Mafia 2 unlikely to be profitable, Pachter says

by Andrew Yoon on Aug 30th 2010 5:30PM

According to Michael Pachter, Mafia 2 sales appear unlikely to recoup the cost of the game's six-year development period. The Wedbush analyst told Gamasutra that "consumer interest appears to be waning" for 2K Games' crime drama.

Mafia 2 currently holds the #43 position on Amazon's Video Game Bestsellers list, one week after release. In comparison, Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption faced regular shortages when it was first released and sold five million units in just three weeks' time.

Take-Two will update its investors with the company's latest financial results later this week. In addition to confirming sales figures, Pachter expects "the company to announce a shift in release dates for LA Noire out of 2010 and into 2011." Now ... wouldn't that be surprising?

Source: Gamasutra

Tags: analyst, Mafia-2, michael-pachter, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, sales, take-two, xbox

Reader Comments (74)

Well, I did not find the demo (on PS3) a lot of fun so yeah, deserved?

@jameskond The demo was, in my mind, pretty awful.

@Shadowbender

The story seemed ok, but the control mapping was what killed it for me...

@jameskond Mmm, I hear that. Awkward camera while in buildings (which was about 70% of the demo) and sluggish driving (the thing moved and felt like it was a tank) until you picked up some speed, at which point there first thing you came into contact with, caused you to crash and die.
I get the high speed crash = die thing for the sake of realism, but it's just not fun.

The only thing they did right was the gunplay, but that's because the cover/shoot system is in just about every 3rd person gun game these days. It's kinda standard.

@psxman

Actually they didn't even get the gunplay right, shooting was fine but the only problem was you couldn't blind fire while in cover, which led to a few annoying deaths because of enemys flanking me.

@Shadowbender

Do you need to post this in every single Mafia topic?

@psxman kind of agreed, but if you play the demo again, when you get going high speed and your break wont stop you fast enough, if you hit the speed limit button it almost instantly takes you down to 40. easy way around that

Well, it got average reviews, and a lot of people rely on reviews for their purchases, so...

Another 'points out the obvious' moment for Pachter.

Maybe it's just me - I haven't played the game - but my impression of it is it's a Godfather II without the license... average gunplay, a decent mafia story, and a decent open world. Unfortunately, when games cost $60, "decent" often isn't enough for gamers with limited budgets, such as myself.

(Also - you think for six years of development the game would look a bit crisper...)

@Fallow Open world? Sure. Stuff to do? Nope.

@Fallow

Exactly! I hate it when people say reviews are bad/uneccessary. I mean not everybody has the budget to just buy a "decent" game at full price. IMHO sites like metacritic can really assist you before making a 60 dollar purchase.

Now I want it to be a best seller just to shame Pachter and his cracked crystal ball.

@MNeko - Did you see Pachter's house? The man probably has spare crystal balls.

As someone who played (and finished) this game:

It's not hardly worth $60. The only reason I bought it (preordered) was due to the awesomeness of the first one.

Too much driving, lame combat, nothing new to the table other than some great voice acting with a pretty mediocre story.

People aren't going to pay $60 for sub-par anymore. I wish I hadn't.

@packerpride17 Sounds like a $20 game, and I'll probably be able to pick it up for that price real soon.

@packerpride17
Great voice acting?!?! When I heard the Irish mobs voices I nearly cried! I am Irish and I have never heard anyone in my life ever sound like that not even in the west where its a little more of a traditional accent. The guys in Mafia 2 just sounded like they had severe down syndrome.

@Kleptomaniac
LOL If you think this is bad. You should had seen my face watching the movie "Anna and the King" back then. I had to read English subtitles to understand what they were saying in Thai, my native language.

Anyway, I think Mafia II is quite alright. I got it day 2 (thanks for Gamestop messing up my pre-order) and been playing it every single day. It's not the best game I've played but at the very least it's not a bad game.

@Korwyn
lol that is pretty funny! But yeah Mafia 2 for me was pretty fun for me up until about chapter 14 where I thought to myself "This is getting really boring I'm done here".

Happens when aspects of the game are poor.

RDR didnt really have that issue, except some shadows didnt appear (Only one I recall is the one in the opening scene)

terrible game. i actually think godfather 2 is more fun.

its a shame when the world they made is so detailed, but im not gonna buy another mafia game if the same guys make it..

@oboynesquick

The first Godfather game was brilliant.

Is it too much to ask for articles with analysts who aren't Pachter for a change?

@Faceless Troll - Seconded. I nominate myself for the position, and I demand benefits.

@BananaBoat

I'l do it for cheaper!

@Acosta02 - I withdraw my demand of benefits

@BananaBoat

I will pay... a dollar per prediction! That's right, I'll pay people to listen to me! Not at all pathetic!

@Acosta02 - I....I can't beat that.

RDR was a pleasant surprise. Mafia 2 was a dissapointment. I was hyped for the game until I got the demo, in fact. Poor performance, graphics, gameplay, etc.

As somebody said before me, Pachter is just stating the obvious.

I Loved it but i had to spend money on a PS3 Fix as it got a touch of YLOD so i'm strapped for cash tho i couldn't pass up buying Tekken 6 for $9.89

@HardBoiled2009

Yeah I hear you. My imaginary Xbox 360 just red ringed on me. I want this game too, but I'd rather spend my imaginary money on that moon trip I was planning.

Nah, Mafia 2 will sell boatloads once it will be available during one of the many insane Steam blowout sales. Tons of people are waiting to pick this up from the bargain bin.

@mcbexx Exactly. Bargain bin. Why would anyone bother with a game that's quality is so low it goes to the bargain bin.

Put it in a thin case.

@mcbexx

I won't even buy this from the bargain bin...my backlog has allowed me to recently make it through Borderlands and Uncharted 2. At this rate, I wouldn't even be able to get to it till 2012 at least...

Well I actually thought this game was really good. Just quite short thats all. End of the day just depends on what you like.

@PSBuckshot

Nobody said the game was bad. Just not good enough to drop $60. I bet most people will rent it and enjoy it.

@Grey

Uhhh... Everybody is saying this game sucks. Which is a massive shame because I'm really enjoying it! It's gotten a bit repetitive at the end, but I've still got one more chapter to go so maybe that can be fixed.

Pachter likely to be found at the bottom of a river, Vito says

I think, judging by some commenters' posts, there are plenty of people that could qualify for the position.

I'm being serious. With people like us that are so invested in the industry, we should qualify just as much as Pachter.

@Shadowbender - The difference between us and him is likely a masters or PHD in something related to finance.

With the BBA I'm working on, I'll be qualified to shine his shoes.

Well, when word got out on the ps3 gimp and then the 'nothing to do' in open world, no side quests, a short story, what do you expect?

I was thinking about getting the game, but after hearing more and more negative on reviews and lousy lazy developers, I'm just going to put this on my queue from gamefly.

Publishers need to stop kidding themselves with mediocre games asking for a $60 price.

@jynxycat

Really! At least drop the initial price to $40 like all those Wii developers. ;-)

I wish I had as easy a job as the designers at Take Two's studios do:

1. Watch a few great movies from a genre.
2. Mash them into a game storyline.
3. Add GTA IV game engine
4. ???
5. Profit $$$

@Joanna D
For all the slack rockstar get they are the only developer to get open world games right.

@Kleptomaniac

I will slightly disagree with you and point to the fact that Just Cause 2s open world is fantastic. Tons to do and HUGE. Honestly made me feel that Panau was a real place.

The missions were a bit weak and repetitive but the world was great.

Rockstar does it best but don't say that everyone else has failed.

@GreenElf
Sorry I did forget about just cause 2! I still have to pick it up actually.

@Joanna D

The Saint's Row series would like to say hi. Any game that let's me drive a septic truck and spray waste on houses and people is good in my book.

@Kleptomaniac

I'm still TRYING to forget just cause 2...

6 years with the reviews it got I wonder what happended

No it won't, since it was a terribly mediocre game.

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Breaking News

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days

Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 220 comments
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 153 comments
David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 107 comments
Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 95 comments
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix 93 comments

Mafia 2

Mafia 2 unlikely to be profitable, Pachter says

Reader Comments (74)

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:32PM jameskond said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:40PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:14PM Nate Addison said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:23PM psxman said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:06PM Tapejara said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 10:39PM Cleric said

Posted: Aug 31st 2010 12:18AM canada said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:32PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:34PM Fallow said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:35PM BigD145 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:49PM philmcfail said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:37PM MNeko said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:49PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:37PM packerpride17 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:41PM Pure Black World Tendency said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:02PM Kleptomaniac said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:13PM Korwyn said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:20PM Kleptomaniac said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:37PM Faenix said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:38PM oboynesquick said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:59PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:42PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:50PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:18PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:45PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 8:07PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 11:42PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:42PM Cafecito said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:42PM HardBoiled2009 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:55PM That Burning Sensation said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:43PM mcbexx said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:01PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:19PM Nate Addison said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:47PM PSBuckshot said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:16PM Grey said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:36PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:50PM Puertoricarious said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:04PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 7:49PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:52PM Youthinized said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 5:57PM jynxycat said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:24PM GreenElf said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:02PM Joanna D said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:04PM Kleptomaniac said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:29PM GreenElf said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:47PM Kleptomaniac said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 8:39PM LaughingTarget said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 10:22PM Nate Addison said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:15PM Jawmuncher said

Posted: Aug 30th 2010 6:30PM Frito said

Mafia 2 Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Double Fine Kickstarter passes $1 million in under 24 hours, breaking yet another record

Featured Stories

Shank 2 review: Refined brutality

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier brings information warfare to the front

Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you

The most popular postsin the last 7 days

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days