Journey Is Selling Extremely Well And That's Great For The Industry

There's a lot to be said about Journey, the PlayStation Network exclusive that launched last month and instantly became the talk of the town. Granted it was made by ThatGameCompany, a studio that has a reputation for making a splash with every new artistic release. Even then, seeing a game as unorthodox and simple as Journey gain widespread appeal is a surprise, and one that is good for the industry.

The detail that really speaks volumes is that Journey was able to sell well. Not only did its first week sales eclipse any other game's launch-week on the PlayStation Store, but it has been the top seller since its debut. Many have been led to be believe that a game has to cater to the masses in order to do well commercially, but games like Journey have shown us that that simply isn't true.

Journey isn't just a game that is stylized differently, either -- it's extremely concise. It can be beaten in well under two-hours, but many have still felt completely satisfied after the credits roll. That's not an easy feat.

Looking back on my pleasant and memorable experience with Journey, the reason I think it not only was able to sell well but has had a great return of interest is its design. The gameplay is smooth and never gets in your way. The visual and audio experiences were delievered harmoniously. Most of all it has a great flow from beginning to end by introducing new areas frequently and retaining its sense of mystery.

Seeing Journey sell well is something for all of us to be proud of, and will prompt more developers outside of ThatGameCompany, Quantic Dream, and the very limited other unique studios to take a risk. If the developer's heart shows through the game experience, then there's a good chance it will do well whether it's a game with wide-appeal or not.