Blades of Fire, the latest recreation from Lords of Shadow and Metroid Dread studio MercurySteam, has “underperformed”.
Saying the information, Digital Bros — which owns 505 Video games, Blades of Fire’s writer — blamed “difficult aggressive dynamics, pushed by an oversupply of new releases and more and more selective shoppers.”
“This confirms the challenges confronted by most trade friends and opponents in attracting shoppers to new titles, significantly when these aren’t backed by a longtime model driving a loyal participant neighborhood,” the corporate stated in a financial statement, warning of an extra decline in its income for the fiscal 12 months.
It is unclear what, if any, impression this will have on MercurySteam or its growth plans. The 23-year-old studio has fairly the portfolio, having beforehand labored on Metroid: Samus Returns, Metroid Dread, and several other Castlevania video games, together with Lords of Shadow, Mirror of Destiny, and Lords of Shadow 2.
As some gamers posit on online game fan discussion board ResetEra, nevertheless, it is potential Epic Recreation Retailer PC-exclusivity might have limited its audience. “Perhaps not placing it solely for EGS may have helped,” wrote one. “I very a lot loved the demo on EGS, however not sufficient to purchase it on EGS, would have purchased it on Steam although.”
“Blades of Fire’s blacksmithing burns vivid, however overly simplistic fight and a mediocre story imply it doesn’t forge a pointy sufficient edge to place its customizable weapons to good use,” we wrote in IGN’s Blades of Fire evaluation, awarding it 5/10.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and advisor with 15+ years expertise working with some of the world’s greatest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.