MotorStorm Surpasses 3.5 Million Copies Sold Milestone

While the Playstation 3 business may be struggling as a whole, several software companies are finding success on the platform. One of them is Evolution Studios and their game, MotorStorm. The Playstation 3 exclusive title has sold over 3.5 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games on the system.

MotorStorm debuted under less than flattering circumstances. A CG trailer was shown when it was first revealed. This immediately drew criticism as many didn't believe that the final game will look anything close to the debut trailer. As a result, Evolution Studios had added pressure with their first Playstation 3 project.

Founded in 1999, the game development studio previously worked on the World Rally Championship video game series. MotorStorm was a departure from their usual works as it features a more arcade-like racing experience. The Playstation 3 exclusive game is known for its great looking crashes and challenging racing courses with numerous death-defying jumps. MotorStorm also has vehicles of different sizes to cater to everyone.

Because of its impressive visuals, the racing game became one of the most anticipated games on the Playstation 3 early on. MotorStorm was first released in December of 2006 in Japan and was later brought to the western regions in March of 2007. It was an instant hit worldwide. In fact, MotorStorm became so popular that Sony decided to bundle it with the Playstation 3 in North America for a short time. In total, sales have surpassed 3.5 million copies so far.

The big success of the Playstation 3 exclusive title pays off greatly for Evolution Studios. The development studio was bought out by Sony in September of 2007 and is now a part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios.

It didn't take long for MotorStorm to become a big franchise. A sequel would be released in 2009. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift polishes the thrilling racing gameplay from the first game and added new gameplay elements like environmental interaction. Although it was critically acclaimed, the sequel came up way short of the sales from the first game. Part of the reasons is that MotorStorm: Pacific Rift was released during the busy holiday season and was undeservingly overlooked. Furthermore, MotorStorm got more attention by being a launch title. The sequel still manages to break a million copies sold, however.

Evolution Studios isn't done with the MotorStorm franchise just yet. They will be releasing MotorStorm: Artic Edge this fall on the PSP and Playstation 2. Without a doubt, the arcade racing series is quickly becoming one of the most popular brands for Sony and the Playstation platforms.