- Resident Evil 7 for iPhone sold “only” 2,000 copies
- This has encouraged some beard stroking, but is it as bad as it sounds?
- Well, kind of, but no, but maybe, but yes. Let’s discuss
While it initially circulated only in business circles, over the past week we have witnessed history Resident Evil 7 iPhone Game Poor Sales into the spotlight. The usual sideline sneers about the audacity of mobile devices in trying to compete with PC and consoles have been uttered, and many articles have been written about how this debacle could have happened.
But from our perspective, we’ve taken a completely different approach. First and foremost, we want to showcase Resident Evil 7’s defense of the iPhone and other major mobile ports that have emerged since the high-profile iPhone 15 and fresh iPad reveals.
This isn’t about desperately trying to rewrite history, but rather looking at it from a more nuanced perspective. First and foremost, what did Resident Evil on the iPhone do right, rather than simply do wrong.
Before we start
It’s essential to note that we’re not intentionally trying to defend a billion-dollar company like Apple. And we’re certainly not trying to claim that 2,000 sales is a good number by any stretch of the imagination. After all, another console port called Loop Hero racked up over seven million downloads, and if even a fraction of that turned into sales, that’s still more than Resident Evil.
But we think there are some essential caveats to the typical sensationalism of calling it a huge failure. Factors we’ll discuss below. But ultimately, it’s worth reiterating that this isn’t an attempt at damage control for the concept of mobile gaming itself.
The bottom line is that Resident Evil 7 failed, but not because it was a failure on mobile devices per se. And we don’t think this is the last time we’ll see console-quality titles make the transition to smartphones.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the flaws.
This was already a niche group of recipients
First of all, we need to recognize a few things. First, iPhones 15 and iPads with the requisite specs to run Resident Evil 7 are still relatively uncommon, at least in the hands of the average consumer. Furthermore, the average gamer probably has a PC or console that would be able to run a game like Resi 7.
Add to that the fact that most people who want to play it on the go probably already have a Steam Deck, laptop, or other portable device, and the potential audience for this type of port shrinks dramatically. Resident Evil 7 isn’t exactly a casual gamer-friendly game, and your average Supercell fan won’t be jumping into the world of BOW combat right away.
The asking price was too high
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding microtransactions and the cost of mobile gaming, but we have to argue that the average price people spend on mobile games is lower than the initial price of Resident Evil 7 on mobile. Even at around $20, that’s still a lot, especially when you can get it for much less on other platforms, especially those where used copies are available.
And the ability to try it before you buy means there’s certainly a segment of people who would be put off by the controls and graphical sacrifices and pass on the purchase, or maybe they’d like to try it just to see what their fancy fresh phone can do. That’s a double-edged sword of a demo, after all, but it’s probably better than buyer’s regret.
The final problem
There was one, frustratingly right screenshot floating around showing a screenshot of Resident Evil 7 from an iPhone, with a screen full of prompts and buttons to press. And there’s no denying that for a game that deliberately went for a much more minimalist approach than even previous Resident Evil games, that may have been a dealbreaker for many.
The fact is that the mobile phone has many advantages. It is egalitarian, it is an open space, and theoretically it offers a very low barrier to entry. But there is one problem, the ultimate problem, and that is the touch screen.
If Resident Evil 7 on the iPhone, in some alternate universe, had been running on a handheld at a slightly lower quality, we think it would have been well-received nonetheless. However, with so many controls having to be crammed onto a compact screen, thus crowding out the lush visuals that Apple and Capcom are achieving, there’s no denying that it sends a rather mixed message.
On the one hand, it’s amazing that they managed to make it work the way it does. On the other hand, the inherent problem with the small touchscreen is still there. Unlike other compact handhelds like the cult classic PSP, you can’t ignore the fact that thumbs are taking over the monsters. And of course, there’s the caveat that controller support exists, but that’s assuming that those are A) existing mobile gaming enthusiasts and B) that they already prefer controllers. That’s not entirely representative of the broad spectrum of the audience.
But on the other hand…
We disagree with the majority here, and that’s the future of games like Resident Evil 7 on mobile. There’s always that venerable slogan “It’s just growing pains, it’ll be better soon!” that everyone shouts in cases like this. But we think it’s really growing pains.
First of all, Resident Evil 7 was not intended for commercial release, we think. We would be honestly surprised if Apple or Capcom expected the game to break their budget or make them any significant money. But that’s not the case.
The point of releasing Resident Evil 7, 8, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage is not to make money. It’s to let Apple show off its technical prowess and status again. It’s to say, “Hey, we can run this on the device you’re holding in your hand.”
We doubt Apple will present this to Capcom as a gigantic money-making opportunity. Even if half of the 84,000 people who downloaded the game went on to buy the full version, that would still be a small number compared to the 10 million-plus copies of Resi 7 sold elsewhere.
But when it comes to showcasing their technical prowess and, ideally, justifying the asking price for devices like the iPhone 15? We’d argue that Resident Evil 7 and AC Mirage succeeded in that regard.
What is the sense?
So the bottom line is that from a sales perspective, Resident Evil 7 was a failure. But from the perspective of proving that Apple still has the technical chops to push boundaries, it was a success. The only question is whether we’ll see ports like this in the future or not.
Resident Evil will remain on iOS for now. But Apple probably won’t be able to point to that as a reason for other console developers to invest, unless they can strike a pretty compelling business deal. But it does challenge other phone makers, very much, that there’s a fresh threshold of technical fidelity and what can be transferred to something a little bigger than your wallet.
It’s almost certain that as this becomes the fresh gold standard, we could see games taking advantage of the ability to push the graphical boundaries even further. That could be good or bad news, depending on your perspective.
On the one hand, this could facilitate further legitimize more console-like mobile games, but on the other hand, the push for more technically demanding games could push out players with less powerful devices. Which in itself would disrupt the more egalitarian nature of mobile as a platform.
So what?
We think Resident Evil 7 isn’t a commercial success, but a technical one. And ultimately, it raises an intriguing question about exactly how mobile gaming will change in the near future.
We’re currently seeing graphics pushed further than ever before on the smallest of mobile devices. But if there’s one thing that Resident Evil 7’s low sales have to offer, it’s the mystery of whether it’ll ever be feasible.
Is the touchscreen control issue putting people off? Can this kind of inherent problem ever be fixed? And what happens if or when Android devices start to catch up?
We think it’s unfair to write off Resi’s iPhone games just because they present fresh possibilities. They may not be stunning successes, but do they really need to be?
In any case, with the release of the fantastic Resident Evil 2 remake on iOS, we may have the opportunity to see if things improve for this next generation of Capcom ports.
