5 reasons why Exoprimal failed at launch

When it was announced, it looked like Exoprimal would be another one of Capcom's milestones. Many were betting on its supposed resemblance to Dino Crisis and all the signs that seemed to link it to that classic title. The promised game-as-a-service tried to be something new with the mix of futurism and prehistory. However, it failed to deliver a new or interesting experience.

The first sign that something was wrong was the poor advertising of Exoprimal. After several sequels and remasterings, a new franchise should be a revolution for a company like Capcom. However, there were flaws from day one.

Note: The reasons listed are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

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Why Exoprimal failed at launch

1) Playing on nostalgia (for nothing)

Dino Crisis is one of the most beloved games around the world. Whether you played it back in the day or just like retro titles, there's always talk of how much it influenced other generations.

For some time, Capcom has played on that nostalgia. There was talk of a title that included prehistoric reptiles, showed similar typography, and included one of the developers of Dino Crisis on the team. Everything pointed to a reboot or a new part of the saga.

However, when the game arrived, there were many nods to Dino Crisis, but it was neither the same story nor the same world. Even one of the characters looks like a redesign of Regina, the popular avatar of that title.

The fact that all these references were closer to misleading advertising than fan service was fundamental in turning fans against the game.

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2) Poor marketing

The launch of Street Fighter 6 was way bigger than Exoprimal's (Image via Capcom)

While references to titles like Street Fighter 6 are everywhere, very little is said about Exoprimal. The casual audience probably doesn't even know it exists. Fans barely know about it because of the references and debates around whether or not it was a Dino Crisis sequel. Moreover, the promotion was confusing and didn't make it very clear what the title was about.

With one group of people not interested and another not knowing what they were going to play, it's not surprising that there was little talk about this title, despite it being something new in Capcom's catalog.

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3) Too many sequels and simultaneous competitors

The context in which Exoprimal was released did not favor it. The game was available in July 2023, a year in which other titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom, Hogwarts Legacy, or Baldur's Gate 3 were already making headlines.

On the other hand, Capcom itself began the burial of Exoprimal by bringing it closer to a flagship game of the company: Street Fighter 6. This classic absorbed the company's focus and efforts on a title whose audience is assured.

In terms of competition, Exoprimal is trying to carve out a niche in a market where there are competitors such as Fortnite, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, PUBG, and many others. Perhaps its plot and style are not very similar to all of them, but for third-person shooters, there are better options.

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4) Little content and poor gameplay

For a game-as-a-service concept, what Exoprimal offers is very poor. The story seems interesting for a few minutes until the plot becomes repetitive, and the missions are more of the same.

The progression happens with just a change of scenery and some attribute upgrades, but all in all, it feels like playing in a ghost town. Matchmaking is also not entirely fair and can sometimes be very advantageous or the opposite. It is a stroke of luck that players with similar skills are matched.

In terms of gameplay, the mechanics are basic. One drawback is that they are more focused on the Player versus Environment mode than Player versus Player. As a result, playing against humans online can be confusing and complicated.

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5) Technical issues

The last factor for the unsuccessful launch of Exoprimal is related to the technical side of the game. Initially, it was very smooth, and the graphics were fluid and beautiful.

The title's failure on Steam went viral. Many players who bought it on the platform suffered from a recurring bug. While trying to play it, a message appeared stating that it "keeps crashing on PC." At this point, there is still no definitive solution.

Moreover, under certain conditions, using Roadblock's Storm Drive ability prevents the player from killing Pteranodons. Besides, some small dinosaurs may not be hit by Murasame's Crescent Moon, and using Triple Threat may take down the player using it.

Many other users reported problems with the scoreboard, crashes of the game, and issues in the server communication, affecting the experience.

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Exoprimal was not as successful as expected at first, but recent statements from Capcom indicate that the game managed to gather a million players in a short time. Moreover, the developer believes it will be profitable for the second fiscal quarter results. We'll have to wait until then to see if they were right.