Blades of Fire Underperforms, Publisher Cites 'Selective Consumers'

Blades of Fire Fails to Meet Publisher Expectations

The action-adventure game Blades of Fire has significantly underperformed since its launch in May, failing to meet the sales expectations of its publisher, 505 Games. This news comes directly from Digital Bros, the parent company of 505 Games, which published the title. Blades of Fire was released on consoles and exclusively on the Epic Games Store for PC.

Financial Setback for Digital Bros

For Digital Bros, the underwhelming performance of Blades of Fire, coupled with increased write-offs due to ongoing market instability, has resulted in a substantial financial hit. The company anticipates a loss of at least 10 million euros. Digital Bros attributes these challenges to an oversaturated market with a constant stream of new releases, combined with an increasingly discerning consumer base.

The company now expects a further reduction in revenue for the current financial year. The video game market remains highly challenging due to fierce competition. With so many new games launching simultaneously, and players becoming more selective with their purchases, it's increasingly difficult for new projects to gain traction. Predicting initial sales figures for any new title has become nearly impossible. This highlights a broader industry issue: capturing player attention for new franchises, especially those without established names or dedicated fan bases, is a significant hurdle.

Uncertain Future for MercurySteam

It remains unclear what impact Blades of Fire's performance will have on its developer, MercurySteam. The Spanish studio boasts over two decades of experience in the industry and has a notable track record, including critically acclaimed titles such as Metroid: Dread, the horror game Clive Barker’s Jericho, and several entries in the Castlevania series.

Despite its commercial struggles, Blades of Fire received mixed reception. Users on the Epic Games Store platform gave the game a 4.4 out of 5 rating, while gaming publication StopGame.ru awarded it a 'Commendable' score. The game is currently available on PC (Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles.