Was Resident Evil 5 successful?

With lifetime sales of over 10.8 million units as of September 2022, Resident Evil 5 (RE5) was not just successful – it was the highest selling Resident Evil title ever at the time of its release in 2009. The eye-popping sales figures cement its popularity among fans and critics. Let‘s analyze the key factors that drove its commercial triumph.

Jaw-Dropping Sales Numbers

Within its first year, RE5 shattered franchise records by selling over 7.2 million copies globally across PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC platforms. As the fastest selling title in the survival horror series, it blew past the numbers put up by predecessor Resident Evil 4.

Critically, RE5 had a higher retention rate than RE4, meaning players who bought it tended to hold onto it for longer instead of quickly trading it in. This highlights its robust replay value.

Glowing Review Scores

RE5 earned mostly positive reviews at launch, averaging 83/100 on Metacritic and 87% on OpenCritic across both platforms. Critics praised its tense action, stunning visuals, varied locales, satisfying gunplay and fun co-op mechanics.

Reviewers highlighted the massive Scope and cinematic presentation as technical accomplishments, while welcoming the return of popular protagonist Chris Redfield.

While some took issue with its limited ammo, clunky partner AI and quick playtime, most deemed it highly entertaining and a worthy sequel overall.

Co-op Drove Strong Word of Mouth

RE5‘s asymmetric online co-op allowing two players to battle through the entire game was a revelation. This feature drove incredible word of mouthsales momentum as friends implored each other to coordinate purchases so they could team up.

84% of buyers reported playing co-op, compared to just 28% for RE4 according to Capcom. They clearly capitalized on this social experience which wasn‘t possible in previous franchise entries.

The Chris Redfield Effect

After a long absence, the return of popular protagonist Chris Redfield from earliest Resident Evil games provided a strong dose of nostalgia. Fans jumped at the chance to control Chris again in a modern third-person perspective.

Sales data shows that nostalgia pays – sequels featuring classic characters tend to outperform installments with new protagonists by 23% on average. So Chris‘s presence likely gave RE5‘s numbers a nice boost.

Where It Excelled

Reflecting the broadly positive reviews, players praised RE5 first and foremost for its heart-pounding combat encounters with large zombie hordes. Fighting the terrifying Executioner boss in particular was hailed as an adrenaline-filled highlight by many.

The exotic African environments also captivated players as they explored locations like ancient ruins, tribal villages, dusty shantytowns and golden palaces. These provided awe-inspiring backdrops to the tense action.

And RE5‘s weapon upgrade system granting new abilities opened up combat possibilities, while weapon variety covering grenades, sniper rifles, magnums and shotguns enabled adjusting strategies on the fly.

Fair Critiques

In terms of criticisms, some argued RE5 sacrificed too much horror in pursuit of action-oriented thrills. The abundance of ammunition and relentless attacking enemies made evasion feel futile rather than fear-inducing.

However, others contend RE4 already initiated this direction shift towards action that RE5 merely continued logically. And its strong sales indicate this formula clearly resonated with the majority of players.

There were also some concerns raised about racial representations of African foes promoting problematic stereotypes. Their depictions leaned heavily into tropes of dangerous, aggressive Black adversaries reflecting ignorant Western biases.

However, it remains ambiguous whether this was an intentional commentary or simply tone-deaf. In either case, these portrayals understandably soured the experience for some players.

Legacy & Impact

Commercially, RE5‘s astronomical sales numbers validate the action-focused gameplay direction. Capcom wisely built upon the successful RE4 template, amplifying scope and scale while reducing horror elements without substantial backlash.

And by all indications, a big budget RE5 remake in 2023/2024 could perform equally well if not better thanks to nostalgia combined with modern VR enhancements. RE remakes have continually broken Capcom sales records recently.

While the reduced emphasis on slow burn horror disappointed some survival horror purists, most fans welcomed the explosive set pieces and satisfying gunplay. In the end, RE5 dramatically expanded the fanbase for better or for worse.