I think LRG may be or may have re-printed some games or fudged numbers

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

So The new site has prompted me to go through all my data I have for Switch games that I used to keep the NA database as current as possible. When I initially entered in the LRG games I also recorded the production numbers for each title that I got directly from Mighty Rabbit Studios AKA LRG. But now that I'm going through and re-doing my sheets I see that they are listing MANY more printed for any given title. For example, Thimbleweed Park when I entered it into the database was stated to have 11,000 units produced. looking now they are claiming 14,000 produced. I thought maybe it was just a fluke and I goofed Thimbleweed's numbers. But looking through almost all of the first 20 or so games except for one or two now have multiple thousands more produced than previously stated. So I believe they have either produced more and adjusted quantities or their number reporting is atrocious. 

[O.G. CIB 383]

The total print number from them includes CE's 

[Galdius 1,323]

It could also be because of replacements for orders that never arrive or with some kind of issue but I agree that the difference is big for those kind of numbers.

They could also keep some to sell on expos and for the developers.

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

30 minutes ago, Mr. CIB said:

The total print number from them includes CE's 

Their numbers were always total numbers, that doesn't really explain why games jumped multiple thousands of units.

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

4 minutes ago, Galdius said:

It could also be because of replacements for orders that never arrive or with some kind of issue but I agree that the difference is big for those kind of numbers.

They could also keep some to sell on expos and for the developers.

Both could be true but keeping some back for expo's and replacements is still apart of their order from Nintendo. So it would or should have been included in the initially reported number. Even it wasn't that doesn't really explain 2,3,5+ thousand unit jumps.

[MuNKeY 241]

I sorta presumed the extra numbers included best buy variants, but that started after thimbleweed

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

All games prior to Yooka-Laylee were not part of the deal with Best Buy

[Futureman 13]

I vaguely remember that Thimbleweed was for sale again through another site. I can't remember which one though.

[Astor Reinhardt 190]

Huh...so are they recording lower numbers to make more people buy them? And then going back and putting the correct numbers down after the sale?

Not sure why...they're already selling out of games...not like they need to drum up more business by lying about numbers.

[ZBomber 54]

21 hours ago, Mr. CIB said:

The total print number from them includes CE's 

This. I don't think there is anything malicious going on here. The difference is the exact amount of CEs that were manufactured (3000). They don't really stand to gain anything by releasing one set of numbers and then changing it later, especially since they are already long sold out by then. If they wanted to be dishonest, they could easily just leave the incorrect numbers up. No one is gonna really be able to track down all 11k copies anyway.

Pretty sure this was just an honest mistake where they only included the standard editions in the original and forgot to include CEs.

[phart010 1,578]

I think when they get orders for x amount of games, they actually place an order to Nintendo for like 10% more than the actual orders. This way if someone’s game is lost in the mail, if there are warranty claims, or anything else happens, they can replace the game. 

After new years, the whatever is remaining from that 10% safety net gets sold off to customers 

Edited October 25, 2019 by phart010

[phart010 1,578]

On 10/24/2019 at 8:51 AM, Futureman said:

I vaguely remember that Thimbleweed was for sale again through another site. I can't remember which one though.

I believe the Thimbleweed CE content (minus the actual game) was available from fan gamer

[Fleck586 263]

I have been seriously considering dropping LRG and just buying if they have something I want.  I have ordered all their games to this point, but I might stop after #50.  Seems like a nice round number.

[Nightowljrm 72]

15 minutes ago, phart010 said:

I think when they get orders for x amount of games, they actually place an order to Nintendo for like 10% more than the actual orders. This way if someone’s game is lost in the mail, if there are warranty claims, or anything else happens, they can replace the game. 

After new years, the whatever is remaining from that 10% safety net gets sold off to customers 

I think I vaguely remember one of their main guys tweeting something like that before. They order extras in case anything goes wrong, and then the remainder get sold off over time at conventions or to mom and pop shops like GameTrader in Madison, TN. I don't think they fudge numbers either or attempt to be intentionally misleading. 

As for my approach to LRG runs, I just buy the games I would actually want to play. I can't imagine buying all their releases, it would get so expensive and you'd have way less money for other games you'd want to play. Being selective with LRG is the way to go, IMO. 

[Romiked2689 117]

Limited run is just worried about printing money in the form of video games I wouldn’t be surprised!!! They now do repro games for stuff we don’t even need. Stick to making physical games from indie companies! 

[phart010 1,578]

11 hours ago, Fleck586 said:

I have been seriously considering dropping LRG and just buying if they have something I want.  I have ordered all their games to this point, but I might stop after #50.  Seems like a nice round number.

I was buying everything for like the first 1.5 years. Now I buy like half of the stuff that comes out. Has to be something I think I’m gonna like. 

It used to be special in the beginning. Now there’s so many Limited Run style companies that it’s hard to keep up with all the releases.

[Fleck586 263]

1 minute ago, phart010 said:

I was buying everything for like the first 1.5 years. Now I buy like half of the stuff that comes out. Has to be something I think I’m gonna like. 

It used to be special in the beginning. Now there’s so many Limited Run style companies that it’s hard to keep up with all the releases.

I have pretty much decided I'm going to limit my "limited" purchases to Super Rare, Play Asia Exclusives, and Special Reserve. I will cherry pick the rest from here on out. What's going to throw a wrench into that is if an LE has a steelbook. All bets are off at that point. I'm hopelessly addicted now. 

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

1 hour ago, Fleck586 said:

I have pretty much decided I'm going to limit my "limited" purchases to Super Rare, Play Asia Exclusives, and Special Reserve. I will cherry pick the rest from here on out. What's going to throw a wrench into that is if an LE has a steelbook. All bets are off at that point. I'm hopelessly addicted now. 

Let me ask what is the appeal of steelbooks for you? It's something Ive never really "got".

[BouncekDeLemos 80]

I've always been under the impression that they make a little more in case of lost or damaged packages being sent out. There were even times when they've sold off any the extra residuals after a good while when they felt that all games have been delivered. 

I don't think it's any sort of "artificial limitation" thing they're trying to pull, although I can see what some may see it that way.

[Pats1717 60]

Now all of a sudden they sell the “overstock” to retro game stores to sell in store. I find it hard to believe they are that far off on projections that they have enough extra for that.

[LeatherRebel5150 889]

 

Ok so I spent some time looking at it and they did indeed change the numbers to include the Collector's/Deluxe editions. It does seem weird and annoys me that they would adjust these numbers just recently after a year or more of some of these games being released especially when it seemed as if the numbers were always supposed to reflect the total order they placed with Nintendo to begin with. Unfortunately that means their numbers can't be trusted for some time as who knows what else is wrong.

[ZBomber 54]

14 hours ago, Pats1717 said:

Now all of a sudden they sell the “overstock” to retro game stores to sell in store. I find it hard to believe they are that far off on projections that they have enough extra for that.

 

As others have said, they have to order/produces games by the thousand. Since it's an open preorder (for switch games at least, I know PS4 games usually have hard limits), if they sell 9,001 copies of the game then they need to order 10,000 copies (plus and/or including whatever percentage they order for replacements in case of damaged/lost packages). I imagine they hold on to the extra copies for replacements for a set period of time, and keep a couple for promo stuff like contests, Black Friday sales and giveaways... but that still leaves a lot of extra copies that need to go somewhere. I don't see an issue with them selling them to game stores.