How can a game fail to make a profit but still be universally positive?

It could be some very good game with niche concept, like, I don\t know, horse feeding simulator? ;)

It happens all the time with movies, why not games.

A horse feeding simulator wouldn't be niche, it would easily get 2-3 million copies sold .

You could time your release alongside Call of Duty 27XXX.

If you say so? :D But it could be still not enough to cover all expenses for game producer if they did all "in real world" detailed studies to create the game.

This.

Also, sometimes the marketing department fucks things up. I can't think of any examples from games off the top of my head, but Firefly had that problem massively. The marketing department marketed a different show from the one that aired. Consequently the people who tuned in felt lied to and the people likely to like the show were significantly less likely to tune in at all during the first run.

Pick a random game that failed to achieve commercial success despite fantastic reviews and ask yourself why you never bought it.

Don't bring logic into the mix, it confuses the fan boys ;)

Planescape Torment, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, V: TM Bloodlines, System Shock 2.... the list goes on.

I don't think that's a real hat on that husky. I think you Photoshopped that thing on.

that is a definite photoshop LOL :)

I, on the other hand, don't believe that's a real husky under said hat.

i'd more interested in how games that are total shit still make huge profit