The Elder Scrolls Online had a rocky path to its console release. The game was initially meant to release in the summer of 2014 but as developer ZeniMax Online Studios had difficulty integrating their systems with those on PS4 and Xbox One, the game was delayed by six months. Then, as those six months began to run out, TESO was delayed again into 2015.
When The Elder Scrolls Online eventually released on consoles in early June, a full year after the PC and Mac version, its launch wasn’t particularly smooth either. Console players across Europe and North America began to report that they were unable to log in and play the game, while others said that NPCs had been disappearing. Additionally, some players reported issues with the game’s friend system, and many complained that they’d been banned from using the in-game chat for spamming despite not having sent a single message.
So with all of the chips stacked against ZeniMax and Bethesda’s new game, it would be easy to assume that the controversy would have a serious impact on The Elder Scrolls Online’s sales, however it appears that this isn’t the case. According to the list of the best-selling PSN games in June, which is released by Sony every month, The Elder Scrolls Online was the most downloaded game on PS4 last month, managing to overcome the bad press and negative reviews.
Something that may have helped The Elder Scrolls Online’s sales is the closed beta that took place ahead of the game’s release. Although that beta was criticized for being such a large download and it didn’t help ZeniMax overcome those launch issues, it did give Elder Scrolls fans on consoles an early chance to play the game and to spread the word amongst their friends. Plus, with the game being a regularly updated MMO that doesn’t require a subscription, buyers may have been looking at long-term gameplay rather than short-term bugs that can be patched out.
Also overcoming bad press is Batman: Arkham Knight which doesn’t appear to have been affected by its depictions of women, or the controversy surrounding the PC version of the game. Arkham Knight was the second most downloaded game on PS4 last month, though if it had been released closer to the beginning of the month, it may have been number one. Meanwhile, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was in third place and Minecraft is still riding high in fourth. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was also in fifth, one rank higher than Grand Theft Auto V, suggesting that some PS4 fans are lamenting Rise of the Tomb Raider’s Xbox exclusivity.
PS3 gamers, on the other hand, are also massively enjoying Minecraft, with that being the most downloaded game on the platform in June. GTA V came in second, despite being released all the way back in 2013, Battlefield 4 (another game from 2013) came in third, and LEGO Jurassic World came in fourth, benefiting from the box office success of the movie. As for the PS Vita, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, Hyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth1, and Tales of Hearts R were first, second and third (respectively) and although Sony’s handheld didn’t get much love at E3, some are hoping that these PSN sales charts will encourage the company to do more about JRPG localization.
Are you surprised by any of these sales charts? What did you download from PSN in June? Leave a comment and let us know.
Source: GameSpot
