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Grim Fandango
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Grim Fandango
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=== Sales and aftermath === ''Grim Fandango'' sales were poor despite the positive reception given to the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6199534.html |title=EA CEO talks game-killing, Legend brutalizing |first=Tom |last=Magrino |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |date=2008-10-16 |accessdate=2008-10-17}}</ref> Initial estimates suggested that the game sold well during the {{vgy|1998}} holiday season.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.smartmoney.com/email/index.cfm?emailcontent=/consumer/index.cfm?story=199812082 | title = Tech Gifts of the Season | first= Joshua | last = Albertson | publisher = Smart Money | date = 1998-12-08 | accessdate = 2008-03-15}}</ref> However, the game only sold about 95,000 copies up through 2003 in North America, excluding online sales, based on data provided by PC Data (now owned by [[NPD Group]]).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Not_Playing/Part_4.shtm | title = (Not) Playing the Game, Part 4 | first = Randy | last = Sluganski | publisher = Just Adventure | accessdate = 2007-12-02}}</ref> Total cumulative worldwide sales are estimated between 100,000 and 500,000 units.<ref name="escapist 10 years"/> The game is commonly considered a "commercial failure",<ref>{{cite web | url = http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/01/04/y2k.game.idg/index.html | title = Y2K the game, appropriately enough, is a dud | publisher = CNN | accessdate = 2008-03-13 | date = 2000-01-04 | first = Barry | last = Brenasal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gameology.org/node/636 | title = Review: LucasArts' Grim Fandango (1998) | first = Matt | last = Barton | publisher = Gameology | date = 2005-11-05 | accessdate = 2008-03-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856379p1.html | title = The Lives and Deaths of the Interactive Movie | publisher = IGN | date = 2008-03-03 | accessdate = 2008-03-06 | first = Travis | last = Fahs}}</ref> even though LucasArts has stated that "Grim Fandango met domestic expectations and exceeded them worldwide".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamer.nl/doc/5468 | title = "Lucasarts ziet het licht" | language = Dutch | first = Bob | last = Christof | publisher = Gamer.nl | date = 2000-06-26 | accessdate = 2007-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dailyradar.com/news/game_news_3201.html |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20010627012617/http://www.dailyradar.com/news/game_news_3201.html |archivedate= 2001-06-27 | title = "The Future Of LucasArts" | publisher = Daily Radar | date = 2000-05-25 | accessdate = 2008-03-19}} "Although LucasArts, a privately held company, will not release sales figures, a spokesperson expressed confidence in the history and future of LucasArt's{{sic}} original titles. 'The response to the Monkey Island series has been phenomenal,' he said. '[And] Grim Fandango met domestic expectations and exceeded them worldwide.'"</ref> While LucasArts proceeded to produce ''[[Escape from Monkey Island]]'' in {{vgy|2000}}, they canceled development of sequels to ''[[Sam & Max Hit the Road]]''<ref name="sam max cancelled">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/samandmaxfreelancepolice/news.html?sid=6090535 | title = Sam & Max sequel canceled | date = 2003-03-04 | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | publisher = [[GameSpot]] | first = Tor | last = Thorsen}}</ref> and ''[[Full Throttle (1995 video game)|Full Throttle]]''<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/fullthrottle2/news_6073105.html | title = LucasArts cancels Full Throttle | publisher = [[GameSpot]] | first = Sam | last = Parker | date = 2003-07-07 | accessdate = 2008-03-21}}</ref> stating that "After careful evaluation of current market place realities and underlying economic considerations, we've decided that this was not the appropriate time to launch a graphic adventure on the PC."<ref name="sam max cancelled"/> Subsequently, the studio dismissed many of the people involved with their adventure games,<ref name="Edge">{{cite web|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/a-short-history-lucasarts|title=A Short History of LucasArts|work=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|date=2006-08-26|accessdate=2009-02-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6104775.html|title=LucasArts undergoing "major restructuring"|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Curt|last=Feldman|date=2004-08-13|accessdate=2009-02-02}}</ref> some of whom have since gone to create [[Telltale Games]], creating an [[episodic games|episodic]] series of [[Sam & Max Save the World|''Sam & Max'' games]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=4372 | title = Sam & Max 2 Developers Form New Studio | publisher = [[Gamasutra]] | date = 2004-10-04 | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | first = David | last = Jenkins}}</ref> In {{vgy|2006}} LucasArts stated they do not plan on returning to adventure games until the "next decade".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/videos/11326/LucasArts_at_E3.html | title = LucasArts at E3 | year = 2006 | publisher = [[G4tv.com|G4tv]] | accessdate = 2008-03-03}}</ref> These events, along with other changes in the video game market towards action-based games, are seen as primary causes in the decline of the adventure game genre.<ref name="gamasutra lifecycle"/><ref name="salon future of gaming">{{cite web | url = http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1998/10/cov_08feature.html | title = Myst And Riven Are A Dead End. The Future Of Computer Gaming Lies In Online, Multiplayer Worlds | publisher = Salon | first = Greg | last = Lindsay | date = 1998-10-08 | accessdate = 2008-03-13}}</ref> ''Grim Fandango'''s underperformance was seen as a sign that the genre was commercially "dead" to rival [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra]], as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-nextlevel.com/feature/adventure-series-part-iii/2 |title=Adventure Series: Part III Feature |publisher=The Next Level |date=2005-11-28 |accessdate=2009-08-13}}</ref> Despite this, ''Grim Fandango'' has been the centerpiece of a large fan community for the game that has continued to be active more than 10 years after the game's release. Such fan communities include the Grim Fandango Network and the Department of Death, both of which include fan art and fiction in addition to other original content.<ref name="escapist 10 years">{{cite web | url = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_139/2994-Walk-Don-t-Run | title = Walk, Don't Run | publisher = [[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]] | first = Nova | last = Barlow | date = 2008-03-04 | accessdate = 2008-03-05}}</ref>
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