Castle Crashers seizes 250,000 players
Speaking to Gamasutra, indie developer The Behemoth has revealed that 250,000 players have now experienced the joys of barging into throne rooms and slaughtering evil, fish-wielding bear ... things. Castle Crashers' lead artist, Dan Paladin, said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the game's success. "I was optimistic and hopeful for Castle Crashers but I wasn't prepared for the reception it got."
Of course, neither was the game's online capabilities, with Paladin re-re-re-re-iterating that work on a soothing patch continues unabated. "You fix, you test, you verify in as many situations as possible, you fix again if you need to, you submit the update to Microsoft, they verify the fix, etcetera," he explained, unable to confirm a precise release date.
While people are waiting for error-free online romps, they've apparently been returning to The Behemoth's other XBLA darling, Alien Hominid. Compared to this time last year, nearly five times as many people are playing it and, if our memory serves, dying a lot.
Of course, neither was the game's online capabilities, with Paladin re-re-re-re-iterating that work on a soothing patch continues unabated. "You fix, you test, you verify in as many situations as possible, you fix again if you need to, you submit the update to Microsoft, they verify the fix, etcetera," he explained, unable to confirm a precise release date.
While people are waiting for error-free online romps, they've apparently been returning to The Behemoth's other XBLA darling, Alien Hominid. Compared to this time last year, nearly five times as many people are playing it and, if our memory serves, dying a lot.












Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
syrik zero @ Sep 16th 2008 5:34PM
I got this game and I love it. I honestly haven't had any online errors with my online buddies either
Haon @ Sep 16th 2008 6:07PM
Dont worry it will happen. I said the same thing until I had a friend that couldn't join because of horrible lag (fine in other games all hosted by me) or drops that get glitched in fallen enemies. I still love the game though.
Tiptup300 @ Sep 16th 2008 10:09PM
200,000 of which losed their gamesave. Seriously, I haven't played the game since I lost all my progress.
syrik zero @ Sep 17th 2008 5:07PM
I didn't know people lost their progress too. If that happened I would probably stop playing...
rogXue @ Sep 16th 2008 5:40PM
Good now discount the damn thing so the rest of us cheap asses can buy it....
Snowblind @ Sep 16th 2008 6:28PM
Suck it up, it's well worth the price.
dmg @ Sep 16th 2008 6:34PM
Yeah, discount it so some cheap ass motherfuckers don't have to spend an extra $5 less than a month after it's release.
Dirty @ Sep 16th 2008 7:26PM
It is seriously worth the 15 bucks. That is cheap.
DBuck_Eye @ Sep 16th 2008 8:03PM
I bet you didn't buy Braid either.
samfish @ Sep 16th 2008 8:55PM
Castle Crashers is easily worth $30.
Hell, I wouldn't complain if I paid $15!
samfish @ Sep 16th 2008 8:56PM
Err, make that $50!
duurr
Bob Shalom @ Oct 20th 2008 9:44PM
yep, it definitly well worth the 15 bucks.
If this was put in a box and sold at gamestop everyone would think its a steal, but because its on xbla people start to whine
Titanium_Orchid @ Sep 16th 2008 5:39PM
is it me or does 250,000 seem like a low number?
BIGFAT @ Sep 16th 2008 5:49PM
Bionic commando sold 130,000 and was considered a megaton or something like that, and Bionic Commando was on 3 platforms and pulled 130,000, so for it to be a 360 exclusive, that is god like numbers. probably only 4oo point games have beaten that number.
Vcize @ Sep 16th 2008 5:58PM
For an XBLA that is a very high number (especially a $15 XBLA game). The development team for XBLA games are much smaller than that of a full game.
Titanium_Orchid @ Sep 16th 2008 6:10PM
wow, I always thought that DLC pulled more numbers than that.
syrik zero @ Sep 16th 2008 8:00PM
Does $3,750,000 seem like a small number?
Numerous @ Sep 16th 2008 5:40PM
Castle Crashers certainly "seized" my Xbox. It froze 3 time in row, each requiring a reboot, when I tried to play online before I got the RROD. Now I'm waiting on my return shipment from TX.
miyagi @ Sep 16th 2008 6:00PM
If you got the RROD, then the freezing was more than likely just an early symptom of that and not the game itself.
I got a couple random freezes playing GH2 before my RROD last year.
Numerous @ Sep 16th 2008 6:03PM
That is true. I can't directly blame the game for it. But I can't help but wonder if CC may have exacerbated the RROD onset just a little.
The game is very fun and I certainly look forward to playing more when I can. That said, I also won't be playing again until it is patched, just in case.
Haggard (Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 16th 2008 6:13PM
Shoulda read the warning signs and put your 360 in the dishwasher.
Marty @ Sep 16th 2008 6:50PM
Unless one of those goofy little soldiers castle crashed your house, there's no way the game could have triggered an RRoD.
SirPasta117 @ Sep 16th 2008 5:40PM
That is alot altogether they made $3,750,000 even if the Devs get half (Idk how the price scheme works for the XBLA works) then they made close to 2 Millions dollars! Thats a lot for what 5 people! ha ha
Jakka(Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 16th 2008 5:54PM
I think they get 75%...which makes it more like 3 Millions.
First Braid and now this...I'm not sure how much indie there still is in the so called "Indie Games".
Still I'm looking to the new Darwinia game.
Radicoon @ Sep 16th 2008 6:50PM
Per a podcast with an industry insider, Microsoft's pay scale is much less than 70%. He didn't give specifics as that is probably confidential, but it's not nearly as fair as Apple's 70/30 for the iPhone.
Dr Scientist @ Sep 16th 2008 7:45PM
@Jakka
Is a new Darwinia in development or just something you want, if it is being made that is awesome, loved that game.
Lone Starr @ Sep 16th 2008 5:49PM
"Castle Crashers' lead artist, Dan Paladin"
His last name is Paladin?! Haha, that is so damn awesome.
BIGFAT @ Sep 16th 2008 6:05PM
really when i hear the name Palin i go into a hate filled rage and prepare to destroy everything in sight.
just joking! but i really dont like her positions.
Marty @ Sep 16th 2008 6:52PM
I'm with you, bigfat... but "Paladin" is indeed an awesome name.
youhavemail @ Sep 16th 2008 6:04PM
Yea I bought the game. Haven't played it since the Online doesn't exist. They sold me a game saying the online co-o would be included. There is no such feature in the game. So me and my friends that bought it can't even play together...
poor play
kizsuai7 @ Sep 16th 2008 6:01PM
No doubt WipEout HD will be 'siezing' more players.
Dirty @ Sep 16th 2008 7:28PM
I doubt that very much.
dark_inchworm @ Sep 16th 2008 10:46PM
No doubt about it, I'll be 'seizing' your moronic spelling teacher.
FOXHOUND @ Sep 17th 2008 7:28AM
WIPEOUT HD will definitely bring in some much needed attention and funnel money to PSN, but it'll be interesting to see if a face paced racing game like this will draw similar numbers.
LordChimp @ Sep 16th 2008 6:02PM
I want this game but I need to buy that overpriced wireless adapter since wireless is all I have at the moment.
J.Goodwin @ Sep 16th 2008 6:18PM
You could get a bridge instead. They're easily available for under 40 bucks. Plugs into ethernet on your console and you configure it to pick up the wireless from your router by plugging it into your PC.
If you buy one with a Vista logo, it should pretty much configure itself when you plug it into your 360 as well.
WiNG [Life in a Game] @ Sep 16th 2008 6:19PM
Every time I tried I got the co op to work.
This game IS fun however, I still feel Streets of Rage 2 and Guardian Heroes are superior beat'em ups.
This game does have a lot of charm, though.
carg0 @ Sep 16th 2008 6:41PM
and of that 250thou, how many do you think regret making that purchase after quickly realizing it's major selling point (online multiplay) is broken?
that's a question i'd like answered.
TreetarD @ Sep 16th 2008 7:31PM
Not me, I beat it locally with, you know, real friends.
N3TWORK BURN3R @ Sep 17th 2008 11:01AM
Lame, even tho the online portion is "broken" the game is absolutely a blast. In my opinion it is the BEST game available in a really long time. Innovative and original. Not all these cookie cutter FPS games.
Me @ Sep 16th 2008 7:17PM
Nice! =D
Haven't had many online issues, but its all about 4 frieds in the same room anyway
fragglefart @ Sep 16th 2008 7:33PM
250,000 was last week. There are over 300,000 people on the scoreboards now.
Exo @ Sep 16th 2008 11:35PM
yea but, not everyone on the scoreboard owns the game, some people play at friends houses.
its 250 in actual sales
FSK405K @ Sep 16th 2008 7:41PM
250,000 players means how many purchases? Like 175,000? I imagine that 50,000 played the demo but didn't get the full version, and another 25,000 people played it on their friend's console.
Exo @ Sep 16th 2008 11:36PM
demo players dont get added to the score boards. and this is actual sales. the game hit 250 last week, its over 300 now
FSK405K @ Sep 18th 2008 2:38PM
Neither the original article nor this post make that distinction. They use the word "players" not "buyers".
Spartanq77 @ Sep 16th 2008 8:27PM
I played the demo with my friend. Great game, hope its not too easy, especially when playing with friends. (Do they increase the quantity of mobs when with playing with 2-4 players?) I'm buying it soon :)
Snap Count @ Sep 17th 2008 2:16AM
I realy love tie game, but tell me this. When I buy something from any store and it is broken, I can usually take it back for a full refund. Why can I not do this with vie game?. I am kinda getting tired of the shiip now fix later approach.
Gemini Ace @ Sep 17th 2008 10:50AM
So now Microsoft thinks it's ok to over charge for these damn arcade games. Thanks, idiots.