Retail availability increases further

Reorders surpass original sell-in

from GalCiv2 Forums

Today something unprecedented happened -- for us anyway.  Several retail chains re-ordered more units in a single go than their initial order. EB Canada, for instance re-ordered a very large number. Yay Canada!

See, typically what happens at retail is that you get your initial "sell-in".  Re-orders are only designed to bring stocking levels back to that initial sell-in level. So over time, the game fades away. It's very unusual for a game to actually increase its retail stocking after the release.

So now we're in unknown territory.  We no longer have any idea how many units the game will sell.  The first one sold roughly 75,000 units in North America and roughly that many overseas / electronic. We've shipped around 50,000 so far and we're starting to run into a back order so availability is going to get tight in the coming days as we're now rush manufacturing another batch to handle. 

This all happened before the reviews even started to come out. The reviews should certainly help. But it goes to show how powerful word of mouth is.  And if there's other small developers out there, bear in mind, Galactic Civilizations II had only a handful of full time developers and roughly that many artists on it.  If you're at home, open up one of your game manuals and look at the credits to see what's the norm. 

You can be a small development house and still make a game people like. Word of mouth is absolutely crucial. I also am convinced that having the developers themselves interact in the forums directly is important as well. It lets us hear issues people run into.  We've also learned a lot in the process.  I also think that putting out timely regular updates is key as well. In fact, we're planning to put up the final version of 1.0X tonight.  Lots of new video options, AI tweaks, glitch fixes, that nasty hard drive formatting bug if you're using an ATI or nVidia card (just kidding) should help spice things up.

Once 1.0X is out, we'll start talking about what we want to do with 1.1.  We have a lot of ideas ranging from random alien players, being able to create your own custom players, UI support for mods, and of course putting in user requested features, tweaks, etc.  But that'll be in a few weeks.  1.0X will likely be the version where we take a bit of a breather.  People who visit our IRC channel (#galciv on irc.stardock.com) will be able to access our daily internal build if they're feeling particularly masochistic.

So stay tuned, we'll keep you informed on how things are going.  And don't forget, if you see the game at a retail store, take a picture, put it up in this thread, and win a chance to get a free GalCiv II T-shirt.

You'll be able to get updates over in the Downloads area.

26,524 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
and no "taking a breather" doesn't mean hitting the forums 24/7
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
and no "taking a breather" doesn't mean hitting the forums 24/7


I second that, Evil Roy. Take a breather for real, guys. We'll be fine!
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
and no "taking a breather" doesn't mean hitting the forums 24/7


I second that, Evil Roy. Take a breather for real, guys. We'll be fine!
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Congrats guys! I got my copy last Tuesday strictly by luck! EBgames said they would ahve it Wed, but I couldn't wait. I went to 2 walmarts, comp usa, Circuit city, fred meyer, Shopko, and finally Hastings, and only because I was passing it and remembered they ahd PC games.

I look around, nothing, just for grins I asked the clerk if she could check there inventory on the PC and see if they had the game. I told her the name, and she had a funny look on her face. I then noticed right behind her on a stock cart there was 1 copy! I grabbed it, said this was it and busted my a$$ home!

This game is amazing! I ahve informed all my friends and I know a couple will be buying it.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I would like to continue to thank Brad and the whole team for their relentless, unwaivering effort for keeping us informed and listening to people, even the people who are bemoaning what I consider a great game.

The entire team does indeed deserve a respite, and we will look forward to the new ideas you have in the coming months. In the meantime, I must start a new game, as my last one didn't end too well for Humanity...
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So now we're in unknown territory. We no longer have any idea how many units the game will sell. The first one sold roughly 75,000 units in North America and roughly that many overseas / electronic. We've shipped around 50,000 so far and we're starting to run into a back order so availability is going to get tight in the coming days as we're now rush manufacturing another batch to handle.


I think we should start a pool. The person closest to the first year sales gets their name on a star. I'm gonna guess low.

500,000

Good luck.

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Okay so there is a 1.0X download available here. And when I went to download it.. I've got two copies.

One is from the 3rd, and the todays. What's different between them? If Any?
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys stink... my homework is suffering. (Alas, I was away all of the last week on spring break, so you couldn't suck me into the black hole of GalCiv II that week!)
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Okay so there is a 1.0X download available here. And when I went to download it.. I've got two copies.

One is from the 3rd, and the todays. What's different between them? If Any?


There are a few more tweaks. The change log details all the changes.

Tony
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to say that what frogboy said about the interaction of staff on forums has been crucial is 100% correct, that is the soul purpose why i bought this game to be honest. I have never seen game creators interact with their customers as much as stardock does, when buying this game i knew i would get full surport from you guys and also that you guys really care about this game, its your baby. While large game developers just move on to something else and totaly lose all intrest in their previous games (unless it sells well and they will make a sequal) so i do congratulate you all for the great retail sales, and i just hope that you keep the same work ethic as you have now.

Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great job guys and well deserved, you all have done an outstanding job! There's a few game companies that could learn a thing or two from you. Keep up the great work
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hats off to you stardock. you've made a really good game, so many really good games dont have the sales to match it. looks like you're going to break that
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As lots of people have pointed out, the developers' support for this game has been wonderful and could serve as a model for how gamers would like all game designers to interact with them. Bug fixes have been prompt, new game material has been added at an astonishing rate, and responses to questions or complaints on the forums have been almost immediate, not to mention the absence of copy protection software which, at least in my experience, messes up the legitimate purchaser a lot more than it does software pirates. I also love the strategy tips and sample games that Frogboy has posted periodically. Thanks a million, guys. I hope you break all kinds of sales records with Gal Civ 2.
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My guess will be around a million copies sold by the end of the year!!!

Excellent game that has rescued the game community from the...... (moo3, ohhhhhhhhhh I said the cursed word!!!!)
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm one that usually waits on bargain bin prices on sequels of origional games. But, when I saw GalCiv II's design and improved features I broke that rule and preorderd about a month in advance. I just got my copy yesterday from Amazon.com and already spent too many hours just soaking it all in. The ship design feature is fantastic and I like the Ascendency type of planet structure. I loved Ascendency, cept too bad the AI was just crap. Once I've played the game about a week I will goto all my normal player review sites and tell my experiences, whether the game is good or bad and what could be done to improve it. After five years of doing this I have quite a few followers myself, so, I'm pretty sure my word of mouth can help increase your sales as well. (providing I have a good time this next week)

So far so good. Before GC II arrived I had been playing another of my all time favorites "Alpha Centauri". Now, hopefully someday maybe GC III or GC IV you can include invasion tactical combat (optional) and also allow us to "design" our ground units like "Alpha Centauri" does. Once we get a game like that, no other will ever come close to touching it.

Also I just want to add your non-copy protection and no CD required in the drive to play this game is exceptional. I wish every computer game business would pick up on this. People who buy are going to buy anyway, people who steal/pirate are going to do that anyway also. And I have read from some that do download hacks/cracks do it because of the copy protection and the CD required. They actually buy the game, but, just don't like having to have the CD in the drive or run into things like STARFORCE (the virus in a box copy protection program). Kudos and 5 stars for this feature of your games.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Why didn't you just click on the PURCHASE button above instead? You could have saved a lot of time and driving, plus Stardock would have gotten twice as much money as they will thru the retailer. Oh well, tell your friends to do it that way. It works great - you download the game and start playing immediately, and within a week you have the boxed collector's edition in your mailbox (just got mine today, yay).
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Not so fast. Stardock is still an Indie developer and it will be by the end of year if whether the game will sell the desired million(that's too high).
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My guess: 300,000 at end of year, another 150,000 for a total of 450,000 by time GCIII or Society comes out. I'm a bit more cynical about the market. That being said, I think this is the game that puts SD in a position to become something big in terms of games- all that's needed is for the next game to be popular and satisfying.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I also am convinced that having the developers themselves interact in the forums directly is important as well. It lets us hear issues people run into.


Definitely. Stardock is one of the few "friendly" gaming companies left. Most others let their distributors host a forum and without the actual people that created the game talking to us... it's pretty pointless.

Grats, Stardock.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The option to buy the game as a download, is a blessing for those of us that live in more obscure parts of the world. Thanks for the friendly availability policy.

I hope the sales will be great, because this is the last best hope for ( the gaming ) mankind.

Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Does anyone know whether galciv2 is already in stores in the Netherlands?
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Driessen, dat zou me erg verbazen, ik heb me ongans gezocht ten tijde van GalCiv 1, maar die was werkelijk nergens te krijgen - niemand had er zelfs van gehoord - heel misschien over een paar weken / maanden, maar het zou me verbazen. Gewoon via internet bestellen dus.
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Availability in the Netherlands

When you use http://www.elcheapo.nl you will see that BOL and CentralPoint will sell it (not available yet)
If you don't have a Credit card maybe someone else can buy it for you?

Contact me a gabberkooij at gmail.com and we can probably arrange something.

Martijn van der Kooij (Netherlands - Zuid Holland - Bodegraven )