Rhythm Thief bombs in the UK. . .

[Beat]

The good news? Rhythm Thief was not one of the cancellations reportedly occuring in the wake of SEGA’s recent financial woes; the game saw release in Europe earlier this month. The bad news? Nobody bought it. Though exact numbers are not currently known, SEGA’s forray back into Samba De Amigo-styled rhythm games failed to make the UK top 40 in its debut week, and its chart position remained missing in action in week 2.
There you have it. The god damn game bombed completely. Whether it be lack of advertising, or maybe just nobody cared about it, I don't know. All I know is that a great game has bombed completely, making me even more depressed on this ****** thursday afternoon.

Here's the source:
http://segabits.com/blog/2012/04/18/rhythm-thief-bombs-in-the-uk-newsrant/#comments

I agree with what was said. It frustrates the hell out of me to think of why a game like Rhythm Thief, a game that captures the SEGA vibe so well, the SEGA vibe that people have waited years for, fails so miserably. People are so quick to bash SEGA, yet whenever a good game by them is released, they ignore it completely. It truly disgusts me.

[Vyse]

Why does it seem like all the games I like from Sega don't sell well? Such sad news, Rhythm Thief deserved better sales.

[Beat]

Why does it seem like all the games I like from Sega don't sell well? Such sad news, Rhythm Thief deserved better sales.
Because most people have ****-poor taste and grab whatever crappy FPS is thrown in front of them.

[Davy~Rush!]

SEGA; you can guarantee my first a first day purchase from me when it comes out in the U.S.

I feel bad for the game; it really is a SEGA game, one that should deserve to be recognize, yet it goes ignored... Let's try to bring to rhythm to this sad medley by showing support!!

[ultimate victory]

Umm....I'll buy it when it comes out.

[The Rug]

Firstly I'll say it certainly looks lovingly crafted and humorous. But... I just don't think the genre really interests people anymore. It's not exactly cheap either.

Guitar Hero and Rock Band raised the bar for beat matching games so high that I don't think the older style single-user experience has aged very well.

[ShadiWulf]

Would of sold better on iOS or HD digital distribution

These types of games just don't sell at retail anymore, that's why it's a good move for SEGA to move the majority of their IP to digital, so we can continue to get games like this.

I'll be buying it day one =P but yeah, this game bombing is proof of why a digital SEGA is a good thing. Oh, and this game was advertised by Nintendo in the UK, so people can't blame it on lack of advertising this time.

You also can't just put the blame all on FPS fans, Nintendo fans are at just as much of fault as FPS fans. They would rather buy the same rehashed Nintendo games then a genuinely interesting game.

[AutoSaver]

Would of sold better on iOS or HD digital distribution



Maybe on iOS, but not HD digital distribution. I know the fanboy side turns up the HD, but lets be real here. The game focuses on touch minigames. Boring analog/button QTEs would be hilariously terrible.


You also can't just put the blame all on FPS fans, Nintendo fans are at just as much of fault as FPS fans. They would rather buy the same rehashed Nintendo games then a genuinely interesting game.
No

[The Rug]

You also can't just put the blame all on FPS fans, Nintendo fans are at just as much of fault as FPS fans. They would rather buy the same rehashed Nintendo games then a genuinely interesting game.

I don't think it's about people having poor taste. There are enough good games out right now that if you're going to drop £30 on something, it's probably not going to be this. It has the vibe of a charming high-quality indie game that you'd maybe spend a few pounds on so you could dip in and out of it in your spare time, but at a premium retail price it tries to place itself in the same arena as games like Kid Icarus and Resident Evil (and that's if you limit yourself only to the 3DS.)

As for rehashed Nintendo games... well, sometimes there's nothing wrong with having more of the same. There's still some mileage in the Mariokart formula, so why not?

[ShadiWulf]

Maybe on iOS, but not HD digital distribution. I know the fanboy side turns up the HD, but lets be real here. The game focuses on touch minigames. Boring analog/button QTEs would be hilariously terrible.

No

Touch controls aren't what make the game fun though =P it's the rhythm and music. Touch screen is just a gimmick. If touchscreen was that essential for rhythm games, then Space Channel 5 wouldn't be fun.

[AutoSaver]

Touch controls aren't what make the game fun though =P it's the rhythm and music. Touch screen is just a gimmick. If touchscreen was that essential for rhythm games, then Space Channel 5 wouldn't be fun.
You're comparing two different things.
Rhythm Thief focuses on using touch screen control and gyro control. Space Channel 5 on the other hand focuses on using the controller's buttons.

The game is so much more fun tapping to the beat. If the game was "tap A" it wouldn't be nearly as much fun. Or how about the sliding of the stylus? Playing a violin with an analog stick sounds like ****. Or how about the gyro minigames where you move with the beat? Press Left or Right? Sounds boring.

I'm sure you would enjoy playing Samba De Amigo with a controller.

[Kuronoa]

Touch as a gimmick depends on the game. If you think touch is, no matter what, a gimmick clearly you don't play Trauma Center for example.

And this sucks, I'm certainly buying a copy when it comes to US.
I wonder if Rhythm Heaven Fever will bomb over there too, if not I call shenanigans, it is just as "quirky" in concept.

[AutoSaver]

Rhythm Heaven hasn't come out over there yet?

[Kuronoa]

Rhythm Heaven hasn't come out over there yet?

They just reconfirmed it.

[Shinpachi]

Yeah, definitely would not be as fun without the touch controls. Like someone else mentioned, there's the Trauma Center games, and also Osu!Tatakae!Ouendan/ Elite Beat Agents. All those games would be awful with a controller.

[Internetakias]

Oh crap, the fear I had about this game not selling well just came true

[Yasashii]

£30 for a handheld game in a post-IOS/Steam/Amazon world is just too much, it needs to be something fairly mainstream like a Mario game to get away with charging that much. You could buy a copy each of Binary Domain and Yakuza Dead Souls (to use Sega games as examples) for that sort of cash. Games have never been this cheap since the 80s when games came on cassette tapes and the price Sega are asking for Rhythm Thief just isn't competitive.

Regardless of RRP I think we all have a value in our head as to what a game is worth and for me this sort of game is a £10 purchase. Sorry. :( I am just glad Sega saw the writing was on the wall when they did and have shifted focus to digital distribution before any more of these retail failures sink the company.

[Kuronoa]

What's the difference between a handheld game and a console game now? They play the same and have the same content. Genre too, Rhythm Thief probably lasts longer than the average mainstream game in story mode and it is a rhythm game.

[Starlight Rage Zone]

Afaik, Rhythm Paradise didn't sell well in the UK either.

Do you know why? For what the games and genre offer, the price they sell these games at are borderline ridiculous.

If the game was sold at £20 on the 3DS from the start and had some backing from Supermarkets that it's an ideal family game to play, then people would have bought into it...but at the price of £29 and has not shown much footage in the media, as well as SEGA not being a strong brand these days, it's no wonder it didn't sell...

But still...if SEGA advertise this better and perhaps lower the price slightly, I can see this being a modest seller.

In other news Kid Icarus didn't do well either...for the same reasons as Rhythm Thief but since it's a Nintendo game, there is brand awareness that made it sell that little bit better.

@Kuronoa: Since Rhythm Paradise didn't do well here (I see it for sub-£10), I can see the successor not being so hot as well...especially on the Wii when the last game had some appeal being a portable game.

[Yasashii]

What's the difference between a handheld game and a console game now? They play the same and have the same content. Genre too, Rhythm Thief probably lasts longer than the average mainstream game in story mode and it is a rhythm game.

It doesn't matter what the difference might be the problem is that at £30 (and that's the Amazon price, it's £40 at most retail stores) Sega Europe have massively over-valued Rhythm Thief relative to what just about anybody would want to pay for it. I am a Sega fan, I have an official set of Samba de Amigo maracas and both Dreamcast games but I am not going to take a chance on it at that price. If somebody like me is unconvinced then there isn't much hope.

Like Starlight Rage Zone points out, Rhythm Heaven on the DS tanked here too. In some places you could get it for as low as £5 (currently £7.50 on Amazon). If Nintendo can't crack the handheld rhythm game nut with all the marketing and distribution their game had, then Sega were crazy to think they could with their game at full price.

[Beat]

It doesn't matter what the difference might be the problem is that at £30 (and that's the Amazon price, it's £40 at most retail stores) Sega Europe have massively over-valued Rhythm Thief relative to what just about anybody would want to pay for it. I am a Sega fan, I have an official set of Samba de Amigo maracas and both Dreamcast games but I am not going to take a chance on it at that price. If somebody like me is unconvinced then there isn't much hope.

Like Starlight Rage Zone points out, Rhythm Heaven on the DS tanked here too. In some places you could get it for as low as £5 (currently £7.50 on Amazon). If Nintendo can't crack the handheld rhythm game nut with all the marketing and distribution their game had, then Sega were crazy to think they could with their game at full price.
But this game also comes with a compelling story and fun characters, as well as fully animated cutscenes! To me, its more than just a Rhythm game, as it tells a story. A frantic, fun story. It captures that awesome SEGA vibe that I've been clamoring for so long for.

To me, its well worth the 40 bucks I'll be spending on it.

[Yasashii]

But this game also comes with a compelling story and fun characters, as well as fully animated cutscenes! To me, its more than just a Rhythm game, as it tells a story. A frantic, fun story. It captures that awesome SEGA vibe that I've been clamoring for so long for.

To me, its well worth the 40 bucks I'll be spending on it.

I don't doubt that it is a very good game.

£40 = $65 and that for many people in this economy is not an insignificant investment.

Aaaand I just realised that Nintendo are actually publishing this so they are the ones responsible for the silly pricing. At least Sega aren't taking a bath on this one. :)

[Beat]

I don't doubt that it is a very good game.

£40 = $65 and that for many people in this economy is not an insignificant investment.

Aaaand I just realised that Nintendo are actually publishing this so they are the ones responsible for the silly pricing. At least Sega aren't taking a bath on this one. :)
Is it really being priced at $65? That's ridiculous. I still would buy it but damn. How much do most other 3DS games cost?

[Yasashii]

I can't give you a very good answer to that as I only really go into retail stores like HMV and Game out of morbid curiosity. £40 is typically the highest possible RRP for a 3DS game (the same price as a new 360/PS3 game) but anywhere that is competitive on price will sell for £30 on release.

We are the country with the biggest and fastest price drops because distributors have massively over estimated how much we are willing to pay but that's another topic. :) It's also a massively over saturated market: There are almost 40 games (100+ if you split SKUs) being released in May so a niche game at full price like Rhythm Thief will inevitably get drowned. Not many people buy a game every month and even fewer buy more than one.

All this makes me more convinced than ever that a shift to DD was the right path for Sega.

[RubyEclipse]

Interesting, our price is going to be notably lower in the US than the equivalent in the UK.

Alright everyone, we need your help - we have to make this game a success here! Any volunteers?

[ShadiWulf]

Interesting, our price is going to be notably lower in the US than the equivalent in the UK.

Alright everyone, we need your help - we have to make this game a success here! Any volunteers?
You have my staff~! ;P err.. i mean 3Ds? lol got PSO/lord of the rings on the mind

[Beat]

Interesting, our price is going to be notably lower in the US than the equivalent in the UK.

Alright everyone, we need your help - we have to make this game a success here! Any volunteers?
Releasing a demo is always good, but we need more than that. Make SURE you guys promote this ATLEAST via Twitter and Facebook. I'll make sure to re-post anything you guys say relating to this game. I'm going to try and advertise it on different forums too.

Maybe you should try some internet and TV ads too? I know you guys are having some financial troubles as of late but I feel this game could get moderate success if more people know about it.

[RubyEclipse]

Releasing a demo is always good, but we need more than that. Make SURE you guys promote this ATLEAST via Twitter and Facebook. I'll make sure to re-post anything you guys say relating to this game. I'm going to try and advertise it on different forums too.

Maybe you should try some internet and TV ads too? I know you guys are having some financial troubles as of late but I feel this game could get moderate success if more people know about it.
You can definitely expect to see some stuff on Twitter and Facebook (Clumsy and Kellie, here on the forums, manage that) and also on the SEGA Blogs.

Clumsy and I did some discussing and we have some other ideas in the works. I agree that the game will probably see nice success if we can help all the 3DS owners out there realize it exists - we'll be doing a lot to spread the word, so please do share with any friends you know that own a 3DS and enjoy good games. :)

[MrBadger]

I'm not surprized. Since Game stopped stocking, I haven't been able to find the game anywhere. it's really a shame, I'm sure it's a fantastic game. I'll buy it online when I get the chance

[ultimate victory]

Interesting, our price is going to be notably lower in the US than the equivalent in the UK.

Alright everyone, we need your help - we have to make this game a success here! Any volunteers?

Private Ultimate victory is ready to serve for the cause.

[Internetakias]

I'll make sure to suggest this game to as many people as I can.
I got it some weeks ago and I've since beat it, I can also say that it's one of the best rhythm games I've ever played!

[Pur-Rulz]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the demo put them off. It certainly did for me.

[Twylis]

*late*

Andand ohgosh that's like
asdglkg'ads

I knead a 3DS, pawrnto.

[Beat]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the demo put them off. It certainly did for me.
Why? Not trying to attack you or anything, just curious.

[Fonstone]

I think a major factor of it not selling well in the UK was that GAME was in trouble (shops closing and them not stocking new games such as ME3 which is bigger than Rhythm Thief) at it's release so on launch day they didn't have any in store at all. Although now that they are out of trouble things seem to be picking up as Rhythm Thief is in the top 10 this week.

[Beat]

I think a major factor of it not selling well in the UK was that GAME was in trouble (shops closing and them not stocking new games such as ME3 which is bigger than Rhythm Thief) at it's release so on launch day they didn't have any in store at all. Although now that they are out of trouble things seem to be picking up as Rhythm Thief is in the top 10 this week.
Wait what? Rhythm Thief is in the top ten out of all the games out right now?

[RubyEclipse]

Wait what? Rhythm Thief is in the top ten out of all the games out right now?
That's pretty interesting news! Wonder if there's a quick way to confirm it? (I can ask around here, but it might take a couple days.)

[Starlight Rage Zone]

I bit at £24 (including delivery), but sadly it's from an eBay seller.

The good news is that they bought a duplicate copy by accident, so SEGA still got the £30 that otherwise wouldn't have happened if I didn't buy it.

But yeah, I can see that the game has a story to it an all, but the core game play is still a rhythmic styled game.

There are dancing games that do well here, but sadly they are in Arcade/Bowling Areas and they are called Dance Dance Evolution.

lol, just noticed Shadi made a "shady" joke. XD

[Internetakias]

I think a major factor of it not selling well in the UK was that GAME was in trouble (shops closing and them not stocking new games such as ME3 which is bigger than Rhythm Thief) at it's release so on launch day they didn't have any in store at all. Although now that they are out of trouble things seem to be picking up as Rhythm Thief is in the top 10 this week.
Nope, http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/software/uk/latest/index_test.jsp&ct=110015
It's really :):):):)ing me off that crappy shovelware like Kinect Star Wars is selling better than masterpieces like Rhythm Thief

[Noog09]

This breaks my heart. People like Aaron Webbler works so hard on these games, and yet they sell so poorly. Call of Duty makes a few minor improvements and makes billions..

I'll be buying this game on launch.

[Davy~Rush!]

You can always count on me SEGA =D. I'll keep sharing news, fan art, and showing the game to my friends until it comes out (also, I got them excited, at least for demo).

[Fonstone]

Nope, http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/software/uk/latest/index_test.jsp&ct=110015
It's really :):):):)ing me off that crappy shovelware like Kinect Star Wars is selling better than masterpieces like Rhythm Thief

Ahhh oppps. Maybe it was in the top 10 of 3DS games then.

[RubyEclipse]

You can always count on me SEGA =D. I'll keep sharing news, fan art, and showing the game to my friends until it comes out (also, I got them excited, at least for demo).
Thanks for that! I think sometimes people underestimate how powerful word of mouth can be with good games like this one. :) Would love to see if we can organize and prove it via numbers.

[ultimate victory]

Thanks for that! I think sometimes people underestimate how powerful word of mouth can be with good games like this one. :) Would love to see if we can organize and prove it via numbers.

What's gonna work?

TEAMWORK!

[supersonicultra]

we can't let this game fail so i'm buying this first day

[Alice Twilight]

I gotta go see if it's in Australia!

[Theadvisor1234]

We Americans have got to do this game justice. This game does to rhythm games what Professor Layton did to the Puzzle genre: it takes a tried-and-true gameplay mechanic and it expands it into something huge. Professor Layton is popular, and I think that this game can be too, despite Sega's shoddy advirtising.

[Beat]

We Americans have got to do this game justice. This game does to rhythm games what Professor Layton did to the Puzzle genre: it takes a tried-and-true gameplay mechanic and it expands it into something huge. Professor Layton is popular, and I think that this game can be too, despite Sega's shoddy advirtising.
That's what I'm saying! The demo was very well received and amongst all the comparisons to Professor Layton, I'm sure it can be just as popular as him!

[Theadvisor1234]

That's what I'm saying! The demo was very well received and amongst all the comparisons to Professor Layton, I'm sure it can be just as popular as him!

It would help if Sega would actually promote their original ideas more. Granted, their reputation isn't as good as Level 5, who for a newer video game company, is impressively owning whatever genre they choose to make a game in, and has a very nice habit of supporting their fans. However, maybe if we spread the word, we can get this thing to work out. I hate to see Sega go back into their shell when they didn't even try.

[Beat]

It would help if Sega would actually promote their original ideas more. Granted, their reputation isn't as good as Level 5, who for a newer video game company, is impressively owning whatever genre they choose to make a game in, and has a very nice habit of supporting their fans. However, maybe if we spread the word, we can get this thing to work out. I hate to see Sega go back into their shell when they didn't even try.
I could see why they would be wary though. This type of game isnt for everyone, and seeing how terrible the American consumer is, they definitely have a hard time promoting japan games to Americans. Luckily lots of people are seeing the charm in Rhythm Thief though and it's becoming one of the most anticipated non-Sonic SEGA games I've seen in quite a while.

[ultimate victory]

I have the Rhythm Thief banner on my Insomniac Community account to help spread word.

[*ShiningStar*]

There you have it. The god damn game bombed completely. Whether it be lack of advertising, or maybe just nobody cared about it, I don't know. All I know is that a great game has bombed completely, making me even more depressed on this ****** thursday afternoon.

Here's the source:
http://segabits.com/blog/2012/04/18/rhythm-thief-bombs-in-the-uk-newsrant/#comments

I agree with what was said. It frustrates the hell out of me to think of why a game like Rhythm Thief, a game that captures the SEGA vibe so well, the SEGA vibe that people have waited years for, fails so miserably. People are so quick to bash SEGA, yet whenever a good game by them is released, they ignore it completely. It truly disgusts me.
Do you have an update on how Rhythm Thief did in the U.S? It's seems like such an amazing game and you were such a great supporter for it. I really hope it does well worldwide :sad: If it didn't come out in the U.S yet, then the game still has a chance. Do you know the sales of the game in Japan?

[FourCartridge]

Do you have an update on how Rhythm Thief did in the U.S? It's seems like such an amazing game and you were such a great supporter for it. I really hope it does well worldwide :sad: If it didn't come out in the U.S yet, then the game still has a chance. Do you know the sales of the game in Japan?

It's not out yet in the US, which is why everyone's spreading the word. It's sold just under 95K in Japan, if this (http://www.vgchartz.com/game/70360/rhythm-thief-amp-the-emperors-treasure/Japan/) is right.

[MrBadger]

That's what I'm saying! The demo was very well received and amongst all the comparisons to Professor Layton, I'm sure it can be just as popular as him!

As an owner of both, I say Rhythm Thief deserves to be just as popular as Layton. I'm really hoping Rhythm Thief does better in the US than it did here. As for advertising, I feel like a demo should have been enough. It persuaded me to buy it, no other 3DS demo has done that.

Also let's not forget that when Rhythm Thief came out in the UK Game was bankrupt and not stocking. After they changed hands I guess the game just slipped through the cracks as it wasn't new anymore. I figure that's why it bombed here. America doesn't have that issue, You lot buy this game and do it justice so it gets a sequal and we all get to find out what happens next in the Rhythm Thief saga

[ChilliDogz]

Rhythm Thief looks to have all the makings of a great new franchise. The problem is Sega once again isn't advertising anything for a new game. Especially one of their own. I haven't seen virtually anything showcasing this game off except on NintendoWorldReport and Kotaku.

Lemme put it to you this way... they've put out tons of commercials on T.V for literally every single game Platinium made which was published by Sega themselves. Everything counts , word of mouth can't get you very far anymore. I mean you can get a few people to buy the game , but you need more then that.

Hopefully it does well over here. :/

[RubyEclipse]

Rhythm Thief looks to have all the makings of a great new franchise. The problem is Sega once again isn't advertising anything for a new game. Especially one of their own. I haven't seen virtually anything showcasing this game off except on NintendoWorldReport and Kotaku.

Lemme put it to you this way... they've put out tons of commercials on T.V for literally every single game Platinium made which was published by Sega themselves. Everything counts , word of mouth can't get you very far anymore. I mean you can get a few people to buy the game , but you need more then that.

Hopefully it does well over here. :/

You will be seeing some advertising online, especially starting next week. :) So stay tuned!

Just as important though is the word of mouth. If we want this game to succeed (which is probably all of us here on the forum), talking about it among the 3DS communities and recommending it to friends is also just as important.

[Beat]

You will be seeing some advertising online, especially starting next week. :) So stay tuned!

Just as important though is the word of mouth. If we want this game to succeed (which is probably all of us here on the forum), talking about it among the 3DS communities and recommending it to friends is also just as important.
That's great to hear! With a game like Rhythm Thief, online advertising is by far the best to go about it. The game has lots of charm and if you can get the games name out there among enough people I'm sure it will sell fine. Advertising it via TV commercials would be a very risky move, because as you guys know, American consumers are mainly a bunch of :):):):):):):)es that only play crap like COD. Even then, I know this game can capture an audience. It just needs to gets its name out there without it costing a fortune for SEGA.

[Internetakias]

You will be seeing some advertising online, especially starting next week. :) So stay tuned!

Just as important though is the word of mouth. If we want this game to succeed (which is probably all of us here on the forum), talking about it among the 3DS communities and recommending it to friends is also just as important.
Can we expect some TV ads too, or is that out of the question?

[ChilliDogz]

You will be seeing some advertising online, especially starting next week. :) So stay tuned!

Just as important though is the word of mouth. If we want this game to succeed (which is probably all of us here on the forum), talking about it among the 3DS communities and recommending it to friends is also just as important.

Good to hear. I know it's kind of a stretch , but get something like Toonami to review it. No seriously hear me out. They've been getting some pretty solid Saturday night ratings. I feel like they're the guys that can help your sales since they're trying to get back in the fold themselves.

Either way , I hope the advertising goes well. I'm afraid to ask you guys for a commercial but you should consider something like that , but short. I know with budget costs you probably can't ,but it's worth a shot I suppose.

My only problem is we're in 2012. It's very hard to sell/pitch someone a game that isn't popular in the mainstream anymore. It's hard to tell someone to go out and purchase a Rhythm game (of all genres). I mean back in the 90s , no questions asked I could probally get you 10 customers easily. Now I'm lucky if I can get 1 or 2 people to purchase a game. I got 3 people to buy SASAR , don't ask me how I did that one XD.

Hopefully it can gather up some decent sales here in America. It's gonna need em.

[Aegis Xxain]

Did SEGA push this game or was it quietly released?

[Beat]

Did SEGA push this game or was it quietly released?
Quietly released. It got a demo and a few developer interviews posted on big news sites like 1UP, and that's about it. Apparently it will be getting online advertising this week too, which hopefully will help a lot.

[RhythmThief]

Some good advertising sites(even though they might be a bit difficult) would be YouTube, Fanfiction.net and Toonami.

[ultimate victory]

And Cartoon Network's site. A lot of kids go there and we all know that kids love cool hats like Phantom R's.