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Shares in Polish video game developer 11 bit studios took a significant hit on Monday, plunging by 49% after the company’s highly anticipated sequel, Frostpunk 2, failed to meet market expectations following its release.
The city-building survival game, which launched last Friday, saw a peak of 35,533 concurrent players on Steam. However, this figure fell far short of the 80,000 to 100,000 players that analysts had predicted.
Dariusz Wolak, 11 bit studios’ investor relations manager, emphasized that the company is satisfied with the game’s quality and sales performance. “We expected a significantly higher players peak in the 80,000-100,000 range, so we consider 35.5k as a negative surprise,” he said. “But we, as a product, feel very good about it.”
According to Erste Group analyst Piotr Bogusz, the relatively poor ratings the game has received on Steam are also likely to deter potential buyers. “A drop in the average rating below the 80% threshold affects the game’s visibility on Steam, which could translate into sales,” he explained.
Despite the initial disappointment, 11 bit studios remains optimistic about the game’s long-term prospects. The company announced on Monday that sales of Frostpunk 2 have already exceeded 350,000 copies, surpassing its production and marketing costs.
While the initial player count and ratings may have been disappointing, 11 bit studios believes that the game’s long-term success will depend on its ability to engage players over time. The company plans to continue supporting Frostpunk 2 with updates and additional content, hoping to attract more players and improve its overall reception.
In the meantime, the company’s investors will be closely monitoring the game’s performance and the potential impact it may have on the company’s financial outlook. The success or failure of Frostpunk 2 could have significant implications for 11 bit studios’ future, particularly if it fails to meet the high expectations that were set for it.
