Wargroove might have suffered a slight delay at the end of last year, but it doesn't seem to have impacted the game's sales now that it is finally available. In the same blog post where a representative of Chucklefish spoke about the future of the multi-platform release, it was revealed launch weekend sales had already covered the cost of development:
"First of all, I want to say how humbled and thankful we all are here at Chucklefish for the incredible launch weekend. It’s truly been amazing, we’ve already covered the cost of development and are throwing ourselves into improving the game further."
We're guessing a fair amount of sales have been on the Switch eShop. Given how it's heavily inspired by Advance Wars, the game feels right at home on Nintendo's hybrid system. Of course, it's not limited to this platform and also includes cross-play with users on Xbox One and PC.
Hopefully, we'll get some stats in the future revealing which platform has sold the most copies of the game. For now, though, we're just happy to hear this title has been so well received. Congratulations to the talented team at Chucklefish!
If you would like to find out more about Wargroove, be sure to read our review and check out our recent feature.
Have you downloaded this game from the Switch eShop yet? Tell us below.
[source wargroove.com]
Comments 29
It was such a fun strategize game. Definitely gave me that nice retro Fire Emblem Advance Wars feelings.
I expect the Switch version will account for 70%+ of this game's sales. At least.
I noticed last night that it was number 1 in the eshop when I looked. Not number 1 download only, but number 1!
So well earned! I am loving the game myself.
On the topic of the development costs - that its already been covered is more amazing when you consider this game was only 20 dollars!
@Ralizah I actually question that. Just because I have seen a lot of people eager to play with modding on the Steam Workshop. I'd bet more like 45% Switch, 40% Steam, Xbone for the remainder.
@Heavyarms55 I was also glad to see it at no 1 on the Switch eshop.
I'm having a blast though the A.I is really stomping me at ch 3. I'm doing okay in multiplayer though.
Heha, nice. Wargroove is great. Let's wish them good luck. Would love to see extra content come to this game. ^^
@Kainbrightside
Until the studio is bought by a publisher. Though I consider formerly indie studios who self-publish indie devs still.
@Kainbrightside Usually it's a question of funding, as the developer is financed by a publisher + possibly being on the stock market. The indie is just like that: independent. Either doing work for hire for multiple publishers (like Wayforward does with Adventure time and Marvel games) or publishing things themselves or with some help (Wayforward with Shantae or here Chucklefish).
So yeah, if they're not bought and do not become subsidaries of a publisher, they are indies.
But the difference between the two is getting harder to see, as some indies are also technically publishers! Like Chucklefish themselves who publish Stardew Valley. But Stardew is still an indie as the devs do not work for Chucklefish, this was only a partnership between two indies (from what I understand) to get the game out.
Good! Hopefully their continued support and any DLC will be paid for in advance for awhile too.
This game was so highly reviewed by reviewers I usually follow, that I just had to pick it up. Haven't gotten around to playing it yet, but I look forward to it.
Well deserved. Fantastic game.
@Heavyarms55 I'd be surprised if anywhere near 15% of the sales are on Xbox to be honest. Would be very interested to know the exact split between the systems though. Regardless, it's a great game that they clearly put a lot of time and effort into so I'm glad it's doing as well as it is.
@neufel To add to this, digital distribution is further blurring those lines. Because, thanks to digital distribution, it's much cheaper to get your game onto a platform. Digital copies cost you virtually no money to produce, so it's much easier for these indies to self-publish and earn their money back.
Great, it’s certainly caused a big splash.
I wonder if Nintendo will see an Advance Wars as commercially viable now. But half the fun is not having a clue how Nintendo think anyway.
@BenAV Why? There is a decent number of Xbones out there.
Only quibble I have with the game, well two really, is that the story in the campaign is about as vanilla as it gets and some of the campaign missions feel cheap in how they approach difficulty as they set you up to approach the objective a certain way then flip the scrip leaving you basically screwed unless you knew what was coming next.
Still a great game though.
@Zimon the one thing that puts me off these games is that sometimes there is only one sequence of moves that works to defeat a map.
I remember in Advance Wars Dual Strike there was a level that no matter what you did the enemy would move in the exact same way. This led to countless trial and errors and ended up feeling more like a puzzle game than a strategy game.
Hope this isn't the case here.
@Kainbrightside
'Indie' simply means that a developer is free to develop whatever they want without a publisher or investor telling them what to do. It's a developer working on their own game, their own IP instead of commissional work. However an indie dev can very well be supported by a publisher. For example Chucklefish themselves, Devolver Digital, Team17 or Thunderful Games (a publishing label founded by Image & Form and Zoink Games to support indies).
In some cases Grasshopper Manufacture is indie as well. They are owned by Marvelous but Travis Strikes Again was purely developed by Suda and his team without Marvelous. I don't even think Marvelous did anything to promote the game. Grasshopper also self-published the game – except for the retail version which was provided by Nintendo.
The term 'indie' has nothing to do with the company's size, income, overall financial situation, knowhow, quality and so on.
@Heavyarms55 Yeah but it doesn't seem like the market that Wargroove will be particularly popular with. I'd guess that most of the Xbox exclusive players wouldn't even notice it exists and most of the multiplatform players would choose to play it elsewhere. Maybe I'm wrong, it's all just speculation.
Good for them
Good news. Probably get Wargroove 2 on Switch 2 now.
@Scottwood101 I know what you mean. The campaign so far has run on a formula of introducing one or two new units per map and that IS usually the key to victory. It's a tutorial but only the first four maps have been hand-holdy. After that you have free hands but it's strongly hinted at that you should use the new unit you just "unlocked". I think Adwance Wars 2 and later did that too.
That being said, if I wasn't an Advance Wars veteran I probably would have been beaten a lot earlier. The A.I is very good at unit weakness and placement. In close quarters I almost always loose.
Where the A.I. usually fails is that it would rather attack with it's commander rather than retreating. Which opens up for a severe counterattack if you time some ranged units correctly. That doesn't help me right now though since I'm stock on either a survival mission or an escort mission. I can't cheese that with commander K.O.
All in all it's a tough game and I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's the best AW game we've got in 13 years!
Well deserved! They really put a great effort in with this game.
@Zimon
Yeah, if I lose on a map I usually win the next time by having a lot of units in the same place their commander came at me last time and I just ambush them.
Of course if it didn't do this some of these battles would take forever and I'd probably still lose.
While not my style of game, I’m glad to see it was successful.
I'm very happy to see Nintendo open up the floor for independant developers to pick up the mantle on genres like this one, and modernize it with their own twists.
Had the eShop on Switch been full of GBA and DS games, it would be no fun to compete against those titles, and we'd be having the whole "paying for ROMs" and "This ought to cost less because its old" discussion again.
As it is now, we get more new games on all fronts.
That some ports from PC, Wii U, and mobile are in the mix as well shouldn't be an issue.
@Kainbrightside
When they start making non-retro pixelated games.
…
I jest. Kind of.
(Chucklefish rocks, btw. Love their stuff.)
Now we need Star Bound from them...
I'm on a strategy kick lately and excited to try this, currently playing Valkyria Chronicles 1 and Banner Saga. I will probably get this after I finish those.
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