Great RPGs That Sold Poorly
The RPG genre has a wide range of success stories spanning many decades and settings, from indie developers making their first step to seasoned veterans releasing smash hit after smash hit and setting the standard for what a good RPG should be. But there are times when a great game just didn’t get the respect or acclaim it deserved. These titles were a success in terms of execution, but performed rather poorly in terms of sales.
When it comes to RPGs, it is difficult to break into the genre with a successful game. It is so competitive, and the expectations are so high that any old game cannot become a number one bestseller overnight without the gameplay to back it up. That being said, a good game doesn’t guarantee sales, and sometimes the quality of an RPG can’t translate to real-world financial success. Other times, publishers set goals that almost seem designed to produce disappointments.
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Valkyria Chronicles
A Military RPG That Lacked Early Success
- Sales: ~2 million copies (2016)
Valkyria Chronicles delivered a standout tactical RPG experience with its innovative BLiTZ system, which combined turn-based planning with real-time combat, all in a distinct watercolor art style. The game is set in a fictional version of World War II Europe, following the story of Squad 7’s emotional fight against invasion, blending heartfelt storytelling with deep strategic gameplay. The gameplay and unique look are what garnered most of the praise, and it still holds up in both regards.
However, the game struggled to sell well at launch. Releasing exclusively for the PlayStation 3, it arrived when the console had a limited player base, especially in Japan. It sold just 33,000 units in its first week there, and around 77,000 in its first month in North America. Weak marketing and its genre’s niche appeal contributed to the low sales. The years since have seen a remaster and a more widespread consumer base, but that initial release failed to make much of a splash.
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Lost Odyssey
A Story Of Immortals That Failed To Stick Around
- Sales: ~300,000 first month (2008)
Lost Odyssey is a turn-based JRPG developed by Mistwalker and helmed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Quality was a near guarantee, but as always, commercial success doesn’t always follow suit. The plot follows Kaim, an immortal warrior grappling with centuries of memories, in a rich narrative supported by traditional combat mechanics and emotional short stories. The game was praised for delivering a deep, character-driven experience during a time when the genre was rapidly evolving in all kinds of new directions.
Despite a strong critical reception, the game struggled commercially, especially outside of Japan. Released exclusively on the Xbox 360, a platform with limited traction in Japan, the initial sales were nothing to write home about. The numbers were underwhelming given its budget and pedigree. Its platform choice and old-school mechanics made it a harder sell in a market shifting toward faster, flashier action RPGs.
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Neo: The World Ends with You
Too Niche For A Breakout Hit
- Sales: ~28,000 first week (2021)
A stylish ARPG that serves as the long-awaited sequel to a cult hit, Neo: The World Ends With You follows Rindo and his friends as they are forced to compete in the dead Reapers’ Game. Fast-paced combat and a vibrant setting allow the game to capture modern youth culture perfectly, while maintaining the DNA of the original. Dedicated fans adored the game and praised all aspects from the story to the music, but the rest of the world seemed to turn a blind eye to it.
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The sales were not the best. Square Enix admitted that it underperformed from a commercial perspective and struggled to make back the production costs in a meaningful way. The niche appeal, long wait time between titles, and some poor marketing contributed to the weak sales and left the franchise with an uncertain future despite the praise.
The World Ends With You also fits as another creative JRPG that didn’t quite sell as much as expected.
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Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
An Example Of Relative Success, And One Of Many Western IPs That Apparently Did Not Meet Square Enix’s Expectations
- Sales: ~12 Million Lifetime Sales With Human Revolution (2022)
Commercial performance is arguably relative, as a game that sells 5 million can be marked as a disappointment if its publisher set a goal of 10 million. There was a time when seemingly every major Western-style game published by Square Enix was deemed a commercial flop, despite seemingly making decent numbers. Tomb Raider, Sleeping Dogs, and Hitman: Absolution are probably the most infamous examples, but Deus Ex: Mankind Divided was also part of this run.
Now, it should be said that Square Enix cited Mankind Divided as one of the games that helped increase earnings in 2017, so it was not explicitly labeled as a flop publicly by the company. Along with some short-term success, Mankind Divided and Human Revolution eventually skipped the 10 million lifetime sales, a milestone that took them close to a decade to reach. Analysts suggest that, on the whole, the company believed its Western studios and projects fell below expectations, especially since they often had massive budgets. Considering Square Enix never seemed to even consider producing another entry in the series, and sold off Eidos-Montreal in 2022 for not all that much money, it seems apparent that Mankind Divided did not move the needle.
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Vagrant Story
Too Much Complexity For Its Own Good
- Sales: 100,000 first month (2000)
Vagrant Story is a unique action RPG that was released for the original PlayStation and is considered one of the best games of the period. Set in the ruined city of Leá Monde, it follows Ashley Riot, a Riskbreaker caught in a complex tale of political intrigue and supernatural forces. The game stood out for its dark, mature narrative that is intricately woven into the real-time combat to deliver both a responsive and rewarding experience from start to finish.
Despite the praise and respect it earned, Vagrant Story struggled commercially. While it sold modestly in Japan, its Western performance was underwhelming. Its complexity, lack of traditional RPG elements like towns or party members, and niche appeal made it a tough sell for mainstream audiences. Though beloved by RPG enthusiasts today, it failed to find wide success at launch, and its sales never justified a sequel despite a legacy and following that still exists today.
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Planescape: Torment
A Great Narrative Experience, But Unconventional And Tricky Gameplay
An early title with a lot to offer, Planescape is a narrative-rich RPG set within the world of Dungeons and Dragons, and has players searching for the truth behind immortality and life itself. It goes in deep with the philosophical debate and conversations regarding some heavier themes, helped by the excellent writing and character complexity that makes the world come alive. But narrative over action wasn’t the best-selling point at the time, and the game suffered in terms of sales as a result.
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A release that was well below expectations, plus the focus on text conversations in a rather unconventional setting, made the game hard to market, and it only appealed to a niche audience. The popularity has grown over the years, and the appreciation of the narrative has become more mainstream, but the initial sales were disappointing enough to leave it as a one-and-done.
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Alpha Protocol
High Cost, Low Return Despite A Quality Game
Alpha Protocol aimed to blend spy/thriller storytelling with complex RPG mechanics to bring the genre to a modern-day setting. Playing as a secret agent, gamers navigate global conspiracies through a branching narrative, and choices matter a lot. Everything from relationships to dialogue feels very real and was pretty ahead of the curve. It had a lot of ambition in the way the story moved, offering a dynamic playthrough that gave plenty of replay value and opportunities for self-expression.
Even so, the game was hampered by dated graphics and a clunky combat system that felt sluggish and, at times, simply boring to play with. Technical issues were also a big factor. Despite selling a decent amount unit-wise, in terms of recouping costs compared to the large development budget, it was considered a failure and did not meet the expectations of the publisher at all. It might have a favorable perspective now, but it is a bit too little, too late.
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