Blame Activision for letting Singularity flop

Add Activison's Singularity to the ever growing list of great games that have been colossal flops this generation. Since the games release on 6/29 the game has only managed to sell around 70k units world wide, and Activision is to blame.

[Servbot]

In such a flooded market, your FPS better be damn special if you want big numbers. I rented Singularity from gamefly and finished it in roughly 8 hours. Honestly, I didn't see anything special about the game what so ever.

[Nike]

People said the same about Wolfenstein when it released last year, but next to Borderlands, I had more fun with that than Killzone 2, Halo 3: ODST or Modern Warfare 2...and it wasn't even half as successful as any single one of them. It just depends on what people are into, and yes, how aggressively the publisher is willing to market it.

Edit@Zeitgeist: ...Which is why I said I had more fun with Wolfenstein than any other FPS last year (except Borderlands, and it's a close contest).

[The_Zeitgeist]

@ Nike

Wolfenstein was a fun game. The online wasn't the best, but the single player was long.

[Conloles]

This was more fun than KZ2

[BeOneWithTheGun]

I thought the concept of Wolf was good but it lacked execution. I did like the "safe zone" you could run around in, in between missions but this is the one and only game that actually made me sick when I ran. That just never happens to me.

[Persistantthug]

It was a C average game...mediocre.
Personally I don't BUY mediocre, I rent and might trade for mediocre on Craigslist.....maybe.

[The_Zeitgeist]

So you are one of those gamers that always goes by reviews?

How did GTA 4 turn out for you? Was it the 10 out of 10 all the reviews said?

[nickjkl]

gta4 was awesome

[Tachyon_Nova]

I just finished GTA IV yesterday, and I've gotta say the game is pretty impressive. People complain about the driving physics, but they aren't bad at all other than the slightly too stiff steering. The only other problem I had with the game was the non existent checkpoint system. Why must you be forced to redo an entire mission, including travel when you fail right at the end.

[peowpeow]

Because you must be punished! Muahahah..hah..ha..go Demon's Souls!

[Kingdom Come]

People just Whine because they didn't get their Jetpacks and Planes, I prefer some realism...

[lh_swe]

GTA IV has THE most realistic driving physics in any open world game imo. What do you mean? What about the text messages where you could restart from a checkpoint within a mission? I sure as s*** didn't have to drive all the way back, I don't know where you got that from?

GTA IV had some issues like the poorly implemented friend system and the dull minigames but the actual story and gameplay was great.

[Persistantthug]

I have yet to see a 90 scoring game on Metacritic that didn't deserve it...that includes GTA4.

Not counting the 2D versions, I was brand new to GTA because I didn't own a PS2 or an XBOX last gen...I had a Dreamcast and played PC MMO's.

GTA4 was the first 3 games I got with my PS3 Jan 2009 and it was worth every bit of the score it got.

I realize there are many people who apparently were disappointed in it, but as a new and fresh pair of eyes, someone who had no expectations, wants or desires for the game or franchise, I can 100% tell you the game is bonafide quality.

As far as AAA scores go (90+), Metacritic has NEVER let me down yet....never.

And furthermore, I challenge anyone to find a 90+ game that doesn't deserve to be in the 90's.

[The_Zeitgeist]

I thought the game was awesome. Nothing ground breaking, but very solid.

[Silentmerc3nary]

Agree. Sleeper. A bit creepy as well. Few parts made me jump, particularly the underwater tunnel.

[Spydiggity]

We already played the better version 3 years ago when it was called Bioshock. why would i buy it again when it's not as fun or interesting?

[NMC2007]

Haven't you been paying attention? It's cool to hate Activision and now they are being blamed for games flopping even though they only shell out money for projects, hell, I am waiting for an article blaming them for Alan Wake flopping and Crackdown 2 being crap.

[Spydiggity]

what is up with the disagrees? i realize most of you have had your expectations so drastically reduced that you think any piece of junk is entertaining, but come on...you can't actually think i'm wrong when i say it's a bioshock knockoff. LOOK AT IT! left hand uses plasmids, right hands shoots and you have to alternate between the two. there are ghostly outlines of ppl showing you things that have already happened. you find tapes that tell you about what happened in the past. ppl will talk to you through the radio and guide you around. you find upgrade stations to upgrade your plasmids. you open doors using your plasmids...remember opening doors with the electricity?

every aspect is bioshock except it doesn't look as good or play as well. use your heads. these aren't minor similarities...they are out n out ripoffs.
ahhh the n4g community...you're the justin beiber fans of the gaming industry. lol.

[BubbleSystemSuck]

there are Reaaaaaally too much FPS.

This is the FPS Gen... and the majority sucks...

Please, we want to see more games like te upcomming Vanquish

[Focker-420]

Isn't Vanquish a third person shooter??

[SuperStrokey1123]

How do you know vanquish will even be good? Is this a case of the blind leading the blind?

[peowpeow]

I am excited for it, but must agree with superstrokey. I should wait until it's out

[Ult iMate]

At least Vanquish can be something different, because japanese developers are making it.

[Johnny Rotten]

If it's such a "steller" game like this article says it is, then why are they wasting my time by reading their blog thoughts and counting how many times they can use the word flop?

How about you write a good write up about how steller this game is, then maybe people will show an interest?

[The_Zeitgeist]

There have been a ton of good reviews for the game. Go look at meta critic. There are a lot of cynical reviewers out there,

[Colonel-Killzone]

Only game I found amazing from Activision so far Transformers War For Cybertron it has surpassed my expectations honestly.

[Sheikh Yerbouti]

Really? Compared to the other Transformer games, it is better? Elucidate please.

[KRONie]

Considering the fact that first transformers game was utter shit; yes, war for cybertron is much much better. I would actually call it a good game.

Basically they ditched the whole movie-based game thing.

[STK026]

I find it funny how the writer blames activision for not marketing the game as well as it could have. Maybe someone should tell that person that publishers do not have an infinite amount of cash to market all their games. Obviously, Call of Duty Black Ops will have a bigger marketing budget, considering it is Activision's biggest franchise. Just like people are expecting Halo:Reach to receive a bigger push by MS than a smaller title like Viva Pinata, or like Sony put much more cash behind the marketing of established franchises like God of War than they put behind side projects like the Eye of judgement.

Furthermore, singularity did receive a marketing push by Activision a few months ago, with a pretty stellar video showcasing the game's unique sides.

[TheWarmth]

If you go on youtube and type in singularity commercial there is not one TV ad. I'd say that is Activision's fault beyond a doubt. I haven't even seen web ads for the game.

[VictoriousOne]

More like "Blame Activion for letting the video-game industry flop"

[Focker-420]

I wasn't ever interested in this game so you can blame whoever you want. It really doesn't matter.

[djsean]

Oh wow, I remember hearing about this game years ago! I heard absolutely *nothing* recently of it, and that's surprising if it just recently released, usually they try to build hype and some sort of acknowledgement that the game exists.

What a shame.

[worm2010]

i blame Activision for all the evils in this world.

[ATi_Elite]

Don't blame Activision? Then who should I blame for making a mediocre carbon copy of Bioshock?

Gamers want innovation, not bad carbon copies.

Go buy Bioshock 1 & 2 instead

[PirateThom]

It is Activision's fault.

They were publishing it, which means I had no interest in it since I wouldn't buy it.

[Spenok]

The games been out for 2 WEEKS! How on earth is this a damned flop. I realize the initial sales arent amazing. But give it some damned time.

[BeOneWithTheGun]

It's a shitfest of a game, that's why. It's a poor man's Bioshock with Ivan. Ridiculous A.I., pointless things to do (the whole tape recorder thing got old after 3 of them) and Raven takes your hand from the get go and babysits you through the whole damn game. The Boss fights are a total joke. The time travel things was NOT what it sounded like and the best thing you could do with it was change boxes and staircases...whoopie.

6 hours tops, doors miraculously close behind you even though there is no one there, shall I go on?

[Kassanova07]

It has become evident that recent Activision published titles have flopped. For that I am glad.

[rumplstilts]

As much as I hate Activision, I think it is a shame that any game where there was a lot of honest effort by hardworking developers to be torn to pieces by reviewers and to have it die in the market.

[Kassanova07]

I agree with you but Activision, particularly Kotik, need to burn.

[ElementX]

Where did the author get his sales numbers? He doesn't specify so I'm calling BS.

[Syaz1]

yeah, blame it on them. the reason cod got popular first is because of gamers, not those pussy casuals who don't dare to spend money on an unproven franchise. they heard from word of mouth, then it got famous. now that kodick screwed with the gamers, no one is willing to give them another cash cow. blur could have easily been a big racing franchise next to need for speed, but no one gave it the opportunity despite the game being awesome. it's not that gamers don't understand that they need to make money, but don't bite the hands that feeds you. we gave a free pass to publishers to milk games like mass effect, assassin's creed and grand theft auto, and why, because they don't fuck with the customers.

[CherryLu-Chan]

I saw an article on here with the Gamespot review, where Kevin VanOrd was genuinely enthusiastic about the game. Despite it's flaws with the odd glitch and not being the most original game on the market, he enthused how much fun it was to play.

It looks like something i'd enjoy the heck out of.

[VladimirK]

I fancy trying this game, but not sure how it'll be.

Pretty surprised though, just checked Amazon, for some reason they are selling it at £50.
(Everywhere else has the normal ~£40).
Really hope that doesn't become standard for games.

[kevnb]

its just more evidence of how console gaming works.

[NobleRed]

The reviews. The game is at 80% @ gamerankings.

So why do you guys expect that a game like this one will be a huge sellar?

And about Wolfenstein. The game would received better reviews if the mp wouldn't be so crappy. The mp was unplayable when the game got released. Horrible lag ect.

[Acquiescence]

Even when the milk goes sour, I blame Activision. You should try it sometime folks, it's very cathartic!

[Darkfiber]

Ooo, another first person shooter...

[palaeomerus]

So what? Does being an FPS somehow make it unworthy of purchase?