Capcom continues its now years long streak of collecting Ws, proving, once again, that players want to buy (good) games. The company has announced that Pragmata has sold a million copies over its first two days on sale. It’s a new IP that doesn’t have a famous name behind it, yet, despite what the likes of Activision or Bungie would have us believe, it’s doing well. The difference between this game and theirs? Capcom wanted to make a fun and interesting game first and foremost rather than a cash cow that just happens to be a game.

I’m sorry for belaboring this point, but I’ve been reading lot of comments shaming players for not buying into the likes of Highguard and Marathon because “now publishers will be afraid to green light new IP.” Nevermind that cynically making the most cookie-cutter, trend-chasing slop is and has always been a recipe for failure (just look at every gaming trend over the past 40 years). Nevermind also the overwhelming success games like Crimson Desert and the multiple massive indie hits we’ve been seeing every year for the past 15 years. The difference is quality of not budget. Motivation seems to matter more too.

As for Pragmata itself, it’s clear to see why it’s taking off the way it is. Its something familiar, yet different. It’s prime gameplay hook of simultaneous hacking and shooting was a risky idea but they ran with it, polished it, and made it even more fun than any one could have expected. Its locations are eye-catching and well-defined, and its music, while not necessarily memorable reinforces your sense of place in what is otherwise a fantastical situation.

Then there’s Hugh and Diana and the dynamic between them. It’s very rare that familial relationships take center stage and having them reflected in active game play is even rarer. We see bits of it in God of War (2018) and The Last of Us, both games revolving heavily around the theme of parents and children. Pragmata takes it a step further by making Hugh and Diana into a true team, Hugh can’t just power through everything by himself like Joel and Kratos can, and Diana isn’t just ancillary support. She’s actively making it possible for Hugh to progress. Put simply they need each other

So really, it should be no wonder that Pragmata is seeing such early success. It’s exactly the kind of game who would have become a beloved classic in the PS2/GameCube days; the kind of fans are constantly begging publishers to produce. It’s what many gamers want, and Capcom understands that. So, naturally they’re seeing success while most of the other major publishers stuggle. So, congrats to Capcom : the Pragmata team, and here’s hoping their peers finally start to learn from there example!

Have you played Progmata? What do you think of it? what to think of Capcom’s strategy over the past few years?

Image from the Steam page