The topic of
sequels has
come up
before, and now industry analysts are jumping onboard.
Wedbush Morgan Securities announced, "...consumers appear to be indifferent to the proliferation of sequels, indicating
a slow tart [sic] to holiday sales and risk of continuing weakness… We see little likelihood of a positive
catalyst over the next five weeks."
As gamers, we often lament sequels and covet original titles like Katamari Damacy, yet titles like
Half-Life 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 consistently rate highly and sell higher - Katamari fans
themselves demanded a sequel.
There should be a balance, but with the amount of time it takes to develop AAA titles, publishers fear
anything that isn't a proven formula. We should look to solutions like engine-licensing - the kind on display in
ex-Bungie member's offbeat title Stubbs the Zombie - to play some role in reducing costs and rewarding
creativity.
