KoF2002 vs RotD - Sales!

The first batch of NPI screenshots got me thinking about this, and just so you know, I'm in no way trying to bash KoF2002 as I think its an excellent game......

I was just looking at the stock numbers for KoF2002 and RotD at the NeoStore, and to me, it seems like RotD has been a better seller than KoF2002.
Here are the current numbers which read (from left to right) Inital stock, remaining stock, total sold so far.

Total sold so far:
KoF US: 300 - 186 = 114
KoF Jp: 150 - 83 = 67

ROTD US: 204 - 24 = 180
ROTD Jp: 96 - 0 = 96

(Hope I didnt get my numbers muddled up there - maths never was my strong point)

Naturally, there were fewer copies of RotD available and it has had a 3-4 month lead on KoF2002, but I seem to remember Japanse RotD carts selling out almost instantly, and english RotD carts deminishing to only 56 copies left in a similar timeframe.

Also, there are fewer copies of RotD for sale than KoF2002 (or KoF2001) in other online stores.
Most UK shops which stock Neo games had sold out of RotD a while ago, but still have KoF games hanging arround for months after its relese.

OK, so it isn't really fair to try and compare the sales of 2 games that were released so far apart, but every year it seems like the latest installment of KoF sells below expectations, and RotD has exceeded them.
Also, the ammout of excitement surrounding the latest KoF game seemed greater than that of RotD.

So, your thoughts?
Are people getting sick of the yearly KoF update?
Do gamers value original content more than the NeoGeo's 'flagship' fighter?
Did everyone just download 'Teh Romzz' of KoF?
Was the prospect of 2 T-shirts and a poster with RotD too much of a Bargin to miss <img src="graemlins/loco.gif" border="0" alt="[Loco]" /> )

Shawn, care to comment?

[ January 16, 2003: Message edited by: toy_brain ]</p>

Simple... ROTD has been out for several months, but KOF 2K2 has barely been out for a month. You can't compare them unless you know what the sales figures for ROTD were after a month.

I love 2K2 and my gut feel is that it will do way better than ROTD... I laughed out loud when I read Kenny Boy's Wanted post asking why nobody was reselling 2K2.

[ January 16, 2003: Message edited by: neojedi ]</p>

You need to take into consideration that ROTD has been around on home cart a little longer than KOF 2002, and that most people got hit hard economically the last few months of 2002.

To be quite honest, I'm rather surprised that KOF 2002 still managed to do pretty well despite the craziness of the economy.

I did say in my first post that I realised RotD has been out a lot longer so it isn't a totally fair comparrison.
But year-on-year there always seems to be plenty copies of old KoF games hanging arround long after its relese (Still 178 copies of KoF2001).

And if you cast your mind back to shortly after Sept 16th (I think), RotD was selling verry verry quickly.
Much faster than KoF2002 seems to be selling.

ROTD is also something new, unlike KOF which has been done to death.

Honestly I think it has more to do with 2k2 being "just another KOF" and ROTD was pretty much a new game from the ground up. Turned out to be not as good as many were hoping for, but still decent. I think that a lot of fans wanted something new or different that just "KOF with changed sprites".

Honestly after playing both, KOF2k2 is the better game by far and I hope they both sell out.

Peace

JHendrix

I still find these days, if I need a dose of KOF, I whack in '96 and bypass the rest. You get something from KOF games that you don't from other fighter games.

Having said that I would rather play MOTW than any other fighter and, I think ROTD is a better game than KOF02.

Just my opinion.

I think a lot of people got ROTD just to sit on it. Market Speculators.

Thats what I hate about the Neo. People trying to hoard stuff and drive the price up. It should be about gaming and not price gouging.

You can't make an educated hypothesis based on the sales from the NeoStore alone. KoF 2001 sold over 6000 copies in Japan the first week.

Finally got to play ROTD and I must say that KOF 2K2 is Aces over it IMO. Just wait a bit, I'm sure they'll be flying off the NeoStore shelves soon enough, I just hope there's one JPN cart left for me as I'm saving up the money to get one.

I purchased a copy of KOF2k2, but to be honest I'm getting pretty sick of it. KOF needs a complete overhaul for 2003 in every department. If it doesn't sell as well as Playmore hoped, maybe it will send a message.

ROTD is an excellent game, and calling it KOF with different sprites is a great diservice to it.

I'd honestly rather have a vastly improved ROTD sequel than KOF2k3.