Cult computer and video games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cult computer and video games are computer and video games that usually garner limited sales, but attract a loyal fanbase and garner critical success.

1 How games achieve cult status
2 Sequels and remakes
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] How games achieve cult status

There are various reasons why a game becomes a cult classic.

[edit] Limited availability

Some cult games have a limited production run due to weak public interest. This may be the result of poor public awareness due to a lack of marketing, or simply a lack of confidence on the part of the publisher. Games like Valkyrie Profile, Psychonauts, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney or Rez are examples of this.

Availability may also be limited because the game is on a platform which is in decline or was never popular to begin with. This is the case with Panzer Dragoon Saga and Border Down released late in the life of the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, respectively.

[edit] Second moment

Rarity alone is not sufficient for cult status. Most cult games achieved notoriety gradually after the initial commercial life of the game. This can happen via grass roots means and word of mouth, but it's often bolstered by critical reputation, or by the release of more successful sequels or later games from the same developer.

Sometimes the companies that own these properties are savvy enough to capitalize on this second moment, and re-release the title. This was the case with Xenogears and Final Fantasy Tactics which both had tremendously successful reprints. These games have been elevated from cult status to sleeper hit status.

[edit] Niche appeal

Some games do not have difficulty finding their audience but merely have a limited audience to begin with. Namco's North American release of Katamari Damacy is a good example of this phenomenon. The game was released at a low price point, but met with positive reviews and stronger than expected sales, without achieving mainstream recognition or success. Niche games tend to become such because they defy convention in gameplay or theme. This will attract those bored with conventions, while alienating those comfortable with convention.

[edit] Notoriously bad games

Of particular interest is the fact that some games are notoriously bad, yet that reputation has earned them more popularity than they would otherwise have attracted, e.g. the Atari 2600 game E.T., or Bad Dudes for the NES.

[edit] Sequels and remakes

Occasionally, sequels are made because the original sold reasonably well. In some cases, the cult status is enough to produce a sequel, such is the case of Shadow of the Colossus (the spiritual successor/prequel to Ico) or We ♥ Katamari (the sequel to Katamari Damacy). Enhanced remakes and handheld ports are also made on the grounds of having a cult status.