Age of Conan, new sensation MMORPG has been out and live for a little more than three weeks now, and it is already setting it's sights on being one of the best selling PC games of all time. For those of you not on the success wagon yet, take a look at the following stats, showing just how this new game is fairing:
Source.Funcom is proud to announce that Age of Conan rises to number 1 on the [US] PC charts, and the game even competes very well on the all-format lists. The normal edition is now sold out in many outlets due to the initial success of the game, and Funcom aims to resupply new boxes as fast as possible. With more than half a million customers, Age of Conan is already one of the biggest ever western MMO games, and this happens just a week after launch.
In Germany, Age of Conan is #1 on all-format and PC, while the console-orientated UK market has Conan as #2 on the all-format charts, only beaten by the GTA 4 juggernaut. The game is the biggest launch for a PC title this year in the UK with a firm # 1 placement on the PC charts, and the game had the biggest ever MMO launch - outside of the World of Warcraft franchise. In Sweden and Norway, Age of Conan storms in as #1 on both PC and all-formats, while contributing to making it the biggest week for PC games in 2008. In Spain and Italy, Age of Conan reigns the PC chart, while the Australians sends the game to #1 on PC and #2 on all-formats. That Age of Conan had a chance of conquering PC charts were known, that it competes in the all-format charts come as a pleasant surprise.
In an article published to the Funcom website on May 26th this year, Funcom proudly boasts that "More than 400.000 gamers have entered Hyboria over the last few days, with almost half coming from the North American market. This amazing figure for a PC game shows that the positive pre-order trend has transferred into actual sales, and people from all over the world are now flocking to the most savage, sexy and brutal MMO ever created.(source)" Funcom's Age of Conan websites have also reportedly picked up over 2.2 million UNIQUE visitors in the last few days, have completely sold out of collector's editions, and have now shipped over 1 million units worldwide. With activity like this, I would not hesitate to say the game could be giving World of Warcraft a run for it's money later this year.
But don't just take Funcom's word for it; fans, followers, and critics alike are actively singing Conan's praises:
As a result of the great launch, players and press have been raving about the unique qualities of the game, and the first 20 reviews give Age of Conan an average score above 90%. The first US reviews are also live, with Gamezone.com giving the game an Editor's Choice Award, a 9.4 of 10 score, while heralding Age of Conan as a 'Benchmark MMO'. Sci-Fi.com was also an early mover and gave the game a straight A, stating that 'If Robert E. Howard had been a game designer..., this is the Conan he would have invented.'source.
as for this GameGirl, I've had the game since May 24th and I already have just under 100 hours logged away on it. I've tried a few of the classes, been exploring, reading through the rich lore the game offers and I am thoroughly enjoying my time in the World of Hyboria. To date, AoC is the 11th MMORPG I've played, and thus far it's proving to set itself apart from those before it, offering up that certain je ne sais que I have yet to find in any other MMORPG title. In my book, I give this one a solid 10 out of 10 and not lonely see myself playing this for some time to come, but will also recommend it to everyone along the way.
