Ben 10: Protector of the Earth Sells Over 2.5 Million Copies

Want proof that mediocre or no reviews at all do not always hurt videogame sales? Here is an example for you: Ben 10 is a kid’s show on Cartoon Network starring a young boy named Ben who finds an alien watch while on vacation with his cousin and grandfather. This watch allows him to turn into 10 different forms, thus the “Ben 10″ title. The game, a cell-shaded adventure which mimics the show’s visuals called Ben 10: Protector of the Earth, was released for the Nintendo DS, PS2, PSP, and Wii last year on October 30 and has subsequently sold over 2.5 million copies. This game was largely ignored by major gaming sites, and the few which did take time out to review it felt it was a bit middle of the road.

“We are thrilled to see the strong consumer response to Ben 10: Protector of Earth and the continual climb in sales demonstrates the dedication of fans around the globe to this tremendous franchise,” said Yoji Takenaka, the president and CEO of D3 Publisher, which was the developer and publisher of the game for both North America and Europe.

A second game, Ben 10: Alien Force was released this year on October 28 for the same consoles and handhelds, and Takenaka is hoping for even larger sales. So you see, not all games need a great review to sell well, just a big fan base–and if the sales of the previous game are any indication, this time next year we may just be reporting the same figures for Alien Force.

Gamers should not always write a game off because of lukewarm reviews, if you like the concept, the subject matter or the visuals–just go for it. Although, to be safe, you may wanna rent it first. Luckily, the Ben 10 games all sell for under $30.