What is the biggest game release of all time?

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ericengler Posted: 11-03-2009 4:43 PM

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I read somewhere recently that MW2 is expected to be the biggest video game release of all time.  This made me chuckle a little (even though it will be big) but it got me thinking.  I googled a few things but only found lists based on number of units sold.  I am wondering what you think is the biggest video game release of all time based on hype/impact.  I came up with a few although I know i'm missing a ton.  Obviously the original Mario was huge.  Starcraft revolutionized the PC for me as far as gaming.  The national student's GPA dropped .5 after the release of Halo 2 for Xbox.  But I can't really think of a solid winner.  Anyone?

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eaglefan replied on 11-03-2009 5:19 PM

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MW2 is going to be the best this decade!!

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jamotto replied on 11-03-2009 5:21 PM

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Battlecruiser 3000AD wins the hype award.

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Black Fox Zulu replied on 11-03-2009 5:22 PM

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In terms of general hype (or overhype) Halo 2 was definitely up there. In terms of just general hype, I can't think of a bigger game.  MW2 is getting a lot of buzz from the gaming community, but not media wise. (I remember news stories about Halo )

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Mechazawa005 replied on 11-03-2009 5:28 PM

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Considering CoD4 sold somewhere around 14 million copies and Infinity Ward's track record for delivering the goods, very likely MW2 will wind up as one of the top 3 games of the current gen in terms of hype and sales.  While CoD4 didn't do anything truly revolutionary IMO, it was just a solid experience all around and even if MW2 just delivers a "more of the same" kind of experience, I wouldn't be all that disappointed.

As far as other games that have had a ton of hype/impact, here's my top 5 (or 6) in no particular order:

Wii Sports : It practically sold the Wii and demonstrated what could be done with motion control gaming done right.

Halo 3:  Again, not doing anything truly revolutionary (The Forge being an semi-exception to popularize user content in FPS) but a solid FPS experience coveted by the gaming community at large - the hype and expectations were through the roof.

Super Mario Bros 1 & 3:  SMB1 didn't originate platforming gameplay, but alot of people think of it as doing so.  SMB3 shattered the glass ceiling in terms of both the hype surrounding it's release and evolving the formula from SMB1.

Starcraft:  Personally, it's still one of my favorite RTS games.  In Korea, it's a national sport...I rest my case.

GTA: San Andreas:  Take the GTA series at the height of it's popularity, add several new gameplay mechanics, a Boyz n the Hood theme, great voice work, plus real-world controversy to the mix.  Outside of the cynics and people tired of GTA, who didn't want to play this game?

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fatDaddy21 replied on 11-03-2009 5:54 PM

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I don't think MW2 has anywhere near the hype that even Halo 3 had. Sure, I'd agree that MW2 is more anticipated, but I haven't seen much of a media blitz, release parties, etc. wrt MW2.

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ericengler replied on 11-03-2009 5:54 PM

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I forgot about GTA.  That had a huge impact on the industry so the sequels were definitely up there, especially San Andreas (still my favorite GTA).  I would say MW2 has the potential but it's hype is being shadowed by other goliaths like borderlands, beatles rock band, assassins creed II, new ratchet and clank, etc.  By the way, borderlands is so amazing.  I'm definitely pumped about MW2 as MW is one of the only games I play online these days but I don't think it nearly compares to my enthusiasm levels when Halo 2 came out.  Halo 3 sold .1 million copies more but I didn't have a 360 so I didn't pay much attention to the hype. 

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mhatter106 replied on 11-03-2009 6:26 PM

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Gotta go with SMB 3.  The game had an entire box office movie (The Wizard) devoted to its unveiling.  Granted it was a god awful movie which was basically a child version ripoff of Rainman but with video games, but hey it was a movie.

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Mechazawa005 replied on 11-03-2009 7:00 PM

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ericengler:

I would say MW2 has the potential but it's hype is being shadowed by other goliaths like borderlands, beatles rock band, assassins creed II, new ratchet and clank, etc.

I may be over-estimating MW2 appeal to the gaming public, but it seems to stand out as one of the few games that needs next-to-no marketing to sell 10M+ copies. 

ericengler:

Halo 3 sold .1 million copies more but I didn't have a 360 so I didn't pay much attention to the hype.

It might just be me, but it seemed for a while that a a negative comment against Halo 3 would draw out more backlash than insulting a person's religious or political views - in part due to the power of the internet.

Side note: I was also one of the people camped out for the Halo 2 midnight release...

mhatter106:

The game had an entire box office movie (The Wizard) devoted to its unveiling.  Granted it was a god awful movie which was basically a child version ripoff of Rainman but with video games, but hey it was a movie

Was it a movie or a 90-minute long hyped buildup to see SMB3?  Whatever it was, it worked.  I was about 11 at the time the movie came out and it made SMB3 look like the best thing ever...ever.

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acsguitar replied on 11-03-2009 7:02 PM

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Halo 3 comes to mind truthfully

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ericengler replied on 11-03-2009 7:14 PM

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That is probably a good call.  I was young at the time and my horrible parents denied be the beauty of video games so I have no expertise on older releases.  I'm sure that some of the earlier stuff was bigger as far as impact on the public/gamers/industry.  Overall mario is probably one of the most recognized game characters ever.  The second that come to mind are the turtles but even Turtles 2 can't compare... they just got big outside the game world with their shows/cartoons.

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Chiefkev90 replied on 11-03-2009 7:33 PM

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Cod 4, Gta 4, halo 2, MW2, GoW2

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DrJ079 replied on 11-03-2009 7:48 PM

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Pac Man for the Atari 2600.   Despite being a disappointing port, it still sold about 7 million copies.   They anticipated sales to be so big that even after selling 7 million they had 5 million copies left over.     Had it not been so disappointing, they probably would have moved them all too.    The song Pac Man Fever was a top 10 hit in 1981, and it was horrible.

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mhatter106 replied on 11-03-2009 9:09 PM

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Mechazawa005:

mhatter106:

The game had an entire box office movie (The Wizard) devoted to its unveiling.  Granted it was a god awful movie which was basically a child version ripoff of Rainman but with video games, but hey it was a movie

Was it a movie or a 90-minute long hyped buildup to see SMB3?  Whatever it was, it worked.  I was about 11 at the time the movie came out and it made SMB3 look like the best thing ever...ever.

SMB3 was/is a damn good game. The wizard though, I remember likign that movie when I was a kid becaus eof SMB3 and the video games etc.  Then it came on HBO a couple months ago and I DVR'd it.  Another childhood memory destroyed by watching something again as an adult.  It was just a painfully bad movie.

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Solatso replied on 11-03-2009 9:27 PM

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Well it depends on what ya mean by "biggest".

If we're talking Hype than I think I need to give that to Halo 3.  The media coverage alone was just astounding for that game.

It we're talking how much money a game made within say...the first week of release.  I dunno, maybe Halo 3 again?  Not sure about figures but I know that and GTA IV made a TON of cash during release.

If you're talking innovation or "changed gaming forever" aspect of being the biggest release....that's a bit of a hard one.  I think it's really a matter of opinion more than fact at that point.