Demon's Souls Sales Triple Atlus Expectations

Demon's Souls, From Software's ultra-hardcore fantasy action-RPG, has performed far above expectations in the United States, providing a significant windfall for publisher Atlus. According to the latest financial results posted by Atlus parent company Index Holdings, first translated by Siliconera, Demon's Souls saw North American retail sales of 280,000 -- well over three times its projected performance of 75,000 units. Those numbers paid off in spades for the publisher. Atlus USA saw quarterly profits of 46 million yen (US$3.7 million), up more than fivefold year on year. Atlus USA was the game's North American publisher; original publisher Sony Computer Entertainment declined to publish the game outside of Japan, a move one executive later admitted was a mistake. Demon's Souls was met with extremely strong reviews upon release, with critics and fans praising its precise design and high level of challenge. The subsequent word of mouth allowed it to reach a considerably higher level of success than initially expected.