Stardock has revealed that its sleeper PC hit Sins of a Solar Empire has sold over half a million copies. The company's CEO Brad Wardell tells Gamasutra that 400,000 units were sold at retail, while 100,000 in sales came from digital downloads. Not bad for a full-bodied PC strategy game that cost less than a million dollars to make.
Wardell is certainly becoming an interesting character in the narrative of this industry, with relatively small publisher Stardock really stepping up. He explains part of Sins' success is that it was designed to run on a "four-year-old video card" and still look good. He says there might be a "piddly super-mega effect" that gets missed, but the result is more sales for the game, a strategy which sounds similar to Blizzard's take on being a PC developer. Sins' first mini-expansion, Entrenchment, will be available for $10 later this year.
[Via Big Download]
Reader Comments (24)
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 12:04AM Nick the Hero of Canton said
This game has no DRM, right?
That's what I though.
Reply
That's what I though.
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 12:05AM Nick the Hero of Canton said
*thought.
Edit button, Joystiq...please?
Reply
Edit button, Joystiq...please?
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 7:59AM Keithustus said
Unlike GalCiv and many lesser known games, Stardock is only the publisher/distributor of Sins. The developer is Ironclad Games, composed of former Barking Dog / Rockstar Vancouver employees who made Homeworld: Cataclysm.
Reply
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 4:48AM (Unverified) said
It's a good game. Chalangeing.
Good job Stardock.
Reply
Good job Stardock.
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 3:21PM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said
Iz good game. I am changeling.
Die, Stardock!
Reply
Die, Stardock!
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 6:00AM (Unverified) said
I love this game, I just don't understand why they took so long to release it in the EU. Hope the same isn't true of the coming update as it seems to fix a lot of the niggles I had with the game, and might bget me interested again.
Reply
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 7:22AM AwesomeTown said
I get into few strategy games these days, but I love Galactic Civ II and have been interesed in this game. I probably pick it up not just because I would probably enjoy it, but to support Stardock and everything their doing right.
Reply
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 8:59AM falcomadol said
Space is flat anyway, duh. Galaxies are disc shaped, and solar systems are predominantly disc shaped as well, except the extremely unusual planet whose orbit is off axis.
Reply
Posted: Sep 5th 2008 2:14PM (Unverified) said
I liked the game, especially considering it was so unexpected, so I'm happy for Stardock. I was however a little disappointed with how quickly the game seemed to repeat itself though. In an MMO, I don't think there'd be nearly as much repetition, especially if you could customize your units. If you liked Sins, you might want to check out Beyond Protocol.
http://www.BeyondProtocol.com
Reply
http://www.BeyondProtocol.com
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