October 13, 2009: Brütal Legend released
As with any sector of the entertainment industry, the video game community has seen its fare share of failures. But sometimes failure does not prevent a game for being beloved despite its flaws. Take for instance, Brütal Legend, the property of Double Fine and EA, which was released four years ago today. Here was a game that had everything going for it — plenty of money behind it and advertising in front of it, a cast of actors and musicians to die for, and a unique look that was bound to attract players. On the flip side of that happy coin, however, the game was mired in development and publishing conflicts. When the game was finally released, marketers didn’t really know what to make of it. Brütal Legend‘s innovative combination of RTS and action adventure gaming was overshadowed by the notion that it was nothing more than an immature “heavy metal game.” This lack of a cohesive message about the game brought about poor initial sales. The game has seen a resurgence in sales over the past few years, and most gamers and critics respects both its flaws and strengths.