Why Sunset Overdrive Failed

[@robokast]

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[@bluemarvel5970]

Comment ads are so lame. Like it's not enough anymore to just put it in the video, you gotta bombard it in your comment section too.

[@lowlytangent1409]

Maybe it's just nostalgia but I remember this game being so much fun

[@1wispyy]

As someone who played it yearsss after release I promise you it’s not

[@lowlytangent1409]

@1wispyy damn that's disappointing to hear

[@TrentSharp-ys4cg]

@@lowlytangent1409I played it 6 months ago. Don’t listen to him. It’s one the greatest and funnest games I’ve played. It’s a game that doesn’t take its self seriously so it’s best to not take the game seriously. Wish they would make a sequel

[@lowlytangent1409]

@@TrentSharp-ys4cg I guess I'll just have to download it and replay it for myself to see how I feel

[@sluice2015]

it was one of the best/most fun games i played on the XOne. my only complaint was the shooting mechanics. i felt it could have been heavily improved.

[@SynthLizard8]

This doesn't really go in to WHY it failed but rather just HOW it failed. It failed because Don Mattrick bombed the Xbox One reveal, no-one really brought the console and released on Steam 4 years afterwards.

[@SleepyMook]

I remember having so much fun in this game when I got my Xbox One. Hands down one of the most underrated games ever imo.

[@lukasier26]

Sunset Overdrive is literally my favourite game of all time. Is is the supreme version of Spider-Man games which are also amazing. Maybe in the future we will finally get a sequel

[@jose131991]

You forgot to mention how Xbox and Microsoft are the main reasons this game failed. Launching exclusively on a platform with already poor sales that nobody wanted, in a genre where said consoles playerbase only likes dudebro shooters and being developed by a studio that people subconsciously associate with Sony and PlayStation for basically there whole existence , then you begin to see the uphill battle this game really had.

[@gabemyers4516]

I didn’t even know it failed

[@epjpeg]

it didn’t

[@kergeiser]

Sunset Overdrive instantly became the most anticipated game for me when i first saw the trailer at e3. It looked very unique and fun at that time, the trailer hooked me to the game. It still is one of favourite games till date.

[@jamesiewalters2360]

Same my dude; send me back!

[@farhadkader]

One of the many reasons why Insomniac partnered with Microsoft was to own the IP. They initially wanted to release it as a Sony PS4 title. but Sony wanted to own the IP - which is why Sunset Overdrive went to Xbox and I strongly believe part of the reason why Sunset Overdrive failed financially had to do with the negative reception the Xbox One had during it’s reveal and lunch.

[@kiaba360-4]

The irony is that the game might've sold better on PS4, and Insomniac would've eventually gained control over the IP because SONY now owns them.

[@ShadowMark3_]

This is ironic given the current status of Insomniac

[@G3HP]

Having played Sunset Overdrive fairly recently, I absolutely agree with the Steam reviews. It's an incredibly fun game, and really was deserving of more. I genuinely believe that if it hadn't released alongside some of the most renowned games of the decade, and hadn't been stuck as a console exclusive, it would've done so much better than it did

[@Larry]

I remember reviewing this game back in the day, and saying I didn't enjoy it. Got a lot of heat for that.

[@robokast]

You ever play Hi Fi Rush? Kind of has a similar feel but better.

[@Chemical_Symphony]

We're all different Larry, we all like different things. Anybody who gets upset because someone else doesn't like what they like should be ignored.

[@chrislair6832]

I love the game but people are lame you can like whatever you want

[@Larry]

@@robokast I've been sitting on that waiting it to come up in a sale. Never seems to annoyingly. But I was really looking forward to it going in, HUGE fan of Jet Set Radio/Future and it felt quite similar from the previews.

[@Larry]

@@Chemical_Symphony I think it was the first bit of criticism I genuinely got on KZbin, so it kinda stuck :P Next game was probably DMC: Devil May Cry. Though hindsight seems to have been in my favour on that.

[@NitroNEXT]

I was in love with Sunset Overdrive right from the 2014 E3 trailer. Asthetically and musically, it was a game that felt like it was made for me. I also loved the rebellious punk style and humourous tone, taking jabs at conventional games of the era. It was a breath of fresh air and I bought the limited edition Xbox One that came with the game. I was honestly really confused by the lukewarm reception it got. Others didn't care about it which was weird, especially since the latter Saints Row games had veered into similar territory with enough success to continue. The whole thing left me kind of jaded with the industry, though admittedly it was typical of a lot of media I like; Either not getting the appreciation it deserves or being cancelled and forgotten by the mainstream. In the end I just look back on it fondly as a time capsule of the early 2010s.

[@Julian_0000]

Sunset Overdrive never had the makings of a varsity athlete

[@cheeseboi588]

Varsity athlete jokes are the lowest form of conversation

[@jonnyalec5646]

(edited)

[@jakelongstaff4102]

nah the game was fire tbh

[@takeshelter5313]

Gabagool

[@kevinescobar370]

@@cheeseboi588my estimation of OC as a commenter just fucking plummeted

[@boebie5052]

It failed? Well damn. Im still waiting for it to be available on PS.

[@bobidybilly]

I got this day one, played it for about 5 hours and haven’t touched it since. Literally a decade ago…

[@jose131991]

Same here but mainly because Xbox wasn’t my main console when I had it and I bounced off to other new games on other platforms I wanted to play and never got back. Need to replay it no that I have a PC. Shame we probably won’t see it on PS anytime soon. Would do good there.

[@anthonyalire186]

I was left soulless after beating the game I had so much fun

[@robsdroid6856]

Sunset overdrive was awesome

[@Maegor_Brightflame]

played it when it was free with games with gold didn't even know it had DLCs fun game but if it wasn't free i wouldn't of gotten it

[@LeonSMeowity]

As a massive Insomniac Games fan who grew up playing Ratchet & Clank and adoring that series on PlayStation, I was always disappointed the game never came out on PlayStation at the time. It always looked exactly like a Ratchet & Clank style game with a more over the top story that tackled criticism of capitalism like the older R&C titles. I didn't play it till years later on PC and this game is truly a hidden gem that I felt always deserved more praise. I kind of see it as almost like a mix of Tony Hawk with the fluid grinding / jumping movement system with R&C. I've never played a game quite like it, and it was such a joy to play through. I really feel like the limiting factor on this games success was just the platform it was limited to at the time. Insomniac built a massive fan base on Sony platforms, so for the most part the people who were most interested in the game weren't gonna pick up a whole other system just to play it

[@jose131991]

Don’t see how video dude missed this unless he just didn’t want to see it. It’s pretty well known Xbox one was a dud early out with significantly lower sales than ps4 already at that point and that the Xbox playerbase only bought into heavy, dudebro shooters. Completely wrong playerbase, completely wrong console.

[@Rabbit-o-witz]

Played the game warlier this year. It was really competent. Gameplay was engaging, fluid, graphics aged pretty well. I dropped the game after a few hours (just not for me) but I can see why some people really like it. Its unique and has a high skill ceiling.

[@xvgm24]

Just played it this year. It was very fun and probably the most hilarious game I've played to date. Legendary game.

[@Tatman2TheResQ]

It was an early exclusive for a failed console and whose developers and fans were already at home with the rival console. This was the only thing that ever made me want to get an XB1. I loved Insomniac and the game looked sick. But there was no way I'd buy the console just for that.

[@soapgaming4903]

The tnteddy is still one of the most fun weapons in any game ever.

[@jamesiewalters2360]

cute AND explody!! Like chocolate and peanut butter!

[@batuchthebruh5165]

I remember watching the trailer for it when I was a wee 12 year old and I absolutely loved it. The problem was that I didn't own a Xbox so I only ever got around to playing it in 2018 when it was ported to PC and I loved it even more than the trailer. The dialogue while funny at times it can be cringey which seems on purpose. It whole heartedly accepts the geek culture while poking fun at it. And the gameplay is unmatched-- in a way it's JetSet Radio but open world and more polished, while shooting is nothing to write home about the movement and abundance of guns make up for it. It also has a surprising amount of customization options which is one of the most important things to me. Weirdly enough though I could never get my friends to play it. I'm guessing it's the comic book and geeky vibe the game has, it's something you either like or hate.

[@5persondude]

Being an Xbox One exclusive and then having a bad PC port several years later was bad enough, but I do think the game itself is really underwhelming. The tone and story is an obnoxious barrage of lame jokes, and the gameplay boils down to just attaching yourself to either grind rails or bounce pads and firing away. On paper the gameplay sounds like it would be a blast; parkour and shooting in a whacky, colorful setting sounds awesome, but in practice all you’re really doing is magnetizing to any area out of most enemies’ reach and holding down the fire button. It’s like taking the movement/positioning out of the equation of a shooter and relegating it to (almost) being an on-rails shooter. Sometimes I just wanted fo drop onto the ground and play it like Ratchet and Clank (because it would honestly be more fun), but you can’t because the game discourages this with the slow walking speed and fast enemies.

[@Trojeans]

I disagree, the game is really fun and the parkour utilising bounces and rails is great

[@LURKTec]

@@Trojeans Nah, the game is a lame ass cringefest

[@MODDED7]

Still sucks to this day we never got a sequel. Sunset was so much fun to play

[@abhi.dx2345]

The audience didn't deserve this game

[@gyurto]

The problem is that you don't create a big title on purpose. It's a organic process and it sometimes takes a lot of time.

[@SneefyQuaffles]

That game failed??

[@Trojeans]

It kinda did, it made the same amount of money as the games budget

[@gamerq1996]

Sunset Overdrive was a game I had in my backlog for a long time, and I literally just played it for the first time 2 months ago, so basically 10 years after it was released 😂 I really loved the humor, and the action was really fun, and it had a lot of unique weapons and outfits. Overall I liked it, however it is a game I probably will not return too or bother to 100%.

[@BonzerMrT]

From a few comments I’ve seen and my own experience, it’s like this game was enough to catch your attention while playing it, but lacked no actual substance to digest later or leave you wanting more. It’s kinda like a one of KD event that you didn’t hate, in fact enjoyed more than you thought you would, but don’t see a reason to see it again

[@gamerq1996]

@BonzerMrT 💯

[@Ndrake89]

Ahhh bioshock infinite and lite hearted fun definitely don't belong in the same sentence. That game has one of the most depressing endings ever. And the story is dark and mature.

[@BonzerMrT]

Yeah I don’t think I would have included that game lol. Everything i remember about it just makes me sad lol

[@Ndrake89]

@BonzerMrT yes exactly. I have not replayed it because it just makes me so depressed. Granted I got super attached to Elizabeth so to see what happens to her in the main game and the DLC is just brutal

[@erykmiszczuk891]

When Sunset Overdrive was released on Xbox, I wasn't interested, mostly because I couldn't justify buying another console just for this one game. But when it came out on Steam, I bought it on the first day. It was so cheap that even I, a poor uni student, could afford it, and I had a PC that could handle the game, so I thought, worst case scenario, I won't finish this game. But it turned out to be so good that I literally put all my other games, Netflix and books to one side and focused solely on Sunset Overdrive. I've always wanted to play Ratchet and Clank games on my PC, and this game made it possible. Another thing I like is Shaun White Skateboarding, older Spiderman games like Web of Shadows. Having an open world similar to mentioned games in R&C was something I'd been hoping for. So mixing an open world with R&C battle-tested mechanics was a dream come true. Honestly, it's one of my favourite games of all time. It's so sad it flopped, same with Netflix Daybreak (I started watching Daybreak because of Sunset Overdrive, and I was hoping that maybe we could get SO2 as a spiritual successor with the Daybreak brand, but Netflix chopped the series). TLDR you can buy Sunset Overdrive on Steam, and during sales it'll cost you about one bag of chips, worth every penny. PS: There is this one game called Akimbot, it not very good in my opinion and you should just buy Sunset Overdrive.

[@PonTran194]

Actually, Sony already brought Sunset Overdrive back to Insomniac Games. But for now, IG is packed with so much on-going projects.

[@SirRickyPlays]

It was such a good game! I wish it had more hype honestly.

[@Nein01]

perfect example of the logic of capitalism: product is delivered. product meets expectations. product is praised. product sold nearly 2 million times. product makes 50 million in revenue, and the company managed to pay all development expenses. product is therefore deemed a "COMPLETE FAILURE". why? because microsoft couldn't put millions more into their own pockets for no reason.

[@Jaskan0]

i enjoyed the gameplay but found it painfully obnoxious in presentation

[@Severity.]

Going back to sunset overdrive after years, the movement felt so much slower than I remembered

[@BonzerMrT]

The movement being “slow” was something that bothered me from the start. I just wanted the character to be a little bit faster while traveling at least on the power lines

[@The_Affable_Grump]

A couple of corrections for you. Drew Murray had previously worked for Insomniac but moved to Microsoft pretty early on, he created Microsoft’s “The Initiative” studio who released the Perfect Dark games. He returned to Insomniac due to Sunset doing so badly. Microsoft has never owned Sunset Overdrive, they merely had publishing rights to the Xbox One release. As you mention, in 2019 Insomniac were acquired by SIE and SIE acquired full ownership of the Sunset Overdrive copyright from Insomniac in 2021. Insomniac can release the original game or sequel on any platform that SIE chooses. The closest there has been to that so far is using Sunset Overdrive skins and items in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Maybe it will happen, maybe not. It’s understandably difficult to know with the numbers that you are aware of.

[@IMeanMachine101]

Keep the vids coming my guy!

[@BonzerMrT]

I remember playing this and thinking it was both cool and completely eh at the same time. Idk if it was the gameplay, story, art style or the overall tone, but it just never completely won me over even after beating it. I remember redownloading it a few months back, played 10 minutes and instantly deleted it. The traversal is pretty cool tho , that’s for sure. Just wish it was slightly faster

[@getuponthemike6341]

This is such a banger game. No idea how this didn't move more consoles

[@yHaNw]

I just perfected the game about 2 months ago. And revisiting it made me realize the game may not be as good as once remembered. The game's story isn't done very well, and while the traversal is great, what you can do at the start of the game is almost the same as what you can do by the end (besides the air dash, and ground smash jump). The game is also really grindy to level up weapons, for a game that has so many weapon, it's a shame that you have to sit there and force yourself to use a weapon you don't like just to max it out. (something i felt since ratchet & clank 3 from insomniac) I think the game is good, but certainly not as well as people remember it. An above average game for sure.

[@mikenice215]

Had no clue it failed but I do remember being the only one around irl to play it. Even more disappointed because it was one of the more enjoyable games I’ve played in a while. One of those you’d beat and instantly play it over again. Unique mechanics that give you nostalgic feels. A game that realizes it’s a game

[@ACLMSC]

The name of the game didn't pull me in and I never looked at it. For some reason I put in the category of a "Jet Set Radio" type game and forgot about it.

[@vicjctanuki7344]

I kinda miss this game and I remember playing for hours. Sadly I had to sell it. The story was ok and the movement system kept me coming back. Shame the multi-player was under cooked.

[@vlanson6529]

I wouldn't consider Sunset overdrive a failed game, seeing as how it's gained a lot of recognition in the years following its release. Infect people have been asking for a sequel, but Microsoft refuses to comment as they do with most of the original IPs.

[@TheMrFancyKiwi]

With Microsoft's current strategy with their games I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they did end up approving a sequel to this game though my guess would be Sony would be the snag in that deal.

[@brandonsmith2798]

I didn't even know this game existed until around 2018. It was fun, and it deserved better!

[@Liamx-00]

Honestly I wish Microsoft would just give up and put this on PlayStation it deserves more love

[@briannorris1548]

Got it a few months ago but it just keeps crashing! Really frustrating because it looks exactly like something if get a kick out of playing

[@daSun3338]

I miss playing this game, around 2020-2021

[@tbonelad5107]

Sunset Overdrive was a prediction of todays day Prime was sold in insane amounts now we have hoards of Skibidi toilets...

[@anthonyalvarez3595]

Sunset overdrive I beat recently on pc. Shit was one of the most fun open world games I've ever played. So slept on. I wish more people played it. It was very good. The traversal was soooo much fun. Kept me hooked from beginning to end. Just getting better and better at the movement kept me playing the game. Along w just the mindless killing bro it was such a good turn on some music, kick back and chill type of game. I wishhhhh this game would get a sequel

[@joshfoustcommunity8928]

I bought this game day one and had the best time of myself, it’s a hidden gem that I discovered in the trailer, and I even heard of the huge budget, and that was enough information to buy this game!

[@Mr.yapper555]

I think why it failed is, it was released in a time when people cared more about realistic graphics

[@huskycruxes7232]

Nothing to do with that. It did terribly because it was a launch title for the worst console launch in modern times. The VCR Xbox one was a complete failure by every conceivable metric.

[@Trojeans]

@@huskycruxes7232it wasn’t a launch title

[@BlahBohogun]

If the release a remastered version for PC, X/S, and PS5 with crossplay I'd bet it'd do pretty good.

[@Golem-Witch-Wizard-Army]

You mentioned resisistance fall of man👍

[@lowkeyirush5521]

I remember stumbling upon this game was bored and looking at the game pass and I never heard of it I took the change gave the game a try and it was an amazing game kept me entertained for a few days I even go back and replay it sometimes

[@colin_in_sick]

It came with my Xbox. I played it, I enjoyed it, and then immediately forgot it. It had great visuals, controls, voiceovers, and sound, but there just wasn't anything there to really draw me into that world or those characters, or leave me wanting more.

[@BonzerMrT]

That’s something I felt. I played the crap out of the game, but once I was done, I never felt compelled to touch it again nor was it interesting enough for me to talk about at school. Especially being the era of it being Xbone vs PS4 at its peak, all my classmates went ps4

[@Thelonewonderer-f2j]

I think what would've helped it is that if it didnt have that borderlands style of humor because everything else is great

[@Gotoxico]

Played the game on PC a year or so ago and it's still a blast. Such an addictive gameplay and a somewhat great story.

[@Epicburst]

Sunset Overdrive didn't die. It was MURDERED

[@lonewonderer7657]

Never really got into these types of cartoonist games but seems like it fits more into today's market

[@grando1]

I vaguelyyy remember this game but i never owned xbox. Honestly if i saw this game being revealed now i would be all over it

[@gregwilliams4926]

Sunset is one of the 6 Xbone exclusive games I recommend. It's so fun and very cheap to get used.

[@sylvisorex]

Absurdly fun game. The humor was mostly just annoying but the gameplay itself was so tight and kinetic and it felt incredible to get good at. Absolute shame it flopped

[@LemonsAndBeans]

I remember having so many other options this game just didn’t make the cut. Crazy.

[@Frogz313]

I was a PS4 owner who bought Xbox one just to play this game and I loved every moment of it and then I sold the Xbox one after lol

[@JusterinoSan]

I absolutely loved the game and it was the reason I even bought an Xbox One. I got the bundle as well. One of the few games I got all trophies in.

[@michalbrzezanski]

I bought Xbox One for this game and i wish we got a sequel, or at least someone made a spirituall one. Cause other than spider-man we're really not getting close to the fun of traversal in open world videogames that sunset had to offer

[@djradish4]

This game was pretty funny and considering Sony owns Insomniac. I'm surprised they didnt make a sequel to it.

[@Swat_Dennis]

It made 560 ish dollars in profit; that shouldn’t be called a failure?

[@diamondplayz2145]

I remember playing Sunset Overdrive.

[@justinthewarrior9165]

Oh man, I remember this game. I had memories with this game A. Lot. In fact, I remember going to my local gamestop and trying to find a game to get, and then I found this game at first I didn't know what it was. Honestly, it looked like a zombie game and I like zombie games. They're one of my favorites. But playing, it was a lot of fun. I remember it was really fun. It kind of felt like a zombie game, but on steroids, but it was really fun. I really did enjoyed it. I remember beating it and it was a lot of fun and I haven't played it years ago.So yeah, ew, this was a game I played

[@richardjc]

You didn't really answer the question of why it failed other than a bunch of popular IPs released around the same time. There has to be more than that. I mean all popular IPs were all new IPs to start.

[@Cyberbrickmaster1986]

Sunset Overdrive deserved better. It was more fun to me than Crackdown, another Microsoft IP that has already received a few games with declining quality.

[@bbumble1762]

feel like exclusively is the biggest thing that drove this game to irrelevance

[@ARIXANDRE]

If they released this on PS5, they would make their money back.

[@g.s.4318]

Don't be too pessimistic! Microsoft has basically given up on making Xbox its own brand and they're putting exclusives on PC and even on PlayStation. Microsoft and Sony could probably work something out and just say "hey, Sunset Overdrive 2. Xbox and PS. Let's go!"

[@heyitsjessek2568]

Idk man I played this in high school and loooooved it. It wasn’t super serious, had some good laugh moments and the customization was cool. Just a fun video game

[@Nowayjose255]

I never heard of it and apparently always glossed right over it in stores.

[@anasbakhit4303]

maybe if the game wasn't an Xbox exclusive and released on the ps4 as well it would have sold a lot better, I mean it might still gonna flop somehow but the ps4 was selling everywhe and the majority of insomniac games followers was at sony's side. some people also said the game actually didn't bring anything new to the table as Saints Row the third and especially Saints Row 4 already played almost like Sunset Overdrive.

[@gejamugamlatsoomanam7716]

Not releasing this on ps4 killed it.

[@AD3SPG]

I suck at this game i couldn't figure how to damage the enemies that easy while sliding, ill just have to check a guide and guve it another try.

[@sebastiannaumanen1819]

I found this game too messy to comprehend and that's why I didn't play it that much. I also don't understand Jet Set Radio Future but fully enjoy Xbox OG title Total Overdose, Mercenaries etc. Maybe if Sunset Overdrive was released in the time of Xbox OG I would played it alot. By the time of Xbox One I was moving more towards PS4.

[@kristfvarg]

I was actually considering buying an Xbox One back in the day, just to play this game.

[@agent7142]

It was an alright game with amazing music but it lacked a good hook to keep me playing.

[@bennyh1597]

I wouldn't mind re-release to give this game new life and get more people in and also xbox one 1 was in a but spot in 2014

[@tankdjsims]

Didnt play it until years later because I was ps fanboy at the time, its not bad at all

[@golfub9537]

Insomniac also developed resistance franchise

[@Aiphares]

i still have a can of the energy drink at home! Loved the game :D

[@daltonburroughs3811]

It was actually good, just no one got it...a big factor was due to the failed Xbox One launch

[@DeadBatteryRed]

This is one of my favorite games of all time.

[@hotelwalenca2557]

I'm playing it on PC now and it's one of the craziest and most fun games I've ever played, an incredible experience, they don't make games like this anymore, it's just crap woke now

[@divineavi6303]

So... Why did it die?

[@gejamugamlatsoomanam7716]

.Microsoft should agree to let sunset overdrive 2 to be released as ps5 exclusive

[@revolution4189]

Microsoft will probably accept it is Sony make part 2 but it is Sony

[@pusher8]

This video in 1080p looks like true 720p

[@willheismusical]

The dialog is so cringe you can't even play without dropping controllers from the cringing 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@TafTabTah]

I just replayed this game a year ago and it is still really fun Some of the jokes don't land but the gameplay holds up very well