Yesterday, we mentioned how the development team behind the new Xbox Game Pass release of The Lamplighters League were still working hard on patches to improve the experience, but we've now got sadder news to bring your way.
Publisher Paradox Interactive has decided to write-down MSEK 171 of capitalised development cost for the game, with a projected impact of MSEK -248 on profit for the fourth quarter.
If you're confused about what that means, here's a bit of context:
In a statement, Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester admitted the game's commercial performance had been a "big disappointment":
“The Lamplighters League is a fun game with many strengths. Even though we see cautiously positive player numbers in subscription services, the commercial reception has been too weak, which is frankly a big disappointment.
Game projects are by their nature always risky, but at the end of the day we haven’t performed at the level we should. It is painful but makes us more eager to roll up our sleeves and do better."
As mentioned here, The Lamplighters League does at least seem to be benefiting from "cautiously positive player numbers" on Xbox Game Pass, but clearly Paradox was expecting a significantly larger number of sales for this new IP.
It still looks like developer Harebrained Schemes will be polishing the experience over the coming days, weeks and months, but sadly the chances of a sequel appear to be slim-to-none. It's a shame, because we really liked this game!
What do you make of this? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below.
Comments 31
This is why you don't release a game that can't even run well. Too many devs think they can and just patch it later. People are getting sick of it.
Oh, that's not good. Though I have not yet played the game (still busy with Baldur's Gate 3 on my PC), I did at least buy the game, despite it being available to me on the Game Pass. I like to support Devs where I can by buying their games, so it's disappointing to read this...
This is what happens when you release a games that keeps crashing. The reviews are appalling. These are the first thing I look at before I decied to play.
It's sad, but not surprising. It's not a recognizable IP. The genre isn't too mainstream. The developer isn't a household name. The setting is not really popular.
I'm happy the game exists, and I am truly enjoying it. But I'm playing it through Gamepass. Would I have bought it right now? With all the fire games that have recently come out? Probably not.
I was really looking forward to this but, yeah, the buggy release is what killed my interest. So think it’s not the idea or the game itself, just the state it was released in that caused poor sales.
When there’s so many new games, it’s easier to just move on than fight through issues.
Personally, I doubt the sincerity of their statement.
Paradox would like to keep publishing DLC heavy games rather than new IPs or more traditional single player games like Lamplighter's League.
I was rooting for this game but sadly the game needed much more time to be polished. If it had a stable performance I think it'd have been a success for the devs. But the industry is heading in the wrong direction and if it continues like this there'll be lot more layoffs and canceled projects than actual good products.
Hate to say it but what did they expect? This year has been so full of bangers that most people can't keep up. So games that aren't big hitters arent going to be seen. I had never even heard of this game and I'm on my Xbox almost every day.
For a fact, I do not play any games on day 1, never. Just becuase of all the bugs. I'll easy wait for a couple of months.
@Trmn8r this is very true. The past few years they could get away with it a bit more as there wasn't as much coming out and everyone had Covid impacts. But now with so much coming out you need to shine from day 1. If you're subpar you're getting forgotten immediately. It's harsh but really they should be launching a finished product.
Outside of HiFi Rush has there been a game released this year that was actually finished? Honest question.
I still don't trust that any game is ready at launch and it's why I don't even bother playing them until month's after launch when it's actually good to go.
@johnK folks need to stop with the pre orders and make the devs earn that money. Social media is pushing FOMO and it's letting publishers/devs get away with shipping beta builds.
It's a pretty niche genre in an extremely crowded gaming season. Couple that with reviews talking about it being buggy as hell, and I'm not really surprised.
That said, they're writing it off pretty quick. This game has "wait and see" written all over it. If they could get some of the bugs patched up they very well could see a second wind next year after this insane few months are over and people are looking to see what else there is to play.
It's like modern developers don't study game design theory at all. Surely game design 101 is just the Miyamoto quote about delayed games?
@XxEvilAshxX It's a ashame, I liked the look of this game and would have played it eventually. Now i'll never look at it twice.
While this game wasn't for me it is a shame to see it perform so poorly, and not find it's audience. We are seeing this more and more and that is worrying. I don't know if it's just the impact of financial problems round the world, too many games, each game taking longer to play (not least many games that want to be the only game you play) or things like Game Pass, PS+ giving so much choice that things like this get overlooked. I don't honestly know but I hope studios that make games like this stay viable.
@themightyant people are just waiting for games to be on GP/PS. Or waiting for a sale.
I do think outside of hardcore gamers people are becoming more price savvy, especially with cost of living. People aren’t now risking £40-50 on a game they are unsure on.
I have to agree with all… the game should have been delayed until the bugs been patched. Quality will drive people buying your product….
@Fiendish-Beaver I think that's the crux of it. I too fully intend to get to it eventually. But who has time to play these AA releases at launch when they want/need it? There's too much. Stupid to launch a game of this size in the middle of the biggest ever gaming season.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner And people aren't willing to risk £40+ on a game that doesn't run well and required more time before releasing to ensure it actually works.
Even without Subscription services offering hundreds of games that people can play, even if they are 'older', they are at least complete and often run well, if not better on newer hardware so ALWAYS offering 'something' to play, there is always sales on too. No reason to buy a 'new' release when you can buy 2 or 3 older, fixed/patched games for the same cost and know that new game will be on sale in a few months anyway.
Not only do gamers have 'more' options - thanks to Backwards Compatibility offering much cheaper, but still 'great' games and Sub Services adding to their Library, the price of 'new' games has jumped up too. Sony's different pricing for PS4 versions vs PS5 versions was ridiculous as you got exactly the same game - that would be like charging PC gamers on nVidia more because they can offer better RT over AMD...
So not only do you 'higher' prices at a time when Cost of Living is increasing, the 'new' games are rushed out and not 'ready' to play and people have far more 'lower' cost options thanks to sub services and Sales of games from the past 'decade' thanks to BC. Why 'risk' buying new at its most expensive when there are great patched games, some that are improved on newer hardware too available much cheaper. You can buy Game of the Year winners/nominees for less than most new Indies, let alone AA or AAA releases for example, buy Mass Effect Legendary edition for less with 3 'games' for less. Maybe its also better to wait for the prices to crash and/or devs to actually fix their game to be actually 'worth' buying...
People have much more choice - especially if you don't or can't spend much on gaming that you 'never' need to buy at launch again - unless you 'really' feel that Game will be worth paying that much for it. Too many games have released that really shouldn't have in that state and people can only get burned so many times...
The game came out when they planned, and who knows, they may not have had enough funding to hold off, even once the release calendar became clear. I imagine there are factors at play we don't understand or know, rather than a team oblivious to the game climate.
It is a tough situation. I like the game. I have had some performance issues, but not enough to kill the enjoyment. I believe I had performance issues with XCom enemy unknown back in the day.
Also sad that the similar seeming pirate game (cursed crew?) closed shop after launch, although I think that was a decision, not as driven by finances. the last Mario and Rabbids strategy game underperformed too. I like the genre but it seems like a tough space
I'm not sure what they were expecting. They released it not only at a regular busy time but also with giant releases sucking all the oxygen out of the room. — That was foolish
And to make that more damming the game needed more time. They could have delayed it and given it the polish it needed instead of throwing it half drunk and naked against a pack of roided up raptors — that was pants on head stupid.
who else is concerned this game is being roasted by its own publisher a WEEK after release, bad Netflix shows last longer.
It really is a very fun game, coupled with CoTM they really are good alternatives for BG3 and on gamepass, I also would buy any expansions they release as I did with CoTM
I tried it on Gamepass, love turn based games, but this is rough. I had no crashes but performance from the off was rough, pop in everywhere and stuttering. The animations are terrible and combat doesn’t feel fluid at all to me. I was really disappointed.
STOP releasing broken games!!! Players are finally getting wise & just skipping things that are broken. It’s unfortunate but it’s what needs to happen in order for devs to stop this crap.
They should have delayed the game. Never put an indie game where heavy hitter games like starfield, lies of p, Gotham Knight, and forza can easily overshadowed a small game at the same month.
The publishers comments make me less interested than the critics I've heard so far... Doesn't seem like they're even vested in their own game
This is painful. But it happened before with an excellent and well polished game on the same genre: Code Name S.T.E.A.M.
I guess it's really hard to hit the mark on such niche, and the game name is frankly unpronounceable to half of the word.
I can truly see the devs had passion with this project, and I enjoyed the first few missions I played on gamepass. Hopefully, some die hard fans will be made regardless of the commercial failure...
A niche genre, a new IP, in an overcrowded game release with some major release. I am a game pass subscriber and I don't have the time to try it. It doesn't take the Nobel in economy to predict that this game won't do that much profit.
@Krzzystuff The only group that I know of is Nintendo. They at least seem to be able to do it consistently, so it is at least possible
I really like the genre and am very excited to play this game but I'm waiting for the bug fixes.
Most overcrowded release window I can remember in my lifetime, bad luck. I like this genre but won't get around to playing this for a good while.
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