Maddening: NPD data shows weak Dead Space, Mirror's Edge sales

That chart is straight out disgusting. That's why so many good game devs are going out of business.

Its sad to see so many new and innovative IP's underperforming this fall. Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, LBP, Valkyria Chronicles... I guess if a game doesn't have a space marine of some kind, it doesn't sell.

This is the most useless analysis of numbers ever... Those are only sales from the United States! Of course Madden comparatively looks like a monster.

See, here's the thing. Dead Space is nothing new. I mean, it's a new game, yeah, with new graphics, but in terms of its meat and potatos, it's nothing that Doom or System Shock hasn't done before.

It's also not scary.

Mirror's Edge also got middling reviews.

While I'm glad that EA took a chance on new IPs... they just didn't turn out to be as good as I was hoping.

Count me in the minority at NPD because I bought Dead Space and Mirror's Edge but did not buy Burnout Paradise or Madden.

And that's exactly why they rehash the same games over and over and over...

Nothing will come close to Madden in the US, or FIFA outside the US.. so its a rather foolish comparison.

New original franchises tend to take a while to build up an audience through word of mouth and good reviews, etc.. I'd imagine a lot of people might pick up untried franchises 2nd hand so they don't risk too much money.

But if the games are solid, then the franchise is created... and Dead Space 2 or Mirror's Edge 2 has a chance to be much more successful.
(think Bourne Identity.. )

funny, i got both of those.

Mirror's Edge would probably have benefited more from having a smaller budget and a smaller team. There are very interesting ideas in it but it really does feel like there's too many people trying to add their input to what should have been a very simple game with simple mechanics (Portal, anyone?)

I think it would have been a much more successful effort if they'd:

-focused on tightening up the controls (Wallrun still only works about 25% of the time for me, and combat is a complete add-on)
- Kept chase sequences fun, fast (velocity, not duration) and awe-inspiring instead of using the helicopters so damn much
- Made combat a last-ditch solution instead of the recommended path to success (ie, a random guard here or there instead of an ENTIRE SWAT TEAM)
- Ditched the animated cutscenes and kept them in the 1st person perspective
- Added a few extra open-ended multiplayer "playground" maps

Who the fuck plays Madden?