...but thats just me cause im not a star wars fan. Also, The game director said vader isn't coming out as DLC on 360 and yoda is not coming out on PS3, i personally believe him. If you're thinking of buying this game, pick it up.

ALSO!!!! i was playing the 360 version online and versed Vader...wtf??? anyone have an explanation???

Donald @ Aug 7th 2008 6:57PM

"anyone have an explanation???"

You're lying. Glad I could help.

ice~ @ Aug 7th 2008 7:09PM

LOL no I'm not I swear, he claimed he got him by getting all achievements and everyone to level 9 then checking chain of souls, but I didn't believe it, but I rlly vsed him

ApolloIV @ Aug 7th 2008 7:35PM

Yeah man I know how you feel. Just the other day I put in SSBB in and low and behold fucking Megaman!!!!!!!!!!

Donald @ Aug 7th 2008 11:17PM

Sounds like someone made a shitty version of him in character creator and you have a serious case of the gullibles.

ice~ @ Aug 8th 2008 1:34PM

whatever I know what I saw

MasterCKO @ Aug 8th 2008 6:59PM

I know you're well meaning, but seriously, this is a case of "picture or it didn't happen." Honestly, no one is going to believe your claim.

ice~ @ Aug 8th 2008 9:23PM

it's not like I knew I was gonna vs him... I don't play Xbox with a camera ready to take pics lol

MasterCKO @ Aug 13th 2008 3:29PM

get a slim digital camera and always keep it in your pocket. I know I do. You never know what's going to come up. 8^P

Rollins @ Aug 7th 2008 7:38PM

Thank God. The quality fighting game lives to fight another day.

I miss the 90s. :(

PS36Wii Fanboy @ Aug 7th 2008 7:44PM

Hey it is a great game... but I really don't think we need the DLC on either system... yes the Star Wars fans will want it, but they both really aren't that useful(in my opinion) against a decked out yoshimitsu with a final version soul calibur, apprentice, yes he is ok, but please namco, get rid of the missing slot!

Srayer @ Aug 7th 2008 8:45PM

This game is just plain terrible. They managed to strip everything from the fighting system that made Soul Calibur great, and turned SC4 into a slow, stiff, and completely boring fighter. I really really wanted to like it but after playing for a week I just can't stand it anymore.

Unfortunately the sales numbers and reviews show that all a fighting game needs to succeed is to be pretty and have a lot of throwaway content. So much for FGs that actually play well.

PS36Wii Fanboy @ Aug 7th 2008 9:03PM

you know what, you are right I loved my SC on my dreamcast, I should go play it now actually... "Cries" I want a Dreamcast 2, Just give me another Power Stone Sega!

MasterCKO @ Aug 7th 2008 10:35PM

I have to say that I disagree. I've played all the games in this series (Soul Blade, even!) and I will say that I like how they've evolved the fighting system, graphics, characters and story (such as it is) over time (with a bit of a dip for SC3). Que sera, sera.