EA: ‘Sequels are dull and threaten the industry’

[VG Aficionado]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6295&Itemid=2

"For the most part, the industry has been rinse-and-repeat," he said. "There's been lots of product that looked like last year's product, that looked a lot like the year before."

"We're boring people to death and making games that are harder and harder to play," he added.Well, at least they'll admit it. Comic relief anyone?

[Fats]

Is this for real? What the fuck?

[Zeep]

wow, what? EA hates sequels?

[<3frosty]

uhhhhhh, wtf just happened. How is it that EA has suddenly become one of my favorite developers? :|

[D3adcell]

It's good that they say that, and its true, but will they actually go with more new IP's instead of creating sequel after sequel? You know they now have Rockband and Army of Two, but you know that those games are going to both have sequels possibly more then one.

I kind of like that with the wii if someone tries to put a sequel on it they at least kind of have to add new game play elements to utilize the wiimote.

[Lucent Beam]

Ha, I love that they said that.
Especially that they are boring people to death.
I think they'll have a hard time moving away from sequels, though, because people buy them from EA. I don't think it's threatening the industry as long as new stuff is coming out too. Those games are being made because there's a market for those games and EA would be silly to pull the plug on that market and I'm sure they know that.


This sounds like what people use as defense of Nintendo's sequels, etc (which I agree with):

...although Riccitiello did state that sequels were ok if they were more innovative than previous iterations.

[Phoenix]

It's lame when people name their internet identities after mythical creatures. It just bores everyone when they can't come up with a different name.

[Viper]

Interesting coming from EA. They've really changed since last gen already....at least in some aspects they have.

[Blaksmoke]

How nice of them to finally admit what I'm sure they've known for the past 5 years.

[Carlos]

Hypocrities. They've done sequels so many times it isn't even funny...so why stop now?

[woundingchaney]

I cant speak for everyone but I personally enjoy sequels in games much as I do in movies and books. It is simply the fine line between refreshing and redundant that destroys so many strong titles. I would essentially agree with what is stated although I dont feel as if that is how "sequels" must develop.

[Carlos]

Some sequels are good, some are bad.

The ones that are bad were developed by "money bankers," you can call them risk takers.

But the good ones are the ones developed by those good developers with a track record.

EA falls in between those two. They have a balance between sucky games, and good games through buyouts of good studios, and paying those staff members who make the really good IP's.

[Coded-Dude]

does this mean army of two will not get a sequel...? :shrug:

[Blaksmoke]

I know this isn't related to EA, but if Banjo-Kazooie 3 ends up sucking I'm going to freak the fock out. And I don't even have a 360.

[Gaul]

I cant speak for everyone but I personally enjoy sequels in games much as I do in movies and books. It is simply the fine line between refreshing and redundant that destroys so many strong titles. I would essentially agree with what is stated although I dont feel as if that is how "sequels" must develop.

I agree. If i enjoy a game enough, i sure as hell would like to see a sequel to it.

The thing thats bad for the industry is BAD sequels. if your going to make a sequel to a game, it should be one thats worth making a sequel to, and it should be a GOOD sequel. one that we would enjoy playing. Not devil may cry 2.

[Phoenix]

I know this isn't related to EA, but if Banjo-Kazooie 3 ends up sucking I'm going to freak the fock out. And I don't even have a 360.Prepare to freak. But if it ends up being awesome, it may actually be the final straw and I'll have to go out and buy a 360.

[koten]

This news comes hot on the heels of the announcement of Madden 08

[The Dude]

The problem is that gamers buy sequals not original titles, lets get a quick show of hands here. How many of you picked up Metal Gear Solid 2, Resident Evil 4, Zelda: Twilight Princess or Final Fantasy VXIVIXVIX? Now how many of you picked up Viewtiful Joe, Eternal Darkness, Psyconauts, or Beyond Good and Evil? I'm going to bet the first group of games will come out the winner.



The problem isnt that they are making sequals, the problem is that we are buying them.

[<3frosty]

However, the sequels that threaten the industry arent the ones you posted. Those were quality titles (i dont know which Final Fantasy you are talking about since you clearly didnt care to give an actual number).

The ones he is talking about are Devil May Cry 2, Super Monkey Ball Wii, etc. Madden in particular pisses me off for the most part, as they rarely make great leaps.

[The Dude]

However, the sequels that threaten the industry arent the ones you posted. Those were quality titles (i dont know which Final Fantasy you are talking about since you clearly didnt care to give an actual number).

The ones he is talking about are Devil May Cry 2, Super Monkey Ball Wii, etc. Madden in particular pisses me off for the most part, as they rarely make great leaps.

I don't think it matters if it's a quality title or not. Metal Gear, Zelda, and (for the most part) Resident Evil have kept their core gameplay while innovating at a very slow pace. On the other hand we have games like Pikmin and ICO that really push gameplay but don't sell nearly as well as the BIG names.

I think this holiday season I'm going to skip the big titles and only pick up the games that are left in the shadows of the Halos and Smash bros for a change

[masonite]

Final fantasy is probably one of the worst examples, as they aren't true sequels - in every one they try and do something different, and is probably one of the best examples of the CORRECT way to use a namesake - use it to make people try different things.

Zelda and in particular MGS are obviously games designed to have a sequel - the game doesn't finish and then all of a sudden "so-and-so didnt really die, he just pretended to" and bang theres a sequel...

Sports games are quite possibly the biggest offenders, and EA owns most sport franchises. Perhaps the advent of patches and online updates means that EA can no longer fob people off with the same shit but different rosters/liveries/teams?

These comments from EA seem to me to be saying "We've made a whole lot of money out of shitty sequels, now that we're going to be doing something different, lets drag that concept into the open, shit on it and burn it so everyone else who might try it won't be successful." Its the video game equivalent of destroying a village after using it for cover, so no-one else can.

[<3frosty]

I don't think it matters if it's a quality title or not. Metal Gear, Zelda, and (for the most part) Resident Evil have kept their core gameplay while innovating at a very slow pace. On the other hand we have games like Pikmin and ICO that really push gameplay but don't sell nearly as well as the BIG names.

I think this holiday season I'm going to skip the big titles and only pick up the games that are left in the shadows of the Halos and Smash bros for a change

Zelda made the jump to full 3d, and Resident Evil 4 was SOOOOOOOOOOO much better then anything that came before it.
Yes, they innovated at a slow pace, but they also have made change and continued to be quality titles. Obviously, you cant always completely be something new when you are a FPS or 3RD Person Shooter... Pikmin did sell well though, it was one of the hot titles on the GCN.


I do agree though, i am going to buy some titles that arent as well known this year.

[Phoenix]

A good game is a good game and that's all there is to it. There's nothing inherently wrong with sequels. They only tend to be uninnovative and of lower quality than what they are based off of. If someone can make a sequel that is neither of these things, who can blame them?

[TheGreenElf]

I've loved EA for quite awhile. They have been the only company to really give me anything worth playing on my Wii.

[koten]

I actually have rented the Godfather Blackhand edition... making it the first EA game I have played in 4 years...

I'm actually considering buying it... which would make it the first EA game I would own... ever.

[TheGreenElf]

SSX Blur, Godfather, Madden 07 (and definitely 08), MOH: Vanguard (pretty good, but nothing fresh), Fifa 08, possibly Boogie, and Harry Potter: OotP (great on Wii) are just a few of the reasons I love them.