Left Behind sales lagging

Publisher's first quarter with revenue to report yields more than $2 million in sales, $4 million in losses.

After more than four years, Left Behind Games has posted its first dollars of revenue--more than 2.2 million of them, in fact.

Yesterday the publisher announced its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2006, and it posted sales of just over $2.2 million. The entirety of that sum was due to sales of Left Behind Games' first product, the PC real-time strategy game Left Behind: Eternal Forces, which launched in mid-November.

However, the publisher still spent more than it brought in for the quarter, resulting in a net loss of more than $4.1 million for the three months. That brings its total losses since inception to more than $31 million.

Despite that deepening hole, Left Behind Games expects to turn the corner and become profitable in less than a year. In related news, the publisher today announced that it has begun distribution of its game to South Africa and has "numerous" overseas distribution agreements lined up.

Eternal Forces is based on the best-selling Christian fiction book series of the same name, which has spun off into multiple side series and a feature film starring Kirk Cameron. The game was released to disparaging comments from game critics and Christian groups alike, but Left Behind Games has not been dissuaded. The publisher is planning an expansion pack for the game for a September release, and a true sequel developed with the aid of RTS specialists Big Huge Games after that.

80 Comments

  • 1357900

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 10:47 am PT

    I'm not attempting to stereotype. Anyway, this project could've maybe gone better, but I think it was more, or less thrown together. I agree w/ you about some M rated games are good like... Perfect Dark, or Splinter Cell. And yeah..for a company, they need a way better name

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Feb 23, 2007 7:15 am PT

    Terrible name for a game company.

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:58 pm PT

    vamroc :
    Does anyone else find it funny that a game called Left Behind has been Left Behind by so many of the bible thumping Cool Aid drinkers that kind of series preys on. How bad does it have to be for those suckers not to buy it.

    I'm a Christian dude, and guess what I think this game is stupid too. Also.. just because your a Christian doesn't mean you think everythings "evil", I play HL2 and some other games that are M and I don't think their really bad or anything. Please don't stereotype.

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 4:55 pm PT

    They made some really bad decisions in the design of this game. Doesn't it even have a form of spyware in it?

  • runstalker

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    Obviously someone very rich associated with the gazillion-selling Left Behind book series is funding this debacle. Forget the expansion boys. Just get on with the "true sequel developed with the aid of RTS specialists Big Huge Games." You need all the help you can get. The first effort was a disaster.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 2:39 pm PT

    It is not really surprising that this game isn't selling well. I don't think the game will "turn the corner" either. This game was based off of an uneasy concept and was not even carried out well.

  • 1357900

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 11:00 am PT

    My last post was incomplete due to my browser crashing. I never bought the book, cause I thought it was a little far fetched{I mean to say too much fiction}. Anyway, to continue my last uncontinued post, I think this company is just trying to make money, but I really don't know. I can't judge something I don't know much about, if anything at all. The best wayI can put my opinion on this is thusly: I think these people are either radicals, and/or new Christians, but my guess is just radicals. In any event, I think this game is really too fictional for a mature Christian{meaning a Christian who is mature in the faith, rather than someone who just became a Christian}. This news doesn't surprise me, really. More over, its just dissapointing that software that is supposed to be Christian, really isn't, and is just a radical's attempt to make money. I don't know what kind of content is in this game, but if the other posters here are accurate about the game's content, then all I can say is:"Everyone who is reading this post, this game is too far fetched." Also, radicals are generally the ones who make these headlines in the name of Christianity, or some other religion. Christians are not radicals, but some people try to merge the two, in Christianity, and other faiths. Christians are not this outlandish, that'a what I'm trying to say. And furthermore: we are not intolerent to women, or to people who believe something else, but the idea that we are is straight from a radical's perspective.

  • vamroc

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 10:59 am PT

    Left Behind: Eternal Forces Expansion Pack !!! What do they need to expand are they going from suck to blow.

  • vamroc

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 10:41 am PT

    Does anyone else find it funny that a game called Left Behind has been Left Behind by so many of the bible thumping Cool Aid drinkers that kind of series preys on. How bad does it have to be for those suckers not to buy it.

  • Outlawlaw

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 8:48 am PT

    This just in, 1 million dollars worth of those sales where from religious nuts who wanted to pick the game apart!

    The other million where grandmothers.

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 7:45 am PT

    Is this a surprise?

  • ghsacidman

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 7:28 am PT

    Left Behind sucks! This game got so much media attention it'rediculous... and it still didn't sell well. Thats what you get when you make a crappy rts from an even crappier franchise.

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 6:48 am PT

    It seems they definitely Left Behind their profits.

  • darkfox101

    Posted Feb 22, 2007 6:45 am PT

    LMAO i saw this game on the news.. news reporter: "that game will defiantly sell" i cracked up on that one.. u could tell how crap it was from a few gameplay videos..

  • eckertt001

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 11:56 pm PT

    Guess they need more then a $31 million dollar loss to realize it's a flop.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 11:19 pm PT

    Sigh

  • the-very-best

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 11:04 pm PT

    It's evident by the sales that people don't want these kind of games so stop trying to force them down peoples throats.

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 9:28 pm PT

    As long as it has good gameplay I'm all for it, + Jesus rambo style blowing up non believers

  • robfield

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 9:25 pm PT

    Um...just stop making games

  • RonHack

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 9:02 pm PT

    The sound you hear is Jesus breathing a sigh of relief.

    The game is just too messed up. They deserve to hit the skids.

  • nappan

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:49 pm PT

    Gosh, the hokey evangelical game isn't doing well? What a shock. A single tear rolls down my cheek.

  • 1357900

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:35 pm PT

    If this game is using the Christian faith, I hope they don't go off the deep end and put stuff into this game that's not w/ the faith, but if the game isn't based on the Christian faith, but merely a cheap shot at making money

  • bobbysbits

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:21 pm PT

    if the game was decent i'd feel bad. it's a sin in itself to release this.

  • 1357900

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:20 pm PT

    If it was implied by my last post that "people go to hell for playing video games", then I need to clarify what I meant. The best way to put this: some people think that:money/TV/internet/music/videogames are evil. They're not. They are simply tools that people use for different purposes. What makes these tools evil, is when they are used, for evil purposes, such as for example: money being used to pay a hitman to kill school children. Video games are by no means going to send a person to hell, and that is not what I meant. The same goes for tv, the internet, and music. They will not send you to hell, either. How you use these devices, can be either good, or evil, but either way you choose to use said devices, you won't go to hell for using these things for evil. There are, however, zealots out there, Christian, and non-Christian, who believe one, or more of the things I mentioned are in fact really evil. These people are radicals, much like Jack Thompson. Because of these "radical" beliefs, other people around them are more likely to steer clear from any religious faith, because others see these "radical" beliefs severely limiting what one can do in/with their life, and how one enjoys, and lives their life. The doctrinal base of the Christian faith is not even half of one-tenth as strict, as most people have been led to believe. We Christians have more fun, than most people know. And We're not a boring bunch either. We do joke, laugh, have fun, and basically enjoy life in general. Secondly, the Christian faith doesn't encourage that I convert you, or don't socialize w/ you if I can't convert you. Quite the opposite really, Christians who read their Bible, and follow the Christian doctrine in it, are really encouraged not to do that. Instead, we are encouraged to treat you as we would our best friends, and leave matters of a yes or no conversion decision to you, w/ out being in your face about "youre going to hell unless you're saved", or any other thing like that. Anyway, I understand that some people do, and some people don't believe the same things I do. Also of note: most churches today are not what they should be, and they give ear-tickling sermons, if they give any at all, that doesn't give people what they need to hear. This problem also helps the "radical" issue along, that I described above, causing major hurt to any religious faith, not just Christianity.

  • Lazyimperial

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:08 pm PT

    Oh grow up Mush. People aren't making fun of this game because it is Christian. They are making fun of it because it is crazy, creepy, violent fundamentalist Christian. Believe it or not, there is a difference between the two. Normal Christian games don't garner this sort of attention. I mean, come on man. This game has musicians as military units of the devil, labels non-Christians as servants of the devil and worthy of death by machine gun fire, encourages you to kill non-combat support units like "satanic" medics and nurses, and is a bloody joke. That is why it gets attention. None of us are debating what religion is right or wrong. That doesn't matter. What matters is that a bunch of lunatics programmed garbage and blew 31 million bucks, and we are laughing at their blunders.

  • Kcube

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:36 pm PT

    I'm a beleiver and I am surprised that game even made that much $$.
    WTH is up with that game anyways?That was some Jesus Camp stuff going on right there,I mean you get a shotgun and smite some mofos!
    "Spread the word with scatter shot!!"

  • hotplayer220

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:33 pm PT

    One of the most ridiculous ideas for a game ever. Christian music groups is where it end at. A video game is out of the question.

  • S1ckle

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:26 pm PT

    MINUS TWO POINTS!

  • spawn611

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:07 pm PT

    i dont know what it is with some people, you are not going to hell for playing videos games, god has more important things too sort out. We are all one people, so playing video games is a nice way of shooting the crap out of each other without shedding blood.

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:06 pm PT

    Poor news for the company though.If you havent been saved does that mean you will burn in He11?I think not.

  • Lazyimperial

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:54 pm PT

    31 million blown, and what does Left Behind Games have to show for it? An ugly, pathetic, and poorly crafted product that looks and plays worse than a budget game title. I'm disgusted. Oh well, at least the company is failing miserably. I can take comfort in that. Their tribulations are going stronger. Haha! Oh, yes... This reminds me of a Biology classmate I had who used to say stuff like "it isn't like any of this stuff matters anyway. The Rapture is coming soon, and then none of this science will matter." That was almost two years ago now. I should call her and ask her how Heaven is this time of year. Har har. What a buffoon.

  • Riverwolf007

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:51 pm PT

    First rule in the game biz, don't name your company after the only game you publish. Second rule do what nghtcrwlr821 says to do.

  • 1357900

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:48 pm PT

    Religion is used a lot in mostly rpgs. But it is more along the lines of the word "mysticism", than the word "religion", and is generally conceived by developers, and received by gamers as such. I am a Christian, myself, and I have not played this game, but I understand that some genuine efforts to attempt to convert people{get them "saved", in the Christian faith} is generally mistaken for nothing more then a scheme of some sort{usually to get rich}. And just as there are true genuine motives in the world, there are also charlietons. This goes for any faith, anywhere in the world. I don't honestly know if these people have genuine-heart-felt goals of conversion & spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or if they just want money. In any case, the Lord Jesus Christ will bless those with heart-felt motives, and those w/out heart-felt motives will not be blessed. And should these money-driven, non-heartfelt people succeed, it will only be for a time, or until they perish, which indeed would be sad, because once they die, unless they accept the free gift of salvation, and an eternal home in Heaven from Jesus Christ, they will spend eternity in hell, which really is sad. My suggestion to these publishers: watch Charles Stanley on InTouch Ministries to hear gospel. Then take these ideas, and find some way to implement them into thei games. Rpg developers implement mysticism in their games, so why don't you implement the Christian religion in your's?

  • nghtcrwlr821

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:47 pm PT

    While there intentions were good you just can't sell a crappy game unless it's got an anime name slapped on the front of the box. In fact they should name the next Left Behind game The story of how the Dragon Ball gang and Naruto had a come to Jesus meeting. That would really sell.

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    C'mon,their name says everything.

  • Jimbokundesu

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:44 pm PT

    As an Atheist I hope these fundie developers go bankrupt. Their message of religious and racial intellorance sickens me. I also am unimpressed with their primitive views on how women should be treated in society (nurses only wtf).

    And this IS tolerant?

    rife with religious subtext or not, the game (by all accounts) was sub-par at best. And in any industry, If you make a product that doesn't sell (for whatever reason), you lose money. derrrrr.....

  • MajorCow

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:43 pm PT

    At least Bah-Humbug has some common sense.

  • Mush_Mouth

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:40 pm PT

    Religious and racial intolerance? So I suppose it's okay that you're being intolerant of Christians by saying they sicken you, right? Double standards are all that you and your very small group of people have to rely on. I feel sorry for you and I hope you figure out the truth before it's too late.

  • komradandre

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:34 pm PT

    so they made a game that was sub par, and they're losing money. i'm ok with this.

  • Maxer9

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:33 pm PT

    Why am I not surprised?

  • doomsoth

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:28 pm PT

    Wow...who would actually find interest in this game? I mean. It has nothing to do with the books except with the title. The books are alright, but a game based off of them? lol

  • king4theday

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:28 pm PT

    Wow look!!! It's an atheist making himself look like an ass. What a surprise.

  • 7_armageddon_7

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:27 pm PT

    As an Atheist I hope these fundie developers go bankrupt. Their message of religious and racial intellorance sickens me. I also am unimpressed with their primitive views on how women should be treated in society (nurses only wtf).

    Religious and racial intolerance? Not this trite statement again...

  • Bah-Humbug

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:20 pm PT

    As an Atheist I hope these fundie developers go bankrupt. Their message of religious and racial intellorance sickens me. I also am unimpressed with their primitive views on how women should be treated in society (nurses only wtf).

  • speedracer216

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:12 pm PT

    did even know this existed until now

  • aRE-you-AFraid

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 6:02 pm PT

    that's too bad, it'd be a sweet game.

  • FragingKing

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 5:56 pm PT

    As a Christian I was hoping for a good game. (Not really expecting it after seeing the demo) I'm sorry to say, but did the developers even play this game?

  • JSharpe_187

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 5:51 pm PT

    Their first mistake was expecting this game to sell well.

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