Capcom plans to "explore" more remakes following Resident Evil 2, we learned last week—assuming the reimagining sells well. I suspect it will, but the developer says a high-scoring game is as important as a high-selling one.
"While we have shareholders to appease, it's not just about commercial performance," Capcom Europe COO Stuart Turner tells gamesindustry.biz. "There is an artistic element that always comes in where we know this is the right way. And while if we compare RE7 to RE6 the absolute numbers are not the same, in terms of the profitability... it's completely fine. It ticked all of our boxes internally. It was really well received.
"And in some respects, getting some very good review scores counts as much for Capcom as a game that sells millions and millions and millions. We'd prefer a game that got a 9 and sold less, than got a 6 but sold more."
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Turner says he's been "a little taken aback" by how well the Resident Evil 2 remake has been received so far. Likewise, EMEA marketing director Antoine Molant bills the reaction so far as "overwhelmingly positive", even though this version of RE2 ditches the original's fixed camera angles and traditional (read: tank) controls.
GI.biz reports that while Resident Evil 7 was considered a vast improvement over its main series forerunner, the latter has accrued 7.1 millions sales against the former's current 5.1 million unit haul.
Molant adds: "We are less focused on Day One sales these days, too. We are looking much more at the long-term. And in that case RE7 is performing amazingly. Even now, after almost two years, it's still the VR flagship title. That helps keep the game selling well."
Read gamesindustry.biz's interview with Molant and Turner here.