How did Ape Escape sell 40 Million?

Hey Guys!

We were asked my a user named "Miki" on our e-mail about how Ape Escape sold 40 million copies. According to "Uniqlo", the description for the T-shirts (that also feature a free copy of Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time until August) says the T-shirt designs were based on the original game that sold '40 million'.

Now, 40 million is an amazing feat by any game, especially for a small title like Ape Escape who had no major franchise to back it's debut on the PlayStation back in 1999. Well, we have asked ad have found how Ape Escape managed to pull those incredible figures for such an incredible game.

1. Firstly, a few months before Ape Escape came out, manufacturing of the original PlayStation controller stopped and only DualShock controllers were being produced. Originally the DualShock controller was only sold to give people an option while playing games. You could use the Joysticks if you preferred, but if you wished to use the new Analog sticks, you could pick up a DualShock controller and you could have the alternate control scheme. However, all games made before the DualShock won't register the Analog sticks and won't pick up the controller at all, and asks you to insert a PlayStation controller. Sony decided to release Ape Escape with a free DualShock controller that also had backwards compatibility to previously released game that didn't originally work with the DualShock. Because of this, the sales of Ape Escape were huge. It sold millions in it's first year alone. It was also released separately as well. This was one of the reasons why Ape Escape sold abnormally well.
2. The second reason is that in 2007, the game was released to PSN due to popular demand. That added another million copies to the overall sales.
3. In 2004 the "On The Loose" port for PSP was released, and many people bought the title as it was very good for PSP games released around the time. It was critically reviewed for the lack of Analogue controls, and many people just went and bought the original game on the PlayStation as it was available until 2005. That's more sales adding up.
4. Ape Escape for the PS was available until 2005, where it was released for the last time. Since then, Ape Escape had become a franchise, and many people who bought other titles in the franchise, bought the original to try and play from the start of the series.
5. Lastly, Ape Escape was just a good game and according to IGN, it is the "Best Platformer on the PlayStation. Hands Down!"

We hope that gives you a rough idea of how the game sold abnormally well. We all know it's a good game, but even the best of the best usually don't sell that amount. We hope that clears some things up for you guys.

Make sure you grab the latest Move title NOW! It's been released in Australia since June 16th, so make sure you catch it in stores!

Ape Escape - PlayStation Move T-shirts + Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time

We just got an e-mail back from our friends at Sony Japan, and we have quite the news for you.

As of June 8th, two T-shirt designs based on the latest move title, will be avaliable on Sony Japan's official merchandise page. A picture can be seen below.

Both designs will be avaliable as of June 8th, and will come packaged with the game 'Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time' to help promote the sale. 'Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time' will be made for PC, based on the original game for PlayStation 2. A description of the game will be added at the bottom of the page noted as "Japan Game", with information about the T-shirt and Game bundle. We have been sent an English version of the description, but it doesn't contain much information about the game sadly.

“Japan Game”

Computer games have become established as one of the leading Japanese cultures. Japan is titled to have the most active game industry, and it continues to lead the world in gaming. The UTT-shirt brand from Japan is working with game companies around the world, to create clothing for people’s favourite games. This package comes with a free game, as we hope this collaboration brings people around the world closer to their games, through T-shirts.

As much as we are glad that they are changing the world "through T-shirts", this doesn't give us alot of information about the game which is what people, especially us, want. Despite this, I am glad that we are getting the game despite the previous doubt.

Make sure you grab those T-shirts and get the game! Also, grab the Move title "PlayStation Move- Ape Escape" next month. Enjoy.

Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time [UPDATE 2]

We have just sent another e-mail and hope to hear back within the next few hours.

Stay Tuned.

Ape Escape: Trapped in Space and Time [UPDATE]

We are truely sorry about the wait on this title. We haven't heard any information about the release since Febuary, and we are starting to feel panicky that we won't be recieveing the title. We would like to address a few things first.

1. We are getting information from Sony.
Please do not attack us about being un-reliable as we get all our news from Sony contacts. You cannot say we are fake as we were the ones who posted the "Fury! Fury!" trailer a week before it debuted at E3. We were the first to post the UK cover of the game. We were the first to announce the sountrack to the original game in late 2010 which EVERYBODY doubted, and suprise, suprise, in January a new remastered soundtrack for the first game apparead on it's official japanese website. How could someone "guess" a soundtrack was coming out, and then it randomly appears on Sony's website exactly how WE promised it. And remember, this is based on a 12 year old video game. So please, trust us. the only time we have let you down was during the "Million Monkeys" fiasco when we were prosmised it was coming out, and plans changed.

2. Please stop spreading hate.
We cannot control Sony so if something gets cancelled, please don't hate on US. We are just the messenger, in a respect.

We hope you can wait patiently for the game. Cheers,

ApeClub (aka Ape Escape 24)