100,000 sold by second week...

...and It could have been higher

from Sins Forums

2008-02-29_1649Sins of a Solar Empire has sold over 100,000 units in its first 2 weeks since launch!  And as happy as we are about its great sales, the number of sales could have been even higher if we had had the stocking levels of say, a console game. :)

By this weekend, Sins of a Solar Empire should complete its retail availability in North America with Canadian stores picking up the title in considerable quantity (imagine the sales figures if its retail availability had started at this level).  Sales this past week were actually higher than the week before (again, mainly because of increased availability).

The game has hit a perfect storm of good fortune.  First, if we may be so bold, it's a really good game.  Secondly, it merges two popular but underserved PC markets: PC strategy.  Third, it's literally the only major new PC strategy game to come out recently or to be coming out for awhile. And most importantly, the game was designed so that it runs with great graphics quality on most existing PC systems without any upgrades needed.

We're (Ironclad/Stardock) currently doing QA on the Sins 1.03 update which has a significantly enhanced computer AI (it's giving me a challenge at the highest level), computer replacement of dropped players online, and AI surrendering to reduce "mop up".  No ETA on release other than "soon".  Once that's done, we'll have a demo version.

Thanks for all your support! We hope you're having as good a time playing the game as we are providing it!

25,894 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
First, as a Business student, i must say i admire the job you've done with your company. A private business that releases better products then bigger incorporated businesses is always great to see. And i just love to see that the people of Both Stardock and ironclad are pretty active in the forums and wont shy away from questions or comments, that goes a long way for your image.

Second,(you probably saw that one coming), I love your products, specially Sins. oh and i'm about to check out the trial for WindowsBlinds, seems pretty good.
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Well keep up the good work everyone.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
A most excellent post and a well earned one at that. Personally I expect to see Sins in the 250k range by the end of next month on the retail side of things. This is mainly because the print media effect should start to show in addition to the word-of-mouth critical mass effect.

I am curious with regards to digital sales levels if you are willing to share such information. I'm guessing it is around the 50K mark about now.

I look forward to the day when you can make a "500k Units Sold" post.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top


 :CONGRAT:  As a business you took a bold step that looks to be paying off. Here's wishing you all the best in the future!


the Monk
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Well Frogboy I would think you guys would patch black market up real nice in 1.03!

Also with the industry consolidation going on, this game will probably be the only innovative game (not a sequel) out for a while! I think Spore is the only other major release this year that will not be a sequel! WTF!!!!
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
mod tools please!
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
mod tools please!


In due time. If memory serves, they are supposed to focus on the mod side of things after the 1.03 patch is released and the issues with ICO are taken care of. Personally speaking I'm seriously waiting for the high resoultion pack to be released.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
Well Frogboy I would think you guys would patch black market up real nice in 1.03! Also with the industry consolidation going on, this game will probably be the only innovative game (not a sequel) out for a while! I think Spore is the only other major release this year that will not be a sequel! WTF!!!!


Yeah, the only other hotly anticipated 2l8 titles are sequels

especially in the RTS domain, there are two big name games, but they are sequals of sequals of sequals and so forth

CnC3 kane's wrath(expantion lulz)

and Red Alert 3(lol sequel)

Both of them are obviously gonna be grossely unbalanced at launch, as usual.
At least on the bright side(you gotta be positive in life), RA3 will feature the Army of the Rising Sun(Japs FTW) lulz. But, like in every other RTS except sins, its gonna be micromanagement-hell and i will therefore buy it, suck at it, get bored of it for that reason and toss it asside to accumulate dust untill the rare occasion when my strategy addicted friend will ask me to play a round. that's sad lol.
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Sweet, that screenshot looks awesome, I look forward to those options :D how's about telling us what sizes the fleet sizes options mean? >.>
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
Most likely it's either your starting fleet size or the fleet size the AI will use when they decide to attack. which i think would be great it gets tiring chasing down the AI every time I move my fleet on top of theres.

it will be nice with the new speed options really looking forward to it. I hope the new improved AI can actually give me a run for my money sense I really never like playing against other players in RTS's. don't ask why i just don't I'm just not a competitive person with RTS's. I have more fun when the AI can deal out as much as I can.
Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top
CONGRATULATIONS to Stardock and Ironclad!

Greatly enjoying the game. Wasn't even remotely considering buying it, but was blown away by all the positive comments it got on the Quarter To Three forums. So caved in two weeks ago and not regretting it one bit. Great game and indeed sort of Kohan in space that I was hoping for.

Also SoaSE is a very different experience from GalCiv II so they co-exist nicely on my HD now :)

I really enjoy how Stardock treats its customers. No other company makes me feel this good about buying their product...

Can’t wait to see what you guys can do with the turnbased 4X fantasy (not-MOM) setting! Can I already reserve my copy?

Man, I sound like a viral marketing bug now. Ah well, I think they would be less enthusiastic not to give themselves away :D
Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top
gratz devs
and thank you very much for the new screenshot :CONGRAT:
you like to torture us dont you ;p
Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top
Good to hear, this gets my hopes up for decent multiplayer gaming in the near future. 100.000 players, we should have around 10.000 online on ICO but it's still stuck at.. 78 in this very moment. Those numbers are obviously true (or you wouldn't be reporting them), so i'm astonished by the low presence on ICO.
Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top
Don't forget, not everyone is online every minute of every day :D
Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top
Don't forget, not everyone is online every minute of every day


How does that explain 80 out of 100.000 online ? Don't forget, i'm not an idiot. One hundred thousand, compared to 80. 0.08% online right now and 99.92% offline, if this looks regular to you, i can only invite you to check what the ratio normally is, 2 weeks from release. 0.08% of a day is 1 minute/day of online gameplay on average. So if a game lasts 120 minutes, you are saying on average people play one game every 3 months. Interesting theory, forgive me if i don't believe you.
Reply #19 from Sins Forums Top
It gets up to 400, but that's playing not just in lobby.

IT is a bit a low.

Apparently a lot of people don't even understand how to get onto ICO.
About 5 people every day come into IRC asking how. They don't understand the "Add Players" thing where you make a handle to use in ICO then connect after choosing it. They always think you're supposed to add the names of people you want to play with rofl..
Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top
The vast majority of buyers don't play multiplayer.  Multiplayer gets a great deal of attention, but in reality only a small percentage of purchasers actually use it.  Look at Civ IV - great multiplayer implementation and nobody plays it (and they've sold over 4 million copies).
Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top
NEED cannonfodder NEED more people ONLINE come and PLAY us ONLINE COME TO ME/US :d