DC Universe PS3 outsells PC version

By Fred Dutton Published 24 January, 2011

MMO is SOE's fastest selling game ever.

The PlayStation 3 version of DC Universe Online has outsold its PC counterpart, helping the title become Sony Online Entertainment's fastest selling game ever.

SOE president John Smedley broke the news on his Twitter feed, revealing that PlayStation 3 sales of the game made up 52 per cent of the total, compared to 48 per cent on PC.

Commenting on complaints that the game was out of stock in many stores, another Tweet read, "Working on out-of-stock problems for DCUO. It's our fastest selling game ever. Should have more inventory in Monday."

The superhero MMO debuted at number 10 in the UK charts last week, but was the most downloaded title on Steam.

Eurogamer's John Bedford awarded it a decidedly unheroic 6/10 last week complaining "PC gamers accustomed to feasts of content and polish will likely feel short-changed from their subscription fee once the initial 30 day rush is over. And while it may be the best implementation of a console MMO to date, PS3 owners should still ask for more."

All might not be lost though - Sony announced this morning that it's working on a raft of new features and improvements for the game based on early feedback from players.

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hunam #1 1 year ago

    That's eye-brow raising if he's keeping in mind digital sales. I guess console players were gasping for an mmo all this time.

  • CaptainKid #2 1 year ago

    Didn't even know it was out...

  • SeesThroughAll #3 1 year ago

    DC Universe PS3 outsells PC version

    ...because the PC does have WoW perhaps?

  • s11mmy #4 1 year ago

    I hope this means Sony decide to put more effort into making the game a better experiance for all. I was really impressed with the gameplay and depth of the Beta. But the social aspect and some of the UI choices (and the price!). Have put me off buying this game. If these issues are addressed then i may be tempted to comeback to it.

  • Cosquae #5 1 year ago

    Sales are one thing, attach rates (ie subscriptions carried on past the 30 day period) are going to be an interesting figure to see.

    Given the questionable longevity of current content and console owners being unaccustomed to paying a subscription to play individual games, I do feel this could be rather low. Also, what's the trade in value of a game once the 30 days are up?

  • lockload #6 1 year ago

    Debuting at #10 in the charts and being their best selling game ever suggests low records..

    I bought it on pc but already know i wont be going over the 30 days sub, most people are bored already
    Edited by lockload at 24/01/11 @ 18:06

  • Hunam #7 1 year ago

    I would go over the 30 day free if they fixed it so I can get in alerts faster. Right now I have to wait for ages for one to be set up. Barely worth it to be honest.

  • bobfish09 #8 1 year ago

    @lockload

    Fastest selling, not best selling.

  • davisorle #9 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 15:13:13 09-05-2012

  • Macross #10 1 year ago

    @lockload, speak for yourself mate im still enjoying it!

  • Murton #11 1 year ago

    @lockload - bear in mind that SOE's previous MMOs (not counting free to play) were released before the MMO boom. So yes, the records would be low by today's standards, but that doesn't make it any less of an accomplishment, especially if this is selling faster than its recent free to play MMO, Free Realms.

    I think SOE may have jumped the gun in calling oversell. Depending on their source and the margin of error I would hesitate to judge one version as out selling the other based on a swing of just 2%


    As Cosauae says, sub retention will be the interesting statistic here. Historically SOE MMOs have done very well in this regard and experience subscriber growth even into their second year, but the MMO market has changed significantly since the days of Everquest 2 and Star Wars Galaxies where there were only handful of MMOs, now there's dozens of them and DCO has to compete with them all if it wants to maintain a subscription base.
    Edited by Murton at 24/01/11 @ 18:51

  • Sharzam #12 1 year ago

    Well i think even star trek online was number 1 on steam at some point. As with all MMOs the amount you sell is irrrevant its the amount that subscribe that decides if you live or die Warhammer Online being a prime example.

    I totally expected it to do better on PS3 where is the competition after all, if there is one genre that the PC has plenty of its MMORPG althourgh maybe a bit lacking on Action based MMOs such as DC online they all have stats.

  • GamesConnoisseur #13 1 year ago

    Too early to call it a success, and yes not many competition on PS3, I was bored with thr beta version and not that keen on MMO genre anyway! I m too selfish a gamer and I know it!

    But honestly pleased and applauding Sony for their efforts and embracing MMO on PS3, where it's literally dead in water on X360. No real point in trying to include PC as far more mature and choices so diverse including free to plays.

    We ll see how DC Univerese will turn out and what about when FFXIV comes out on PS3?! Will PS3 gamers subscribes to more than one MMO or competing for same limited MMO audience?

    Not all PS3 owners will commits to long term console MMO, so what the realistic audience size?

    Even on PC with millions more audience, WoW still strangulates the genre and leaves tidbits for others MMO!

  • makeamazing #14 1 year ago

    I might pick it up for a go when it goes a bit cheaper, as i probably couldnt commit too much time in the first month i got it... I think super hero games usually do alright in the MMO market, as others have said in the past, make it part of PSN Plus and give it as a discount or free... i think it it was a plus discount at £5 or £6 a month, they would have alot more people interested in PSN plus and the game.

  • actionfitz #15 1 year ago

    Lower the subscription or gtfo.

  • jackdoe #16 1 year ago

    That is surprising, considering the PS3 version costs $10 more.

    Seriously, it should cost the same on both platforms as this is an MMO with a subscription. You force console users to pay an additional $10 and on top of that, they also have to pay for a subscription?

  • _LarZen_ #17 1 year ago

    Now make Everquest 3 for the PS3 Sony! I would need heavy medication to calm me down if you announce that.

  • fongy #18 1 year ago

    Just finished a session on it now... just beaten Mr Freeze...
    I have to say it's a love / ho-hum affair at the moment...
    Some of the storylines are great (Harley, Freeze, etc.) some are downright boring (all of Circe stuff) and there's a lot of bugs...
    after 30 days? who knows...

  • darkmorgado #19 1 year ago

    Theres already a MMO on consoles. Its called Call of Duty and does everything a MMO does without a subscription.

    You don't have a clue what an MMO is, do you?

  • hiddenranbir #20 1 year ago

    So PS3 got more sales cause PS3 gamers don't have as high standards for MMOs yet? :p

  • Noble6 #21 1 year ago

    SOE's biggest game, seriously ? They're not even a mediocre player in the MMO genre.

  • WiZZyWiGG #22 1 year ago

    I guess PS3 users will finally find out why SOE have such a bad rep with mmo's... its only a matter of time.

  • SeesThroughAll #23 1 year ago

    @davisorle: Same principle. PC gamers have waaaaay better choices available. I quoted WoW due to it being stupidly popular.

  • Murton #24 1 year ago

    Noble6

    showing your age/ignorance with that remark. SOE are arguably the dethroned kings of the MMO genre. Every major MMO since Everquest has been based on the same game mechanics. The whole interface, the inventory system, the economy and the way shops work, the way you move around the world, everything you do in pretty much any MMO, EQ did it the exact same way and did it first, before WoW had even entered production.

    Then of course there's Raph Koster and his work on SWG, the most complex in depth MMO ever. An MMO where the player is in complete control of his character. 250 skill points, spend them on whatever skills you like, no character classes, just skills. Weapons with different damage types that correspond to different resistance levels on an enemy allowing the smart player to pull a new gun and increase his damage output by exploiting a weakness in his enemy's armour. A crafting system that allowed a full player based economy to flourish where any item you want or need, can be found and bought from a player owned vendor or an auction terminal. By comparison, all other MMOs look shallow and "dumb" compared to the complexity that was the original SWG, it was truly years ahead of its time and nobody has ever matched it on innovation and likely never will.


    "Not even mediocre" indeed, they were the best in the industry until they threw it away with changes that nobody asked for in the name of "accessibility"

  • HL706 #25 1 year ago

    @Murton

    Completely agree, SWG had so much potential and if it had been nurtered properly by SOE then WoW might not have become the behemoth it is today.

    Absolutely loved the original SWG and can't bring myself to play another MMO. *Hopefully* Rift will pick up where it left off!

  • Murton #26 1 year ago

    HL706

    I strongly believe that if SOE were to resurrect Koster (last I heard he was in marketing, talk about wasted talent) and made SWG 2 and basically rebuilt the original at Patch 9 (Jedi Revamp) and then make the changes that were due in the much vaunted "Combat Balance" patch before they ditched it in favour of the great dumb down "New Game Experience" or whatever they called Patch 11 and you'd have a WoW killer.

    Imagine a patch 9 (Jedi Revamp) SWG but without 90% comp armour, without ADKs, without speed capped riflemen or melee stacking templates. A properly balanced SWG. *sigh* If only...