Nothing sums up fantasy adventures better than a dragon. The mere sight of one sets the tone for an epic Tolkien-esque jaunt through realms of swords and magic, so fans of such tales will know what to expect from Divinity II: Ego Draconis.
The sequel to Divine Divinity, this pits players as a legendary Dragon Knight – warriors who have the ability to transform into a dragon and fights with their enemies in the skies.
All of the classic RPG mainstays are present, from in-depth character customisation to upgradeable skills. The ability to play as a dragon bring a new dynamic to the gameplay as gamers ambush their foes from the skies with fiery attacks – although the inability to communicate with humans while in this form can present greater dangers.
While RPGs have often fared well on PC, the genre has a considerably smaller audience on the Xbox 360. However, the game’s unique mechanics and the console’s smaller RPG library means Divinity II should perform well, both within Microsoft’s demographic and in the busy holiday season.
“We’re not facing heavy competition in the RPG genre on Xbox 360,” says licensing director Garry Williams. “The target audience for these types of games are very active and will seek out a well-respected title of this quality.”
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Mastertronic head of marketing Kirsty Payne adds: “At this time of year, a very crowded Christmas release schedule means it will have to fight for attention. However, Divinity II is a very impressive RPG and has the credentials, pedigree and excellent gameplay to perform well.”
Reign Of Fire
The publisher is confident Divinity II will recreate the success it has seen in Europe, where it met with critical acclaim and high sales in both Germany and France.
“Divinity II stormed the European sales charts picking up numerous awards on the way,” says Williams. “The European specialist press have been unanimous in their view of Divinity II: Ego Draconis.
“When it was released in Germany, the PC version soon sold more than 50,000 units and is still selling well today. It also entered the Xbox 360 charts at No.5, and has been a consistent performer since then.”
Divinity II’s success on the continent has led to a high awareness of the game among UK RPG fans, especially on the PC. The main hurdle for Mastertronic is driving the release of the Xbox 360 version – a challenge the firm has eagerly accepted.
“A mass of available information and consumer opinions on the internet means that public awareness is often ahead of retail action,” says Payne.
“The PC version is already very well known to the gaming community as Divinity II represents a third outing on the format. It’s a newer concept for the Xbox 360 audience, although one that has already grabbed the hearts and minds of the European audience.”
With a potential userbase already established, Mastertronic is focusing its efforts on further raising awareness of the game’s UK debut. To accomplish this, the publisher has drawn up a heavily targeted campaign that reaches Divinity fans through relevant media.
“We’ve put together a specialist online campaign for Divinity II that runs for a number of weeks, targeting well-informed consumers across the UK online gaming press,” says Payne.
“We’re focusing on the strong Divinity brand awareness and getting the message out there that the latest, eagerly awaited Divinity instalment has landed in the UK.”
