So did the developers made a profit out of the PC game?

[Satangel]

How does the PC version compare to the console versions? I suppose they have made profit of the PC version but I would really like to know how much. These guys deserve it.

[MichikoUnknownFox]

I dunno the numbers, but I'd imagine it's significant. Oblivion modding is extremely popular (one of the main reasons to get the game, if you ask me). You can't [legally] mod the console versions.

 

I know some people even bought the Steam GOTY version even if they already had the game on disc from years before.

[Satangel]

I dunno the numbers, but I'd imagine it's significant. Oblivion modding is extremely popular (one of the main reasons to get the game, if you ask me). You can't [legally] mod the console versions.

 

I know some people even bought the Steam GOTY version even if they already had the game on disc from years before.

 

Hopefully someone can say some number. I'm so glad Skyrim is coming out on PC in the exact same form like it did with Oblivion. So so glad.

[Balakirev]

How does the PC version compare to the console versions? I suppose they have made profit of the PC version but I would really like to know how much. These guys deserve it.

 

No company unless it is publicly traded (ie, stock market) or funded through a 501©3 status will post its exact revenues and their sources, but it's known that the entire PC-based Elder Scrolls series has been the foundation of Bethsoft's success. It's other releases have generally done very poorly.

 

The console versions are identical to the PC ones,except that mods have been exclusively for the PC. This means 8000+ Morrowind mods and 6000+ Oblivion mods that add armors, weapons, shops, companions, quest systems, new lands, dungeons, tweak, or even completely change many aspects of the game are only on the PC.

Edited June 11, 2011 by Balakirev

[MichikoUnknownFox]

Haha yeah. Some guy from Japan (I forgot his name) totally bought the game just cuz another guy told him you could do funny mods (like the one that made all the Imperial Legion soldiers dance in unison; may have been Umpa Dance). Last I heard from him, he was having a good laugh from it.

[Telyn]

I have seen an estimate of about 30,000 mods for Oblivion. BOSS is aware of over 11,500 and I still have to report a lot of mods that are not new. The 30,000 mods is probably very low if you counted private and limited release mods. Most of the mods BOSS knows about are English, European, or Russian language. Frankly, there are a lot of rips out there, too.

 

Bethesda has said multiple times that most of their Oblivion customers are console players. If you want to know why the PC side of development is probably only marginally profitable for Bethesda compared to much greater income from console players, you can read this very balanced article from the guy behind Tweak Guides. He also happens to be a trained economist, and his site does not have a financial stake in the issue. He takes both sides to task a bit for exaggerating, and goes out of his way to provide verifiable facts. I personally disagree with some of his conclusions about certain forms of DRM (SecuROM cost Dell some money actually *replacing* my CD/DVD burner because that DRM was incompatible with both software and hardware that was bundled with my old XPS. Dell's conclusion. The tech told me they had had to replace a lot of them.). Perhaps that has been fixed, but I will never knowingly buy anything with that DRM again. I simply had the misfortune to be among what Sony called a "tiny percentage of users." The issue probably would not affect most people, so that's only a minor quibble with what I otherwise consider about the most sensible and balanced coverage of this issue out there.

Tweak Guides PC Game Piracy Examined

[Balakirev]

I have seen an estimate of about 30,000 mods for Oblivion. BOSS is aware of over 11,500 and I still have to report a lot of mods that are not new. The 30,000 mods is probably very low if you counted private and limited release mods.

 

That's including multiple versions of all mods, and in all languages. In English, last version counting as one per mod, only finished mods, 6000+ has been used repeatedly. It's pretty realistic, especially if you consider that the single biggest supplier of Oblivion mods is TES Nexus. (In honesty, I've also heard 8000 from some.)

 

Bethesda has said multiple times that most of their Oblivion customers are console players.

 

Shortly after Oblivion's release, the PC version was responsible for 13% of all WIndows games sold during its first release week, and that's highly unusual. It was a huge seller, and kept being one, just like its predecessor, Morrowind--which at that time still ranked years after its release among the 25 highest selling titles of all time. All the Elder Scrolls games, including the first three on PC, made tons of money for Bethsoft. As Todd Howard once put it to me during the last of the four interviews I did with the ES team while working on their first 4 games--well, he gestured around at the very large, very fancy building they were in, with a huge staff, and an eeenormous central garden atrium, and noted that it was all built by Arena, Daggerfall, and Morrowind.

 

It would be nice to have links to those "multiple times" Bethsoft PR spokespersons and lead developers have spoken about whom most of their customerbase for Oblivion is. Thanks.

 

If you want to know why the PC side of development is probably only marginally profitable for Bethesda compared to much greater income from console players,

 

Far from being marginally profitable, the Elder Scrolls series on PC paid for a number of Bethsoft bombs that cost a small fortune and netted next to nothing. Battlespire or Redguard, anyone? Delta V?

 

In other words, between the PC and Xbox, Bethsoft would tell you, "Yes." And utter warm thanks to both. ;)

Edited June 12, 2011 by Balakirev

[Poulscath]

It's likely that the balance between the PC and console versions shifts with time. Initially, the console versions may sell more but, as time passes, the value of the mods on the PC version increases as technology advances and more mods are made.

 

It certainly gives Bethesda a good incentive to support the PC and the modding tools; they get a good early income from the consoles followed by long term income from the PC versions. After all, Morrowind is still selling after 9 years.

[Telyn]

@Balakirev

Well, here it is from Todd Howard.

http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/371656-bethesda-would-like-to-see-mods-happen-for-consoles/

 

I will dig up the other interviews if you still need them. I've never interviewed Todd Howard, so I can't vouch for how reliable he is pre-launch. You are in a better position to know. I am positive he knows the figures, and am not sure why they would lie about it. I believe he is referring to paying customers there, but perhaps I am wrong. If he is referring to players who paid for the game, that's a fairly believable ratio these days. See the Tweak Guides article for a fuller and more nuanced picture.

 

Here is Craig Lafferty mentioning the PC version only once at E3, when he notes that porting to the PC isn't too bad. Presumably the DLCs will be available on PC, but some are also available on Xbox Live for Oblivion already. The DLC commentary is platform neutral as is most of the other commentary. http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/06/08/e3-2011-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-interview-consoles-are-our-lead-skew/

 

It remains to their advantage to support modding and a PC version so long as independent modding of their games cannot be legally done on consoles, even if the PC version only broke even. If I were them, I'd be watching the modding scene closely because it provides incredibly detailed free market research. I suspect they do keep an eye on it. By monitoring the modding scene and mod popularity, they can tell what features people disliked about their games and what they wanted those features to be like instead. Apparently the new archery features in Skyrim were inspired by an Oblivion mod. They can use sites like this one to see what areas of a game people are most interested in overall. Mod sites are also a great place to headhunt. So the PC version is valuable to them still. No doubt they are aware that a flourishing mod community can add longevity to a title as well. Morrowind and Oblivion are both textbook examples.

 

I would not be remotely surprised if someday soon there is a way to monetize independant mods for cross-platform use, at which point Sony and Microsoft would probably be eager to fulfill Bethesda's desire to see mods happen for consoles. Frankly, I'm amazed that there is nothing like Apple's Apps Store already in the works, but admittedly negotiating all the layers of licensing arrangements would be hellish.

 

 

[bben46]

@Balakirev: I think your number for unique mods may be out of date. At TesNexus, as of this morning (June 12, 2011), we have 23,027 Oblivion Mods in our database, and only 2175 for Morrowind. There are probably many mods on other sites that are not uploaded here. But I doubt that there are 8000 for Morrowind, although 30,000 sounds like a reasonable number for Oblivion. :thumbsup:

 

And in case you didn't know, The site started out as a popular source for Morrowind (Morrowind Chronicles, August of 2001) Before the release of Morrowind (March 2002) and long before Oblivion came out.