I have mentioned before that we don’t often get sales numbers for arcade titles but Raw Thrills has had a few hits over the past year or so that they reveal such information on and this time we have word on Big Buck Safari. According to the press release they have now sold 5000 standard units and 500 deluxe units of the game to various locations. It still has a way to go before catching up with it’s sister game, Big Buck Hunter, which surpassed 10,000 units sold over it’s lifespan of three years.
It would be great to know what the sales numbers are for all of the coin-op games out there, I’m sure that would help any prospective developers know what they’ll be getting into with a particular type of game although that is probably one of the reasons why we don’t see this information made public too often. Keep in mind that while these numbers would look pretty small compared to console sales figures, for the current arcade industry any game passing 5000 units sold is pretty good.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Big Buck Safari Reaches Two Milestones!
CARLSTADT, NJ – September 1, 2009 – Following an incredibly successful three-year run of the of #1 hunting game Big Buck Hunter Pro, which sold over 10,000 units, Betson Enterprises is excited to announce another milestone with “Big Buck Safari”. During the month of August Betson shipped its 5,000th standard 27” unit and its 500th deluxe 42” version of the PlayMechanix/Raw Thrills smash hit. “The demand for the Safari product is a clear indication that there is no slow down in the video hunting category,” stated Bob Boals, Vice President of Betson Enterprises.
Safari has captured the players attention with its’ highly addictive, highly competitive and highly entertaining game play. Operators were quick to recognize and capitalize on the games ability to generate revenue. Safari standard and deluxe continues to sell at a rate similar to that of the Big Buck Hunter Pro. Both Safari models are ready for tournament play through the CoinUp Tournament Network. Operators with DSL/Broadband Internet access just need to call PlayMechanix to receive a “no charge” Tournament Kit to get their machines online and start enjoying higher earnings through tournament play.
The Raw Thrills / Play Mechanix team would like to thank all the operators who have purchased their games and for their support in reaching these two milestones. Betson Enterprises would also like to take this opportunity to thank its distributor network for supporting the Big Buck Pro and Big Buck Safari product lines.
Former Midway game designer Eugene Jarvis founded Raw Thrills Inc. in 2001 to create the next generation of arcade game entertainment. After creating content for IGT, Raw Thrills has gone on to design and release the best selling titles Target: Terror, The Fast and the Furious, The Fast and the Furious Super Bikes and The Fast and the Furious Drift.
About Play Mechanix
George Petro, a former game designer for Midway Games founded Play Mechanix in 1995. In a little over a decade, Play Mechanix has created over 30 titles for the Arcade, Bar and Casino industries including the best-selling video hunting series Big Buck Hunter, Big Buck Safari, and Deal or No Deal. Play Mechanix is currently creating an on-line tournament system for use with Big Buck Hunter Pro and beyond. Play Mechanix recently merged with Raw Thrills. For no charge CoinUp Tournament kits please contact Play Mechanix at 630-942-1070.
About Betson Enterprises
Headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, Betson Enterprises is the leading coin operated distributor of amusement and vending equipment, coin operated parts, and service in the United States. With over 75 years of experience and leadership in the coin-operated industry, we will help you make informed decisions that are best for your business.
Betson offers entertainment and vending solutions for your business through our relationships with the operator community. For locations looking for a simple and profitable solution or vendors looking for equipment that fits any situation, Betson Enterprises can help you. Betson Enterprises has an industry proven reputation for quality and customer focus.
For more information on Safari and other amusement products, please contact us at 800-524-2343 or visit our web site at www.betson.com
Those sales numbers would appear miniscule next to console game sales numbers. BUT….one thing to take into consideration is how expensive cabs are; one brand-new cab could come close to 100-250 new ps3/360 games (In some cases substantually more). IMHO 5,000+ sold is a great number, I hope we we see new IPs emerge in the industry that have the same amount of success.
wonder how many units of H2OVERDRIVE has sold since its release date?