Is there a chance great word of mouth can make Viewtiful Joe a big commercial hit?

Do you think an "eccentric" 2d brawler can ever be a huge commercial success in today's market in the US, even one as amazing as Viewtiful Joe? Can this game become a system seller, even though it's not from a genre the mainstream market typically buys systems for (RPG's, first person shooters, or Grand Theft Auto games)? Do you think many people will buy it at all, outside of the hardcore gamers that keep up to date on everything that gets released?

With good marketing, yup.

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Originally Posted by SpoDaddy

Do you think an "eccentric" 2d brawler can ever be a huge commercial success in today's market in the US, even one as amazing as Viewtiful Joe? Can this game become a system seller, even though it's not from a genre the mainstream market typically buys systems for (RPG's, first person shooters, or Grand Theft Auto games)? Do you think many people will buy it at all, outside of the hardcore gamers that keep up to date on everything that gets released?

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Since a ton of magazines have given it extremely good coverage as well as awesome high scores, I believe it has a good chance. The internet gamesites have scored it high, and it's already being about alot on the internet and such.

Also, since I work at Target I see a TON of people playing the demo kiosk, and they usually always play VJ and always look like they are having a ball playing it.

Definitely. With the right advertising and hype, nearly any game can succeed.

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Originally Posted by SpoDaddy

Can this game become a system seller, even though it's not from a genre the mainstream market typically buys systems for (RPG's, first person shooters, or Grand Theft Auto games)?

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Grand Theft Auto wasn't doing anything spectacular on the sales charts until the 3rd game. GTA3 barely got noticed at the E3 it was first shown at.

Viewtiful Joe is a great game, but hypothetically discussing the game's possible break-out popularity is silly. I have fun playing it, I don't care how many other people are doing the same.

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Originally Posted by omfgninjas

Viewtiful Joe is a great game, but hypothetically discussing the game's possible break-out popularity is silly. I have fun playing it, I don't care how many other people are doing the same.

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Unless he was misquoted or something, the director of the game said that US sales would determine if there would be a sequel, so shouldn't you care if other people play in that respect?

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Originally Posted by AstroBlue

With good marketing, yup.

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Then it has failed. That, the Billy Hatcher and FFTA commercials make me very sad. They should just go back to using people in big suits or something.

What exactly would make it a commercial hit?

I mean, numbers wise.

RPGs are a "mainstream" component of the market? Since when?

It's hard to prove a negative so sure the idea could work, but -

If there's anything online petitons prove, it is that a great word of mouth usually means nothing.

Since Final Fantasy 7