Tiger Woods 11 Sales Even Worse Than Initially Thought

by pastapadre
Posted July 19th, 2010 at 4:52 pm

Late last week NPD released the official sales numbers for June. Tiger Woods 11 saw a huge drop-off from what Tiger 10 sold in its first month. Given the numbers that were on hand I estimated that it had fallen in the 40-50% range. It turns out that the situation was even more dire than anticipated. Sales actually dropped 68% year-over-year for all formats combined while the Wii version specifically fell an almost unbelievable 86%. It went from 272K to 38K.

The main factor in the plummeting sales was of course the tarnishing of Tiger Woods’ reputation, which especially impacted the Wii version that carries a very heavily slanted family-friendly user base. The Tiger franchise has always sold well on the Wii as the most successful EA Sports game on that console. Last year there was a MotionPlus bundle which inflated sales a bit, but certainly not to the extent that would explain such a tremendous plummet.

Some are pointing to less in the way of marketing as another reason to consider, though that is a direct symptom of the issue EA faced by keeping Tiger on as the face of the game. They could no longer promote him, and in turn the game, in the same manner and to the same extent as they had in the past. Clearly EA Sports has little choice but to make drastic changes now. Whether that means a rebranding of the franchise remains to be seen.

Tags: latest news, sales analysis

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Amen Ra

DAMN!!! All this because the dude got some pussy!!!
Richzilla

I'm sure it's part Tiger fallout but you know it could just be that the game should only come out on an every 2 year cycle……and they should include all the courses instead of charging us 9 bucks each for the add ons….used to be a game built year over year…now they want to just nickle and dime us to freakin' death. I will buy it in a month for like 29 bucks….wont pay 60 bucks for it.
sroeland

If Tiger continues to see his on-course performance decline, this will only get worse. As much as this year's poor sales can be attributed to Tiger's off-course issues, a slumping Tiger only compunds the problem.

I'm thinking there will be no Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12. And if there's a 13, it will have zero to do with Eldrick, unless he starts winning again.

Full disclosure – I purchased Tiger Woods 11 for Wii and really enjoy the game. The quality is there in that version, and reviews are positive for the PS3/360 version of the game as well. I do feel that the DLC microtransactions and TW's image issues are mostly to blame for the decline in sales.
daley7199

Cmon this is a video game played mainly by people in the 20-30 range. I hardly think Tigers reputation influenced this decision one bit. Lets look at the real problem that Plagues Tiger every year. This game changes very little each year and quite frankly this franchise doesn't make a strong enough effort to warrant a yearly upgrade. Sure they throw in a few new courses but that isn't really necessary to pay another 60 bucks to play alot of the same courses again plus when you factor in the 10 bucks a pop on the D/L courses why would you want to upgrade, especially if you paid alot of money in D/L content. I have already dropped near the price of the game in D/L content this year and I can say it will definitely play a factor in me probably not buying next years game. Golf is a fringe sport and its not like the big 4. Its doesn't require a yearly update.

My opinion is that Tiger should put this game on a 2 or 3 year basis and just release a course disc each year or just continure to add d/l courses. There is no need to put this game out every year especially since it doesn't get any better AT ALL!!!.
Maf5110

You're reading into these sales in all the wrong places. People aren't buying the Wii version because you don't need a yearly golf title on your Wii. It's that simple. People playing the Wii version aren't playing to play with the professionals or to play on new courses, their playing to enjoy a game of golf on their Wii. Gaming has changed. The econonmy has changed. There's no need to spend $60 on a new videogame every year especially when their mostly the same. That's what these sales numbers come down to.
bhurst99

Exactly. They're just wasn't enough changes from 10 or for that matter 09 to interest me. They really need to listen to what the gaming community wants.
Roopan111

Let's keep the trend going by not buying madden! I mean I'm going to get it at midnight but I advise you guys not to.
sroeland

No Madden for me this year…I will be playing NCAA Football Online Dynasty to death.
http://twitter.com/jlukes7 jlukes

Honestly – the entire game is stale. Solid gameplay, but the graphics engine is so stale and lifeless. It needs to be overhauled and brought to life. With so little actually “happening” on the screen, it is amazing that player models are still so poor.
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JBreeze

get em tiger *maino voice*
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HustlinOwl

I have not purchased this game since 08 and can tell you it has nothing to do with Tiger's personal matters. Game has hardly changed over the years and it does not warrant a yearly purchase. Not much in gameplay changes and hardly plays true to real golf.
HustlinOwl

Im not buying either after the shit EA pulled with NCAA basketball, Im through with EA
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budsticky

In a way I think Wii Motion Plus is the best friend and worst enemy of the Tiger franchise at the same time. Once you've come out with something that gives you a true one-to-one swing mechanic where do you go from there? So naturally the first year sales were higher as people were excited to not only play with a true swing, but they got the control peripheral bundled with the game to do it (at the same price of a normally priced Wii game without a peripheral). And lets not forget that the Wii Motion Plus was brand new at the time. Tiger 10 and that crappy EA tennis game were the first games to use it so you had the novelty and curiosity factor. How are you going to justify a game at the same price point a year later with no new control scheme? There's nowhere for this franchise to go. IMO they should introduce a fully featured course creator and go the “play-create-share” route that Sony has with Little Big Planet and Modnation Racers. While I'm not sure that will increase sales all that much I think it's better than just adding silly things like mini golf. But EA won't do that because it will take away from their DLC sales.

As for removing Tiger as a sponsor? Well, the only question I have to that is who else are you going to get?
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sroeland

I posted this before on this site…The one thing that is as big as Tiger in golf that could sell the game without him on the cover would be Augusta National. If they could somehow manage to secure the rights to that course, they could put one of the Augusta landmarks on the cover and it would be just as effective as Tiger was.
JC

I cant believe people won't buy a game because of who is on the cover……better not put Mike Vick on the cover of a football game SMH!!!
Zachhanke

Ding Ding Ding

It's always been said, if you don't like it… DONT BUY IT.

Well guess what? The game's gotten stale. The devs rarely take input from the fans of the genre. It is what it is.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ABLC757UG25E6RN7OECFE57JLA Daniel

Lets see now…PGA < Tiger Woods.

I think this is another case where a bi-yearly release makes more sense. [Beyond the fact this makes sense for ALL sports games to begin with...]
http://pastapadre.com/ pastapadre

That wouldn't explain why it was consistently a strong seller every year on the Wii until now. Its not like its a coincidence that all of the sudden everyone dropped it. If it was the case of people getting tired with it, it would slip slowly over the course of a few years, not all at once.
http://pastapadre.com/ pastapadre

That could be the case, especially since they now have the online PC product to sustain over that period of time. But it was a strong consistent seller every year until now.
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GOLF!

Tiger 10 had the motion+ pack in. Add to that no real new features americans care about (ryder cup….no one cares) and the simple fact that ALL wii software has been in a sharp decline since last year and you have your answer.
MoneyMayweather

somehow I wish the drop off in sales and sports games that UFC and tiger woods have been because of the online pass. I know that may not the be the case.
Joshtree14

you would think with so little going on in the game the graphics would be photo realistic.there is not enough imersion in this title. laslty had there been a new system by now ex. xbox 720, the game would have sold up to standards. we have never ever had to wait 5+ years for a new hardware cycle. yearly title after 5+ years on the same hardware def gets stale
Jz

Ill buy Tiger Woods 10 if EA can tell me what secrets Woods paid 700m to hide? Im sure it has something to do with golf like doing horse steroids or something.
philly

I bought the game for my 360 (traded it back in too), and though I'm sure a lot of it has to do with Tiger's tarnished image, I'ma just say it plain and simple; the game lacks innovation. If you popped in a Tiger game from the PS2 days and then played 11, the only difference would be the graphics. The focus mode to me was a huge gimmick, and I've never like the new putting system they put in beginning in 10. It's still a fun game to play with others, but there's nothing very deep for someone who wants to play single-player type modes. Let's not even get started on the commentary… The series itself is stale.
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Amen Ra

He didn't pay 700M. that was an inflated number put out by her lawyers and gay media. The real figure is closer to 100M
Lonnie

i have been buying this game every year but skipped this year..why? it had nothing to do with his off course life..i could care less about that,when i am playing a video game i am not thinking about someones personal life but like others have said,the game is the same year in and year out,they add a few more courses but take away what was in the year before,than ask you to pay for them through DLC…the worse part is in the past i have payed for a few courses of DLC but could not play those courses in my season..if i could use them in my PGA season i may buy the game.if not i will stick to last years game for my golf fix.
Pearljimkusz

Personally the T Woods games have seemed very stale to me over the last few years…It feels like the same game over and over to me. The difference between a game like this and madden (which is often accused of the same thing), is the moving parts in the game and the variety of teams/players. In T Woods sure you can create your own player, however once he is maxed out its not fun to pick up and play against someone who doesn't play that often as you will just blow them out of the water. And if you choose an individual non created player, its basically the same player as was in the previous year(s). Maybe with a simple change of clothes and maybe a slight change in their ratings. Just my opinion.
Tedrick

It has nothing to do with the fact Tiger is on the cover. EA has done nothing to improve this game. It has been the same exact game for as long as I can remember and not worth $60. It doesn't have anything to do with who is on the cover because the game sucks on all platforms other than the wii and I don't have one of those.
http://www.dan-london.com Dan London

How much of the issue is that without Tiger winning, people don't tune in and watch the tour and thus, aren't as into golf in general as they might have been?
Carlostalia44

I don't believe the MAIN reason the sales are doin so bad is because of his reputation..Tiger Woods sees little to no improvement year after year. Its easy For EA and and everyone to pit the blame on Tiger.
topper91

“The main factor in the plummeting sales was of course the tarnishing of Tiger Woods’ reputation…”

Obviously, Pasta has polled everyone who didn't buy the game…. How else would he know the 'main factor' of the sales decline? Unbelievable.
CrimsonVoodoo

Not sure if there's just not alot of math majors out there or some of you are logic challenged – YES, the game is basically the same every year. YES, graphically it has never been a showcase game. YES, the gameplay is getting stale ……… HOWEVER that does not explain the crazy huge drop in sales given the fact that you could have said the same thing about Tiger Woods golf for the past several years and sales have been consistent. Of course it's an image thing – that and he hasn't played nearly as much, and when he does he's been a non-factor. If image didn't matter than video game companies wouldn't pay big bucks to put spokesman on the covers to begin with
daley7199

According to Yahoo Tiger and Kobe are both tied for the MOST POPULAR athlete in the world. Also Tiger, despite losing over 20mil in endorsement deals still ranks the #1 money making athlete in the world with Phil Michelson coming in #2.

So lets get off the Tiger image bandwagon. It has a negligible effect on the sales of TW11. The game is largely unchanged and infact they took out the whole Hank Haney feature and the commentary is just atrocious and the pricing structure for D/L courses is absurd. TW golf needs to take a Hiatus and rethink the strategy. Unless they find a way to radically improve upon this game the chances of this franchise lasting the chopping block are slim. They better find a way to incorporate the Masters into this game. Pay what ever you need to, to secure the license because that is about your last hope in saving this stale franchise.
daley7199

That is the problem. Only us real golf gamers seem to know the real truth. I suspect that even pasta doesn't play tiger with any regularity unless he receives a free copy from EA. Lets view some real world facts.
1) Tiger is tied with Kobe as the most popular athletes in the World.
2) Tiger Woods still ranks #1 in money earned by a professional athlete despite losing over 20mil in endorsements.
3) The PGA Tours TV ratings are substantially higher when Tiger is in the Hunt.
4) If Tiger doesn't start winning soon, his popularity WILL begin to dwindle as he will remove himself from the public conscious.

Cover boys never make or break a game. Tiger is a logical choice when marketing a game that is a fringe sport. Now that the game has prooven to be long in the tooth, it doesn't really matter who is on the cover b/c it will always be the same old game. They need to get back to the drawing board and revamp this game. Perhaps an every other year format would be more fitting with D/L courses in between seasons to hold us over. This game just doesn't need a yearly release, especially when they give us what they have given us.
daley7199

what number was put out by the straight media? Just wondering. Glad to see you have the courage to admit you are keeping up with the “gay” media. Way to come out of the closet on PASTA. I am proud of you RA…………..LOL
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