Would Low Review Scores Actually Impact MW3 Sales?

Review scores have a definite impact on sales in this industry. There's a reason EA routinely says they strive to produce 9+ games; it's because they know that, for the most part, quality still succeeds.

Even the biggest franchises aren't entirely immune. This year's Madden NFL 2012 received a relatively lukewarm reception and although it still topped sales charts for a while, it didn't exactly break records. However, once you reach a certain size, perhaps the review scores finally don't matter at all. Maybe all you need is endless celebrity endorsement, a multi-billion-dollar advertising campaign, and legions of dedicated fans, all of whom have willingly shelled out in years past and will do so again.

So, just for the sake of argument, what if Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 earned disappointing review scores? I don't expect it to happen but again, it's just for the sake of debate. Would this have any effect at all on overall potential sales of the game? Or would it just break more records and end up selling 30 million copies, regardless of worldwide criticism? As another question, how low would the average review score have to be to have any effect? 8s might not hurt...but what about 7s? 6s? It's very unlikely, but I'm just wondering if the rampant popularity of this franchise has superseded the critic's role.

Heck, why even review the thing? Those who want it know it already, right? Those who hate it won't ever get it. And really, it almost seems as if gamers are separated into two distinct groups; the love-it and hate-it crowds. Is anyone really on the fence?

Related Game(s): Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Tags: mw3, modern warfare 3, mw3 sales, game reviews, call of duty

10/6/2011 9:02:21 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (74 posts)

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PasteNuggs
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 9:31:24 PM
Reply

I don't think so. Not at first anyways. According to what the reported pre-order sales indicate. Maybe after the game is released it wouldn't have stay on top for the whole year.

1 up, 0 down

tayizfire
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:55:50 AM

review scores can not hurt mw3 lol in anyway possible ...everybody either knows there getting it ...or there not...high profile games are a must for any real gamer

0 up, 2 down

Underdog15
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 8:35:11 AM

Certainly that is the case for the next game. I think if it were to get poor scores (and it won't, but like Ben said... for argument's sake), people would still get it this year.

But...

I think they will be more likely to notice the flaws all the sites mention when they play and notice issues reviewers bring up... they will all say, "Woh, they're right. They -DID- screw that up." This will cause skepticism for the following year. They will still have a following, but I bet they will have far fewer pre-orders as more people will wait and see the next year if it's any better.

So not immediately, but in the long run, it probably would.

3 up, 1 down

robinhood2010
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 6:17:42 PM

Underdog,

That is a fair and just point, and I think it would hold true if games were sold on just what the game immediately offers. However, we all know that the majority of people who buy it do so for the multiplayer. This doesn't need to be the most stellar multiplayer experience, but more and more games are selling on the social factor.

MW3 could be absolute donkey shite but we all know it well sell. I work for Game in the UK and customers constantly refer to CoD4 as the beat FPS, and that the games have steadily declined. Each one is a new record breaker. Why? because people want to play with their mates. And as is so often discussed here at PSXE, this isn't split screen anymore.

0 up, 0 down

Mr Wright
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 9:37:10 PM
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I definitely believe that a low score would have a big impact on the sales of MW3. A lot of people have preordered it, but there are still many who are on the fence(like me) as to whether they will pick this one up. I pretty much live and die by review scores; usually I wait to see the reviews, then if the game gets awesome scores(for me that's 8.5 or above) I'll pick it up. Call of Duty is so much a part of pop culture now anyways, that if it gets bad scores and is plain just a crap game, then the media will have a field day with that I'm sure and people will know that they can save their cash and get a different game.

1 up, 1 down

ZenChichiri
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 9:43:12 PM

I think the problem is that many of the people that buy COD games don't really pay much attention to gaming media. There are still some that do, but out of the 6 to 7 million units that will be sold off the bat I have a feeling that the majority of those people don't pay attention to review sites.

4 up, 1 down

ZenChichiri
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 9:40:39 PM
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Even if World War 3 broke out it wouldn't impact MW3 sales.

"We have to hold this bunker. We might be holed up here a few days. Let's be on high alert."

"Luckily I brought my PS3 so we can play some MW3!"

"What the....?!

11 up, 2 down

Warrior Poet
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 9:44:28 PM
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I don't think the games are horrible or anything - I'm just not impressed with them. My friend rented Black Ops a while back and instead of slaying Zombies we played the twin-stick shooter minigame all night. COD usually has lame level design and generic gameplay and a total lack of music and all that, but the games do work. They're not abysmal or anything. They just don't deserve all the praise they get.

1 up, 0 down

jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 1:06:41 PM

Yeah but people do keep buying the games. I totally respect your opinion (and I agree, the "SmashTV" style minigame you're talking about is a blast!), but to say they "don't deserve the praise they get" is robbing the game for what it's done: out sold every game, every time. It's basically saying that everyone is wrong and you're right. Differences in opinion about COD aside, you may think it doesn't deserve the praise, and you may not praise the game as much as everyone else, but that's not to say the praise is not to be had. Because it has proved itself as "the" game to beat amongst developers.

For example, I loathe the Halo series (beyond hate), but I understand that it deserves a certain level of praise past just *my* appreciation of the game.

0 up, 0 down

Snaaaake
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:04:37 PM
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Of course it will, but that won't stop it from grossing another $1 billion.

1 up, 0 down

AcHiLLiA
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 1:34:32 PM

that's the sad part.

0 up, 0 down

godsman
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:11:55 PM
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The game most definitely will get a 9+ regardless of what gameplay. Once you are a franchise you just can't score low.

Final Fantasy XIII managed to pull a mid 8's because of the name. gameplay and story is worth a 6-7.

3 up, 2 down

johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:45:44 AM

yeah, franchise names are a big thing when it comes to initial sales. final fantasy XIII sold a lot on release but gamers, especially in japan, sold their copies right away.

1 up, 0 down

LegendaryWolfeh
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:24:41 PM
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Not a chance. Too many mainstream people playing and not wanting to get left behind from friends causes them all to buy the next version.

3 up, 1 down

LimitedVertigo
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:30:12 PM
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No way, reviews effect the sales of new IPs and games that don't already have a large fan base.

I'm guilty of this, I'll admit it. I will still be there on Day1 buying FF30.

3 up, 0 down

godsman
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:35:38 PM

That is dangerous. Mind as well pay them in advance. They can keep shaving contents out. Eventually you'll be paying $100 for an empty case.

1 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:41:34 PM

Everything about the FFXIII series was a fluke. I tell myself this every night when my head hits the pillow.

3 up, 0 down

johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:49:23 AM

final fantasy 13 released? i thought that was a spin off? anyway, by the time final fantasy 30 releases they'll probably learned from their mistakes, sony bought them out, the fans finally fought back, or the very least wada is fired or dead.

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 8:38:57 AM

LV, at least you are honest...

I tell myself I'll be waiting for FFXIII-2 to drop in price before touching it...

Secretly... I'm not sure I'll be able to wait... I've been an FF fan for life... Sure I'm bitter... but... I'm also a bit of a sucker.

2 up, 0 down

huh1678
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:33:41 PM
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Casuals don't care about reviews for games. They just care that its easy and fun to play.

2 up, 0 down

BIGRED15
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:47:36 PM
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The cause and effect relationship here is simple:

If a highly anticipated game like modern warfare flops or gets sub par reviews, 3 months after release sales will likely see a steep decline.
Of course if it does well and brings in 8+ reviews which ill say the over/under on metacritic will b an 80+ MW3 will still be selling copies 6mo. After release

Reviews hold as much weight at least for me as they do for movies. I can't afford to invest 60$ on sub par games.
even if the avg. Gamer doesn't go to review sites, they are still gonna hear from another gamer about a games quality.

This is why BF3 needs to rake in at least a 90 which is tough to do on metacritic. BF3 can never hope to outdo MW3 in initial sales, but with good reviews it may still have hope to outlast cod in total sales

Last edited by BIGRED15 on 10/6/2011 10:48:37 PM

0 up, 0 down

hadouken
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 10:54:05 PM
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Low scores won't affect cod mw3 especially when another system likes it more.

0 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 11:11:52 PM

What does a particular system liking it more have to do with whether or not reviews may sway potential buyers?

0 up, 0 down

johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:52:03 AM

microsoft bombarding people with ads concerning modern warfare 3 and xbox 360 everywhere like they did with previous high profile games will eventually brainwash people into getting it. luckily i dont watch regular tv anymore so i dont have any urge to buy a 360 or any of its games.

1 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 4:07:11 AM

@john ld

good point about ms bombarding everyone with cod ads. it's not just cod either. every multiplat commercial i have seen always has that xbox 360 logo at the end. probably one of smartest tactics ms could use along with the frequency of the ads. it almost gives the impression the game is only for the 360.

1 up, 0 down

johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:34:40 PM

i still remember the black ops best buy ads. completely ignored the fact that its on ps3 as well. i believe it even said that the best game of all time should be played on the best console of all time or something to that effect. i'm sorry but when they say the best online experience with call of duty on xbox 360 then they havent played with other people on xbox live at all.

0 up, 0 down

clockwyzebkny
Thursday, October 06, 2011 @ 11:02:27 PM
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I agree. The game has to be horrid to get bad reviews, and improve/change things up a bit to garner the same type of review scores it's use to. To get great scores it needs to change things dramatically.
The series will eventually lose some of its steam eventually. I believe a bad entry or two and competing games such as Battlefield 3 will steal some of its thunder.
As for this year, I have both preordered. I'm losing interest in COD but i still enjoy the games. The redundancy is tiring though.

0 up, 0 down

matt99
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:27:16 AM
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I think low review scores would make the difference from MW3 being a high selling game to a record breaking selling game.

0 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:49:51 AM
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i know it's for the sake of the argument but it is tough to imagine it drawing 6's since it seems a lot of reviewers don't give out 6's. oh well, for the sake the argument...no, it probably would not have an impact on sales on mw3. i think most cod buyers would make a leap a faith. they'd pull the trigger and make the purchase anyways. if it were a dissapointing game it will have a bigger impact on the next cod game. i just don't think your average cod player is sitting around reading reviews before making the purchase on this particular game. they'd have to actually get the bad cod game in their hands. then it is possible word of mouth would hurt sales but i doubt it would be the review scores hurting it overall, especially at the start.

3 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 1:12:41 AM
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If the review scores are as low as around 7 or less it has to be a result of the game being that much worse than the former CODs. Then it has to have an effect on the sales at least of the *next* cod after this one. Many million utterly disappointed customers is not an easy task to turn around...

Last edited by Beamboom on 10/7/2011 1:14:19 AM

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johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:58:10 AM

we all know that wont happen. nobody ,other than psx extreme as far as i know, would even try to fault call of duty for being the same. the only way the next call of duty is worse than the previous one is if the game itself is unplayable at launch. which is a step down from the usual call of duty glitchfest. they should take a note from dice. actually do a beta and fix the problems with it. its kinda funny that each game is practically the same but they still have the same problems with every game.

0 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 3:24:40 AM

Funny how people in one discussion are screaming about unwanted changes to a genre or IP, while in another are accusing a title of just being "more of the same".

Why change a concept if what you got is what the world wants and it break every sales record? Why is "more of the same" a bad thing when "the same" means a 80+ rated game?
Of *course* COD will not differ hugely from the earlier games. It will still be COD. They will only try to make it better, not different. If they succeed in that only time will tell. But turning away from what made your product such a huge success in the first place makes no sense. Isn't this the entire problem with the Final Fantasy games?

It's like with a new James Bond movie: The framework is set.

Last edited by Beamboom on 10/7/2011 3:28:01 AM

2 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 4:34:20 AM

I like that idea Beamboom. Maybe it's because RPGs had reached something approaching their perfection, and now the accumulation of influence from other genres is taking away for that purity in the eyes of many, so they want it to return to the way it was.

While FPS games have similarly reached their level of perfection, but they are so frequently attaining that, seemingly easy, target that the boredom with them is increasing, leading for consumers to cry for more bells and whistles and whatnots.

So CoD is like James Bond, but FF is more like... Saw? I say that because anything after the second was nowhere near as good as those first two.

1 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 6:57:05 AM

lol omg - I would assume someone somewhere out there would object to comparing FF with SAW :D Just wonderful.

But has rpgs and fps reached their perfection? I don't think so, just as I don't think we've seen the perfect movie yet or heard the perfect song. Things can always get better, always improve.

I just think it is human nature. We like what is familiar to us, and we want to keep what we love. That's only natural. Plus, the universal truth that "everything was better before".

At some stage in life we more or less stagnate. From that point on we want to keep things the way they are. The same music, books, movies, games, friends, tv shows, opinions... In many (often sad) cases even clothes and hairstyle. Not necessarily all of the above, but we all get there to some extent, sometime. It's inevitable.

And then we will get kids, and we will start complaining about them and their lack of <insert almost anything here>. Just like our parents did before us, and their parents before that again.

... And then we die. That's life for ya! ;)

Last edited by Beamboom on 10/7/2011 7:02:25 AM

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 7:32:48 AM

Objection, I'm expecting crucifixion!

And I didn't necessarily mean perfection, only really what we deem it since the muddying of RPGs has begun and FPS are a pretty bland bunch.

And true that, no matter how badly we choose to rebel against those that came before, we ultimately are only a simulacrum of them. The thought makes me sad...

1 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 7:43:16 AM

lol yeah me too. The only comfort is that it's worse to never stagnate. Those grandmas with trendy clothes behaving like teenagers are definitely worse than grumpy old grandpas.

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johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:36:19 PM

i just find it irritating that most reviewers would bash other games, not just ps3 exclusives, for the exact things that they believe makes call of duty great.

0 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 12:48:21 PM

I guess they didn't consider those other games as a "winning team" then, ergo a change might do them good. Some games should be developed further, others has found their balance.

The exact things that makes cod great from a MP perspective is the intuitive gameplay, large amount of players and the layout of the maps. That's what makes it great - not that the games don't differ much from eachother. They don't need to, cause they are what people want right now.

Last edited by Beamboom on 10/8/2011 1:00:55 PM

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Fox hounder
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 1:18:37 AM
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The only thing that might have an impact on COD's sales is if it had to go toe to toe with something like GTA, or if it lacked online multiplayer (as if that would ever happen).

2 up, 0 down

johnld
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:43:48 AM
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right, aside from psx extreme, i'd be surprised if any other mainstream review sites would give modern warfare 3 the score it deserves. with the advertising blitz highly emphasizing modern warfare 3 and the xbox 360 that i'm expecting microsoft to do and the call of duty zombies word of mouth (false)advertising, review scores wont matter to uninformed gamers. its kinda sad that the term gamers now refer to those facebook type gamers.

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 8:41:48 AM

I expect MW3 to get a high 8. Black ops was 8.8 and MW2 was an 8.9 here.

But the content Ben talks about will be important.

The problem with CoD games, is that it takes 2 weeks or so before you start to REALLY notice the big problems in multiplayer that will inevitably destroy the game. Initially, they always look pretty good.

1 up, 0 down

jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:58:52 AM

Underdog15,

"The problem with CoD games, is that it takes 2 weeks or so before you start to REALLY notice the big problems in multiplayer that will inevitably destroy the game. Initially, they always look pretty good."

That's a /really/ good point. And I feel like an idiot for not seeing it sooner. I'm a COD fan, and have enjoyed the series since 4. I always start out with "OMG this game is amazing, they fixed all the problems from the last one!" then after a couple weeks it's like "EFF this game it has a whole new set of problems!" But then a few weeks later it equalizes (for me) and I get to the point of "Ok this is a solid game, I just wish they'd fix ______ and ______ and etc..."

But I think you hit the nail on the head. I look at it like this: Did I get my $60 worth of entertainment out of each COD? Absolutely. Best game EVAR!? No.

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:04:18 PM

Good point at the end there about value. And thanks for the kind words prior!

I always look at value as dollars spent per hour when it comes to my entertainment. If your cost of entertainment is under $2 per hour, you're doing well.

How many hours have people put into CoD? Some people have an incredible amount. What if you put in, according to their online counter, 4-5 days, which is pretty average to a CoD fan? That's over 100 hours and literally pennies per hour at 60 some odd cents per hour. Good investment if you enjoyed yourself, whether it's a 9+ title or a 7.

It's also why I wait out shorter games to drop in price.

3 up, 0 down

Fane1024
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 2:31:57 AM

I use the same formula, for all media...which is why I don't go to the movies anymore.

0 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 1:03:29 PM

That is a good formula. But not without exceptions. There are some shorter experiences I would not be without and value high, even though they did not last for long.

Like... Uhm... yeah.

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Lawless SXE
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 2:53:40 AM
Reply

I think you're right with the closing comment about minds already being made up. As such, I don't think that a single year would do a whole lot of damage to the sales potential of the brand. Yeah, it might lose a couple of million sales, but the amount of people buying it based on the name and relatively baseline info is mindboggling. However, a drop in quality that extreme would certainly impact it in the second year, though it could also pick itself up, and I believe that people would be less trusting a second time, so would be more likely to look into the critical reception.

This is a blanket statement; this is my mentality for anything that manages to be even half the size of CoD as I sincerely fail to understand why the sales are as huge as they are for a game that, to me, simply is not compelling in any way.

0 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 4:17:27 AM

it's the multiplayer along with the social aspect of cod that is main driving force behind its huge sales. people buy it to play with their friends. i have noticed a lot of peer pressure going on with this title. especially among 360 users. they want to be on live playing cod with their friends. i dare say the 360 would not be as big as it is without cod.

2 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 6:11:02 AM

The multiplayer is what I really don't get. How can people be contented and satisfied by playing that day in, day out. Admittedly, I've only played CoD MP for about three and a half hours, but I was near bored to tears by the end of it... I dunno.

1 up, 0 down

jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:49:06 AM

Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Excelsior1 on this one. Lawless SXE, you have to look at it from the standpoint of an online gamer. I mean World of Warcraft is 100% reliant on their online gamers. If you fail to understand what's so fun about the MP experience in COD, it's understandable that the sales numbers aren't understandable.

I have friends who are not online gamers. When Black Ops came out, I played nothing but the MP for at least 2 weeks before I even started the campaign. A friend asked "How's Black Ops?" and I replied with some stories and information and such about the MP. He asked "Yeah, but how's the single player? That's all I care about." and I told him "Oh dude, if you're considering buying this for the single player only? You might be wasting your money." I'd wager to say that (for most people) you'd have to be a massive FPS fan to enjoy a COD game strictly for it's SP aspect.

So I hope that helps out. There are definitely different types of gamers out there-- The online player, the "single player" player, the "play with my friends" player, and so on. Then you have the ultra geek like myself who plays anything with pixels.

Last edited by jacobRadio on 10/7/2011 9:49:42 AM

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___________
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 4:17:14 AM
Reply

absolutely not!
the game could get the worst reviews since ET, be condemned to a landfill in the middle of the desert, and it would still become the best selling title in the history of the industry!
NOTHING can stop that!
hell look at this years biggest releases.
there are still collectors editions available for it, bar skyrim but thats only because the CEs were in such small numbers.
every other one is still available for purchase.
MW3 hardened edition?
SOLD OUT!
i think that answers the question quite well........
hell, DNF is one of the worst reviewed games this gen!
but did that stop it from selling millions of copies?
yea, exactly!

Last edited by ___________ on 10/7/2011 4:18:12 AM

1 up, 2 down

NoSmokingBandit
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 6:26:28 AM
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I think review scores haven't mattered since COD4, but with BF3 directly targeting COD I expect a few more people to wait to decide which game to buy (if they can only get one, that is).

1 up, 0 down

AshT
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 6:53:48 AM
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I dont think it will matter, even if the scores are in 60-70s, MW3 will sell probably 10M

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Lawless SXE
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 7:18:50 AM

Then that will have had a MASSIVE impact. A conservative sales estimate places it at at least 18 million sales (And yes, I pulled that number from my a*se. Got a problem?).

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AshT
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 8:10:37 AM

@lawless, my bad i mistyped 18 to 10 :)

Last edited by AshT on 10/7/2011 8:10:52 AM

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Ergi
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 7:36:31 AM
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Well if quality doesn't......

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slugga_status
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 8:23:20 AM
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Bad reviews won't hurt MW3 at all. I am one of few who are on the fence about MW3. I'm not buying it to play with my friends this year..I need something new or even fresh. BF3 beta wasn't very impressive so I'll take the wait and see approach personally..

For the mass majority though, there's no doubt they've made their decision to buy MW3. When I went to midnight release for NBA 2k12, people who paying for MW3 in full at the same time. They don't care about reviews nor do they look like people who read game reviews anyway.

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Excelsior1
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:06:09 AM

@slugga

agreed that the bf3 beta was unimpressive. if anything the poor quality of bf3 beta will increase mw3 sales. i'm not so sure that was what ea/dice had in mind. i must ask this question. where is ea's quality control? i mean just playing the beta10 minutes will have you falling through the map frequently. okay, that's a bug and it will be fixed but it's a bug that is pretty damn obvious to anybody who has spent any time with the bf3. where are ea's testers?

the graphics of this hyped up frostbite 2.0 engine are what is the most dissapointing aspect of the bf3 beta. to expect a big improvement in the short time available is asking a lot. it can happen but it is rare. there is crysis 2 ps3 mp demo as an example but the way crytek explained that was demos have to be submitted months in advance. that is not the case for the bf3 beta. i'm trying to be careful about letting the bf3 beta set the tone for what to expect in the final game but i suspect this might be close to what we are going to get. at least on the mp side. if that is the case ea/dice will lose a lot of crediblity.

as for mw3 i find it interesting you said "they don't care about reviews nor do they like people who read game reviews anyway." ha, i get that impression as well. mw3 would be impervious to bad reviews.

1 up, 0 down

slugga_status
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:55:05 AM

@Excelsior

What you described happened to me in my first match. I was attempting to run around a few rocks and then all of the sudden I was stuck within the rocks. Couldn't move at all, had to kill myself just to keep playing. I don't expect a Beta to be flawless by any means, but I don't see how they let this Beta out of Alpha testing.

The graphics in the beta were a little disappointing as well. I've been hearing about frostbite 2.0 for a while and it didn't impress me. Again, I have to remind myself it is a beta and the finished product might be better. Then, I hear people say it won't look great on consoles anyway..I don't think they'll get the backlash like Crytek did b/c they didn't come out and say "It'll have best graphics of any game."

Last edited by slugga_status on 10/7/2011 9:55:42 AM

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jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:30:39 AM
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Here's my two cents.

I think for the most part, COD has a great track record with their fan base. They also LISTEN to their fan base. They make changes all the time from game to game. So I think the expectations bar is set a little higher with each instalment.

That being said, I think the fans can make up their minds (the majority, anyway). But also, keep in mind that most reviewers are gamers too, so their opinion may be shared throughout the gaming community. I don't remember a time where a game got a super low score that I disagreed with. I DO however, remember many games getting high scores that I didn't agree with.

So if MW3 gets poor scores, I don't think it'll effect opening weekend by any means, but perhaps when word spreads through the community for those that usually wait to pick up a game that the game isn't good after all... they might decide not to pick it up. So, sales might be effected for the late comers getting MW3, and for the next COD instalment. (Keep in mind (if I'm not mistaken) MW3 pre-orders have already surpassed that of Black Ops.)

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wackazoa
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 10:21:02 AM
Reply

I have a question about game reviews.....

If you give a bad review will the game companies not let you review games the next year ? I ask this because most review for EA's football games this year where high 8' to mid 9's. The games clear werent on par with past years products and need extensvie patching to be playable for most gamers. I ask this because I dont really understand the review systems as most review scales seem to be 5-10 instead of 1-10.

I have a suspicion that MW3 wont get below a 9 review even if it is bad. I just think most reviewers are afraid they will get backlash from the gaming companies or something.

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jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 10:40:36 AM

I think you're under the assumption that game companies drive reviewers. This isn't an accurate portrayal. That's like saying if Car & Driver doesn't give Car A an award, they won't be allowed to give out awards next year. Reviewers, (although sometimes paid off, I'm sure) generally operate independently of the game manufacturers. It's freedom of press, and you're allowed to write whatever opinion you want, and the game makers can't stop you.

Edit:
Also, it's often the other way around; Game makers try to schmooze over the reviewers by sending them free copies of games, and allowing them to play early, maybe a free t-shirt and hat... things like that.

Hope I helped.

Last edited by jacobRadio on 10/7/2011 10:47:48 AM

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wackazoa
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:07:20 PM

Yeah it helped. So Im guessing then most reviewers just cant help not giving out good reviews. It's funny to read a review of a game where it says something like " Graphics glitches are constant" or "Frequently the computer A.I. forgets where I am" and then give a game a 9.5.........

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jacobRadio
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:52:28 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean. It seems that people are more forgiving of those kinds of glitches if they're just having a good time playing it, yet want the reader to understand that those glitches exist.

That and sometimes people are just bad at reviews. G4's X-Play has a 1-5 rating system and of the games I've played that they review, I'm on the same page as them 90% of the time. They're pretty brutal when they don't like a game.

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Nynja
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 12:47:21 PM
Reply

Yes, but not nearly as much as some other titles might be. Even if the game received a score of 1, the damage would probably only be felt in the hundreds of thousands (100,000s), possibly low millions. To the average title, that is enough kill a series or studio. For a title as large as Call of Duty, that just means Bobby will have to skip dessert at the release party.

Essentially, it wouldn't be a significant enough of a difference to the average consumer. Probably less than 3-4% difference.

What will make the difference? Kids asking mommy and daddy for a different game. Co-workers talking about the next big thing. I'm sure Activision is more concerned about competition than low review scores.

Last edited by Nynja on 10/7/2011 12:50:14 PM

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Darwin1967
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 1:14:48 PM
Reply

The one thing I keep coming across is that people are just getting plain fed up with the Xbox love affair that Activision and M$ share. Even with the 49.99 ELITE, which is a joke, PS3 owners will still get screwed over when it comes to map releases (still coming in late, per the Activision/Prosti-$oft agreement). Even with the game getting an anticipated 9+ score they have some pretty serious PR issues. Many of my core gaming friends have already stated flat out that they are going to BF3 and don't intend on buying MW3 any time soon. Of my COD friends list....out of the 20 (who currently play BLOPS regularly to nightly) only 9 are stating they plan to buy MW3 day one, 3 are on the fence about a potential later purchase and the rest are refusing and instead will be buying BF3. That's a pretty signficant impact in just my group...it will be interesting to see how this plays out in sales.

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Crabba
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 3:55:32 PM
Reply

Didn't COD Black Ops get tons of complaints about how bad & buggy that game was, and somehow it still got great reviews and was one of the best-sellng games ever? That pretty much says it all...

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Gamer Girl Gemo
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 3:58:48 PM
Reply

When it comes to CoD, I've never been completely into it. Yeah, I play my fair share of the SP and have spent quite a good amount of time on their servers, but I've never felt it was a game that really connected to me or even warranted me to become part of its drooling fan base. What's sad is that critics could give MW3 a 1 out of 10, but people would still buy the thing because it's Call of Duty. I don't believe CoD would ever get a 1 because of the fact that A.) there's too many fanboys out there and too many of them are the critics and B.) it's Call of Duty.

What's really sad to think is that this one will sell probably much more than what Black Ops did for the reasons that too many people complained about Treyarch sucking and now that Treyarch didn't handle MW3, they're going to praise it like their new god. The sales will most likely break yet another record in some form or fashion that, really, shouldn't count. Those kinds of numbers should to be seen in quality games. Not that I'm saying MW3 will not be quality, as it will probably retain at least some artistic value and/or decent storyline. But, that's the problem. It's decent value. Whereas titles such as Uncharted 3, inFAMOUS 2, WKC2, and many others receive the smaller numbered sales but their value is ten times the worth of a CoD.

CoD is like an epidemic of the video game world and community. It's like that bug you can't get rid of until you go to the doctor. So, in other words, something will snuff out CoD in the future, whether it may be another game or the players themselves. Whatever the case may be, nothing can necessarily live forever. Point in case being FF. Oh how the high and mighty soon, and eventually, fall.

Last edited by Gamer Girl Gemo on 10/7/2011 4:02:12 PM

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Nas Is Like
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 4:10:51 PM
Reply

I'm predicting a score of 8.5 for Modern Warfare 3.

I still think it will sell well, as Call of Duty has a lot of die-hard fans. But for those newcomers, maybe not. Who knows though, Call of Duty is known to be a very friendly game to new people.

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rainrox
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 9:53:07 PM
Reply

No matter what MW3's score is, its still gonna sell like pancakes. Its mainstream now like Apple products. Most people will buy any product as long as there is an Apple logo on it even though its obviously a rip off.

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Nas Is Like
Friday, October 07, 2011 @ 10:03:35 PM

Apple products are rip-offs now?

Wow, I must not have been living on the right planet.

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Fane1024
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 2:49:10 AM

Apple products can cost twice as much as comparable products, so I'd say "rip-off" is a reasonable opinion.

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___________
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 10:22:10 AM

there not a rip off, there more expensive because there better built!
for example a friend of mine bought a HTC invincible i think it was.
ive had my phone since launch, so thats 16 months.
he bought his late april this year, and already twice its been in for repairs!
once for a faulty leaking battery his battery would not hold a charge for longer then a day.
and another thing a component went faulty causing the phone to refuse to turn on.
my phone has not been in for repairs once!
hell my original iphone is still sitting in my draw, and thats never been taken in for repairs!
a friend of mine has a mac pro, has had it for 4 freaking years and not one thing has gone wrong with it!
ive been through 3 laptops in that time.
my p100 had a faulty charger, went through 3 of them and the last one actually started sparking on me.
my asus M50SA the space, tab, both shift keys came loose.
the screen had bleeding pixels.
the CPU cooked itself.
the mouse buttons cracked and fell off.
my toshiba X500 constantly freezes, constantly overheats and turns itself off.
and again the space bar has gone loose and is about to fall off.
apple devices may be a little more expensive, but there a sh*t load more reliable!
id rather pay 10% more and have a item last me 5+ years, then pay 10% less and have it last me not even 6 months!

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onimushafantasy
Saturday, October 08, 2011 @ 3:36:46 AM
Reply

hello everybody and good morning. my future sister in law has asked me if MW3 will have 2 player split screen co op. ive bin looking but i havent found her an answer and i know that one of ya all knows lol.

thanks

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zard
Monday, October 10, 2011 @ 6:04:23 PM
Reply

I work at a game store. We were greatly impacted by the reviews. we had over 150 of our 300 reserves for mw3 were switched to battlefield. I don't think it will effect the over all sales, it will still sell millions regardless. But as a singular store, it sure effected us.

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