An offer you can’t refuse
The Washington Postis reporting thatMafia IIIhas shipped 4.5 million copies in its first week on sale. This breaks records set by previous 2K games likeBorderlands,BioShock, andNBA 2K. This also makesMafia IIIthe fastest-selling game in 2K’s history, a feat which is mighty impressive considering the lackluster review scores.
I’m not sure I understand howMafia IIIis its best-selling title, considering 2K is a subsidiary of Take-Two, which owns Rockstar Games, andGrand Theft Auto Vsold around $800 million worth of stock in a day, but this does represent something positive for game developers; don’t always go the safe route.Mafia IIImay not be a good game, but it certainly gets props for trying something new (with regards to story).
We’ve long heard about how publishers areafraidof putting women on the box art or that putting anyone that isn’t Caucasian in the lead role will result in less sales, butMafia IIIshows that isn’t true. If you take risks, explore real-world subjects, and treat your customers like human beings, you’ll find that they’ll return the favor in kind.
‘Mafia III’ took a risk by choosing a black protagonist, and it has really paid off[Washington Post]
