The Lamplighters League has only been out for overa week, and Paradox Interactivealready considers it a financial loss. On the company’s website, the publisher said it would be writing down the game at248 million Swedish Krona, or $22 million.
In a statement, Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester noted sales forthe new title from Harebrained Schemes “has been too weak, which is frankly a big disappointment.Game projects are by their nature always risky, but at the end of the day we haven’t performed at the level we should.”
Wester noted thatLamplighterswas a “fungame with many strengths,”and that it was doing “positively player numbers”thanks to launching onXbox Game Pass. The strategy game is currently available for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
“It is painful,” concluded Wester, “but makes us more eager to roll up our sleeves and do better.”
For game releases, timing is everything
More than any recent year, 2023 has made it clear that a game’s release date can play a huge hand in its success. Earlier months, such as April and June, had big releases likeDead Island 2andStreet Fighter 6, that sold fairly well despite other equally big titles coming out at the same time, likeLegend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomorDiablo IV.
But the month of October will be particularly eventful. October releases include the recentAssassin’s Creed MirageandDetective Pikachu Returns,along withthis week’sLords of the Fallen.Future releases for the month includeSpider-Man 2, Super Mario Wonder(both on October 20) andAlan Wake II(October 27).
The remainder of 2023 is so heavy with games that Don’t Nod elected to delay its upcoming titleBanishers:Ghosts of New Edenfrom November to February 2024, a considerably “less saturated period” of releases.