MS Exec Answer To Question About Rise Of The Tomb Raider, "Done Well."

While Microsoft is not sharing specific sales numbers for Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox One and Xbox 360 release last month, a marketing executive at company has now said the action-adventure game has "done well." The game launched on November 10, the same day as Fallout 4, and a busy time all around for new releases.

In an interview with DualShockers, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg acknowledged that some people might have held off on buying Rise of the Tomb Raider to play Fallout 4--but not in every case.

"It launched in a very crowded window, but it has done well," he said. "A lot of people bought both Fallout 4 and Tomb Raider. At the same time we know a lot of people may have bought Tomb Raider and wait on Fallout or bought Fallout and waited on Tomb Raider."

Back in October, Greenberg said he was confident that Rise of the Tomb Raider could stand against Fallout 4, saying he thought people would buy both.

He went on to say that Rise of the Tomb Raider is expected to "continue to sell through the holidays."

"They didn't buy one of these titles and there's still a lot of great titles, Halo 5, Star Wars Battlefront, Call of Duty, Fallout 4… There are so many great games in such a short window, that we think that people will continue to buy these titles through holiday and into next year."

"The game has definitely been delivering for us" -- Greenberg

Already, though, Microsoft is "really pleased" with how Rise of the Tomb Raider has performed.

"I know even over Black Friday it did very well, we've heard some very nice feedback from some of our top retailers," he said. "So we'll continue to watch how it performs, but the game has definitely been delivering for us."

Greenberg added that Microsoft is not only pleased with Rise of the Tomb Raider's commercial performance, but also the critical response to it.

"I think first you look at reviews that were really really strong… The game is an incredibly high quality game, really fun to play, challenging, I think one of the most beautiful game I've ever seen on the Xbox One," he said. "From that standpoint, it's really clear that [developer Crystal Dynamics] delivered a masterpiece, and so we're just excited to be able to have that title exclusively this holiday, and I think being able to offer that as part of our greatest games lineup is a great thing for our fans."

GameSpot's Rise of the Tomb Raider review scored the game a 9/10. Other reviewers generally enjoyed the game as well.

Greenberg's comments about Rise of the Tomb Raider's sales performance echo what game director Brian Horton said earlier this month after some sales "concerns" were voiced in a forum thread.

"There was suggestion in the thread that the reported sales numbers reflect poorly on the dev team," he said at the time. "Square/Microsoft are happy with Crystal and [co-developer Eidos Montreal] and the game itself. As to the topic of sales, I'm unqualified to discuss it so I won't have anything else to say on this thread."

No official sales numbers for Rise of the Tomb Raider have been announced. The game did not make the top ten chart for US physical game sales for November 2015.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rise-of-the-tomb-raider-has-done-well-microsoft-sa/1100-6433241/#js-message-353405871

How vague can you get. How is you marriage going...Well. Basically someone has one foot out of the door.

That's their attitude towards sales this gen. Vague stuff.

Game's good though.

Excellent game, but sounds more on the negative side for as sales. Sad too.

Game is great, sales doesn't effect how much fun the game is. Gorgeous graphics, action pack, good crafting system. Great game all around.

MS is learning to be modest.....is what it looks to me.. Big chance I'm absolutely wrong.. but I get a feeling that they aren't gonna try and win this gen. Simply giving some good quality exclusives. Now they just need to deliver...PS4 won the sales and specs...but now games games.. and PS4 is pretty ridiculous in that category as well.. especially with the 2016 lineup... MS almost doesn't stand a chance.. in terms of potential good games. Quantum Break is very risky....even with Remedy as dev.

Great game, I'm loving it.

They obviously weren't going to say it sold less than expected and as everyone knows you don't give out exact numbers when it doesn't reflect well on you. Hope it continues to sell and will get a good bump when PC version arrives, I'm going to grab it at least!

Sony looks like a bunch of geniuses by moving Uncharted 4 release day.

Dat denial. The game flopped hard which is a pity.

I hope this stupid business decision doesn't affect future sequels in a negative way.

LOL they can't win this gen, period.

Prove it, where's the sales numbers?

Done Well....

So sad about the sales.........................I mean we all have a stake in them right?

Its fucking Tomb Raider. They will make more regardless.

Between Halo 5 and ROTR, sony fans seemed more concerned about the sales of X1 games than Xbox fans

There isn't much to say publicly. "We done fucked up"? Put on a good face and chug along into 2016.

NPD (North America) had it at 200kish for November including Black Friday sales and not charting into their top 10 software. The European charts were worse for its launch and weeks after.

I see what you did there. Like, if they sold more, then the Lemmings would be showing interest in their games. I lol'd! You've been an enigma to me for a while, but I think I'm starting to get you.

Okay and what's the sales now? How about bundle sales and digital sales, what is the total number of all copies sold? People seem to forget that in 2015 NPD doesn't give you the full picture of sales for games anymore.

Most of those things will be answered probably... Mid January, I believe, when the NPD December chart are announced. The digital sales rate is usually 20-30% of physical copies.

Edit: By all accounts and to be fair, it reviewed as a good game. It's poor sales mainly reflect the lack of aggressive advertising and promotion for specifically RotTR and only being available on one platform.

The sales numbers combined from UK and NPD was 260K. You can find it on GAf if you do a little searching. It's widely known that this game did badly. It couldn't even debut in the top 20 in the US from last month's NPD, that's horrible for a AAA game like this.

Not even thread worthy. Did you want them to say something negative?

They made the exclusivity deal to counter UC4 but they did not expect it to get delayed lol. Also who in their right mind would release a game the same month a big game like Fallout 4 is supposed to release?

Bad decisions all around and a good game suffered for it. I just hope the PS4 owners waiting for the game a full year get something extra in return.

Hahahah so you think Sony purposely moved the release date? Perhaps the game wasn't ready?

Cows will give praise to Sony for anything. Did you praise Sony for dropping the greatest shit in the toilet ever? How about praising one of the execs for the best parking ever.

Greenturd has been so modest lately. I wonder why?

"Microsoft PR and Marketing man Aaron Greenberg". That spin doctor of all PR Greenberg is a leftover from last gen. He also incited flame wars and has said very, very misinforming things last gen and this gen.

I don't believe him. If they weren't pleased, he wouldn't ever tell us regular folk. He's a liar and a spin doctor. He could be telling the truth and M$ could be pleased, but I don't believe anything he says. He cried wolf too many times. At this point, during the holiday window, they need to do and say the right things for the Xbox brand, plain and simple. His statements are calculated...that's his job.

It's not like he's going to come out and say "Buying timed exclusivity 360/Xbone for Rise TR was a huge fuckin' mistake! Whoops!" Nope. His job is to take every good thing and every mistake, and make it all sound positive.

It's strange to see Greenberg still working for Xbox, working with Spencer who has an opposite approach and is someone who I have more respect for.

Crystal Dynamics studio head Darell Gallagher just got FIRED over the bad sales, all pointing towards a fall out over the poorly thought-out exclusivity deal with Microsoft. A man that ran the studio for a decade, fired because of the bone-headed decision to support the gimped XB1. Rest in piece Tomb Raider.

Too True.

Somewhat childish but it made me LOL

Lems hate anytime anyone says anything positive about Sony. Silly jackass lems.

I'm laughing at how you praise Sony for NOT releasing a game thinking it's because of the competitions releases. Did you think that maybe the game wasn't ready? To praise a company as being geniuses in this matter is just lame.

When sales suck, people talk.

MS are such nice guys lol. Really tho, I guess the ball was in Square's court and unfortunately he was on the chopping block.

All because of such poor decision making.

@ReadingRainbow4: At the time, XB1 had a out a 9 million install base. Anyone with two brain cells to rub against each other could have deducted that launching on the same day as Fallout 4 along with the very poor sales of the XB1 would be the end of Tomb Raider.

Mission accomplished, then.

@cainetao11

When TR inevitably sells like gangbusters on the PS4, it will only prove he's right. #Notevenmadbro

Whatever young lady,have fun then.

And you took what he said serious? I'm sure he is joking!

I'd just like to point out that when giving credit for taking the greatest shit ever..

<---- MasterChief Collection went that way.

Aaron Greenberg, what else to expect from him. ROTR bombed badly. CD's CEO, Gallagher left.

Cows never kid when singing songs of praise for Sony.

I don't know why but that did make me laugh.

If I must be honest, sometimes, your posts are spot on and funny, too. I'm glad we're having fun around here for as much as we seemingly rip at each other's throats most of the time.

Is this game as lame as the 2013 tomb raider?

I didn't buy either, though RotTR is the next game I plan to get. Doubt I'll ever buy Fallout 4.

@pdogg93:

It's better, but sale numbers are damn lame.

This.

I guess when you're losing, that's the road you wanna take. The game is gonna sell, though. The other one sold well, and this one will, too.

The timed exclusive deal doesn't really impact much in terms of overall sales for the game. The people on Xbox who want it, will buy it. PC and PS4 gamers will have to wait and will buy it if they like the game as well. If the game has not sold well on XB1 up to this point, it has very little to do with it being a timed exclusive. Competitive release period and lack of interest in the title are the real factors that would affect sales. This game will do well long term just as the 2013 game did.

I just thought it was laughable that he thought people would skip Fallout for Tomb Raider. Come on, guy. Tomb Raider is good, but that release window was so stupid.

So am I. It is a video game forum after all so why not have fun once in a while.