Talk about a game surpassing even the expectations of its own developers is a delight, and it’s Runescape: Dragonwilds that’s earned the honour this time around as developer Jagex celebrates over 1.3 million copies sold in early access.
Jagex CEO Job Bellamy has since told The Game Business that the team behind Dragonwilds had initially forecast a modest 200,000 early access copies sold, with the game’s current success being unprecedented. He attributed the surprise jump in sales to an unexpectedly good reception among Eastern audiences to the game’s unique style and tone – a detail the team believed would be better received in Western markets.
He revealed that Chinese markets have been significant contributors to sales in both the early and present stages of early access, proving some “long-held suspicions about culture fit” wrong, and hopefully allowing the team to be more confident in their work as this one continues its journey to a final release build.
The milestone has us wondering at how the time has flown by since its debut, and the fact that it racked up 600,000 sales in its first two weeks. It looks like that launch momentum has evened out into consistent sales for a survival crafting adventure that shows a lot of potential to be an addictive entertainer. Ashenfall’s a nasty place for those who face its many threats unprepared, but it’s also the gathering place for a community that’s grown quite well around the game’s success, and the many additions it has seen.
