‘Spore’ hits a million copies sold since launch

[Ball Lightning]

Spore, the new evolution game from Electronic Arts, has sold a million units since its September 7 launch, the publisher said Wednesday.
The sales figures are for copies of the game on the PC, the Mac, and the Nintendo DS.

The results are impressive and important for EA, especially given the heavy expectations that awaited the game, which was first announced in 2005 and was first expected in 2006, and also because the game has been beset by some controversy surrounding its DRM (digital rights management) restrictions.
And early indications from retailers around the country showed that the game was selling well in its first few weeks on store shelves.
However, the sales numbers don’t match those delivered by recent hits like Grand Theft Auto IV, from Rockstar Games and Guitar Hero III, from Activision, which sold multiple millions of copies right off the bat.
Still, for a game with what some might see as a wonky or overly intellectual theme–the evolution of species and the colonization of space–a million copies sold in just 17 days is a good sign.
The big question, of course, is whether Spore can continue to sell over time and justify EA’s stated hopes that the game could end up becoming a full-scale franchise along the lines of The Sims.

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So Spore goes strong even with the DRM and no gameplay issues.

 

[GoodGame]

Cool beans, though they did actually step the DRM down a notch. Hopefully this will mean expansions that address the simpleness and gameplay issues.

 

[Greybriar]

‘Spore’ hits a million copies sold since launch

Great! Now EA will have the money to pay for that DRM class action lawsuit filed against them.

 

[Dale]

I'd be interested to see the breakdown by platform, because DS is bloody popular.

I would estimate at least 50% of those numbers are the DS version.

 

[Rub'Rum]

I'd be interested to see the breakdown by platform, because DS is bloody popular.

I would estimate at least 50% of those numbers are the DS version.

The DS version looks frickin' horrible! Have you looked at it? I don't know, but I wouldn't be interested one bit in that. The graphics and sense of awe of PC Spore somewhat make up for its obvious flaws, but then having the same (and probably even simpler) game without the sense of awe would be brutally crap.

 

[salty mud]

A million people disappointed.

 

[Abaddon]

The amount of advertising they spent on this game I am not surprised!

 

[Dale]

The DS version looks frickin' horrible! Have you looked at it? I don't know, but I wouldn't be interested one bit in that. The graphics and sense of awe of PC Spore somewhat make up for its obvious flaws, but then having the same (and probably even simpler) game without the sense of awe would be brutally crap.

Hey I don't disagree, but in general sales of DS games to PC games is generaly 2-3:1.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

A million people disappointed.

That's assuming 100 percent dissatisfaction, which doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Daftpanzer]

My concern will be that EA will look at the sales figures and say 'our DRM is awesome and totally defeating piracy, now we must use it for all our games ever'.

 

[GoodGame]

Totally Tubular DRM, DUDE! EXCELLENT!! WYLD STALLIONS!

I can picture that in an EA board room.