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Brendan
19 Nov, 2008

Rare man doesn't like industry sequel mentality

PALGN News | "We'll never really attract any new audiences from doing that."
Rare studio manager Mark Betteridge has expressed his displeasure with the sequel mentality of the games industry, believeing that it is stagnating the growth of the market.

"The trouble with the business now is that we've got this sort of hamster-wheel mentality," said Betteridge in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. "If you look at the chart you'll see a lot of sequels in there, and people re-spinning those ideas for new sequels as fast as possible for next year."

Betteridge believes that the constant rehashing of existing intellectual property, while retaining old fans, won't attract new players who were never interested in the first place.

"We'll never really attract any new audiences from doing that, and that's my problem with it. The box comes down cheaper, we'll get a few more people who were waiting on the sidelines, but the lady that showed us to our table today - I bet she's not got a 360, and has no intention of buying one. So to me, games are still somewhat of a niche experience compared with music, television and most art forms."

He does have some possible solutions to this problem though. He cites the price point as an obvious way to encourage more people to videogames.

"Price point is key when you come through these first two transitions of content - you'll get the early-adopters that will buy anything to play the latest games. You'll get people who will upgrade their PCs to play the latest titles too, but that's a limited number. Then you'll get a lot more people who would really like one, but don't feel they can justify a certain amount, and they're the people that have been coming in through the last 12-18 months."

Bettridge also states that he feels the industry needs to take a fresh look at how they can implement existing technology in a new way, rather than just continue doing the same thing but with better graphics.

"I think the industry is sometimes too insular in thinking that people want the best graphics, they want this, they want that," stated Bettridge. "Whereas something like Wii has shown that it's not just graphics that new players want. So it's expanding what entertainment can be, because there's no doubt that the Xbox 360 is a very capable piece of hardware in terms of processing and rendering, the bandwidth of the Live network - in essence you've got a very powerful processing box that's connected, millions of people connected together.

"But you look at it through the games industry's eyes and it's all about squad-based shooting games - whereas you could look at it from a PC point of view and something like Facebook, it's just a framework to link people together and post photos and messages. But look at the community aspect around that - it's about expanding what games can be, and I think that's what we're most excited about, rather than fighting in genres that everybody is already fighting about."

"To me it's price point, interface, content. They're the three pillars I suppose," he added.

Rare's new entry into the Banjo-Kazooie series, Nuts & Bolts, will be released on the Xbox 360 in Australia tomorrow.

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16 Comments
3 years ago
It's sad that most publishers will can any projects that aren't already part of, or that won't spawn a new franchise. Blizzard-Activision reportedly canned a bunch of projects (who are now looking for new publishers) just because they were too ambitious/different and might not have been sequel-worthy.

It's kind of sad, really =/
3 years ago
rufati wrote
It's sad that most publishers will can any projects that aren't already part of, or that won't spawn a new franchise. Blizzard-Activision reportedly canned a bunch of projects (who are now looking for new publishers) just because they were too ambitious/different and might not have been sequel-worthy.

It's kind of sad, really =/
Blizzard or Activision? Cause if it was blizzard then they probbably wern't any good.
3 years ago
Quote
He does have some possible solutions to this problem though.
ah Yeah, like release a sequel, i mean it's not like rare ever released a sequel to anything icon_eek.gif
3 years ago
so basically, create new ips to hook new customers, and what? completely abandon the original market who supported the industry in the first place?
Hey rare, how about instead of criticizing publishers release decisions, i dont know, release something of your own? ive seen how utterly bad nuts and bolts is and i think that a poor game is WAY more detrimental to the industry. Especially during a time like this season, when there are so many great games available, that a 'new' customer may pick up banjo kazooie and base their future gaming perceptions on that junk. (i weep for what banjo once was). i can only hope that rare declares bankruptcy and has to sell their rights to goldeneye to nintendo.
3 years ago
stick_theory wrote
so basically, create new ips to hook new customers, and what? completely abandon the original market who supported the industry in the first place?
Isn't that basically what nintendo have done? or that's what i've gathered from hearing how they've constantly let the hardcore go and aimed towards casual.
3 years ago
Fetidchimp wrote
Quote
He does have some possible solutions to this problem though.
ah Yeah, like release a sequel, i mean it's not like rare ever released good a sequel to anything icon_eek.gif
There, fixed that for ya icon_smile.gif
3 years ago
Read between the lines. His displeasure is clearly with Rare as well.

And I completely agree with his sentiments - he isn't arguing against quality sequels, he's arguing against cash cows. The difference there is quality - whether the game is made as both a tribute and extension of its predecessor, or whether it's just a way to make quick money, regardless of what it does to the name of the series.

But most of all, I believe that games really are being forced into a niche right now, due to factors of finance and fanboyism. The everyday shooter mentality is there, and we are missing out on the vast potentials that games offer. Lack of ambition and creativity have really limited what games can do; sure, games like Mirrors Edge have pushed the envelope, but so what? It's a FPS with a new control scheme.

We need to reconsider what makes games great. For many people, it's fun, but hey, what does "fun" even mean? I spent lots of time in Portal getting mad about not being able to solve challenges (though the relief of finally getting past them was awesome), but I had "fun" the entire time - partly I suppose because of the entire Artificial Intelligence subtext.

Give me more games that tell a REAL story. Give me games that are built around a message. Give me games that have meaning. Give me games that go beyond the mediocre world of child's play, and actually engage this rotting brain and make it start to move in new, wondrous ways. Games can do that. Give me games that make me think.

----

Of course, it's a two-sided story. Gamers have been notoriously lazy at picking up what meaning is already there. How many people have played Team Fortress 2 and though about the rampant stereotyping? Who played Fallout 3 and thought to themselves "God, this might actually happen if we aren't careful!"? How about learning from the Post-Colonialist overtones of Age of Empires? Why, when political games are mentioned, does everyone look at monstrosities like America's Army and not at the emotionally jarring nuclear bombing in Call of Duty 4?

Until gamers start demanding more mature, more thoughtful, more meaningful games, we can expect the same old crap that is delivered every 12-18 months with a facelift. Unfortunately, we cast our votes on forums with words, rather than with our wallets, so this cry for real games is seldom heard by those that could make a difference. I truly hope that one day I (as an aspiring game developer) can create something for gamers which carries the weight and depth that we deserve, something that can proudly be called art.
3 years ago
I disagree that sequels dont attract a new audience. I never played a MGS game before - but the hype and great reviews of MGS4 were so good that I wanted to be apart of it. I bought it- and loved it.. now I want to go back and play the old ones to see what i missed out on.

I bought COD4 - not only because it was a sequel, but moreso because just how good the game looked (it was very different to the older ones). But the old games had good hype about them.

Sequals are not just because developers want more $$$ (even though im sure its a reason).. but gamers ask for it. Look at GTA - now who DOESNT want another GTA?
3 years ago
Benza wrote
Blizzard or Activision? Cause if it was blizzard then they probbably wern't any good.
They're merged now, aren't they? Anyway some of the games dropped were being published by Vivendi at the time (I'm not too sure) and included things like GhostBusters, and Brutal Legend to name a few. And I think it may have been the Activision side of it. Not too sure on how all that works o_O.

sedated_experiment wrote
Look at GTA - now who DOESNT want another GTA?
I don't. GTAIV was my first entry into the series and it was wholly underwhelming. The problem with sequels is that sometimes an average game will be pumped out under the branding of something awesome (like the GTA name) just for the sake of doing so (and to make $$).

Then again, with the poor response to games like Banjo-Kazooie:N&B even though it's an alright game, why would any developer want to try something new and be shunned for it?
3 years ago
ittekimasu wrote
stick_theory wrote
so basically, create new ips to hook new customers, and what? completely abandon the original market who supported the industry in the first place?
Isn't that basically what nintendo have done? or that's what i've gathered from hearing how they've constantly let the hardcore go and aimed towards casual.
Well if they stopped making absolutely excellent games like Mario Galaxy then I'd be bitching about it, but because their sequals generally improve and inovat, I've nothing to complain about.
3 years ago
rufati wrote
Benza wrote
Blizzard or Activision? Cause if it was blizzard then they probbably wern't any good.
They're merged now, aren't they? Anyway some of the games dropped were being published by Vivendi at the time (I'm not too sure) and included things like GhostBusters, and Brutal Legend to name a few. And I think it may have been the Activision side of it. Not too sure on how all that works o_O.
Blizzard still run entirley indipendently of Actavision. They are a develop the game that they publish (Ones that come with blizzard before them) the games that were cancelled wern't blizzard games, they were games being produced by completly seperate companies that were then going to be published by Vivendi. For example Brutal Legend is being developed by Doublefine productions.

So basicly they're two completly seperatley run companies that just pool all there money together at the end of the day (How seperatley run is for debate to blizzard fanboys who bitch and moan that activison are ruining the company, but they're mostly bitter psychotics who need to get out more.)
3 years ago
ittekimasu wrote
stick_theory wrote
so basically, create new ips to hook new customers, and what? completely abandon the original market who supported the industry in the first place?
Isn't that basically what nintendo have done? or that's what i've gathered from hearing how they've constantly let the hardcore go and aimed towards casual.
o, haha, touche, i didnt really think about it, except i am always annoyed whenever i walk into the wii aisle of any game vendor.
3 years ago
Darunia wrote
Well if they stopped making absolutely excellent games like Mario Galaxy then I'd be bitching about it, but because their sequals generally improve and inovat, I've nothing to complain about.
Galaxy is really an exception to that rule where gravity and spherical worlds come into it. Impart from that it is Mario 64 with Wii controls... and it was brilliant no doubt.

Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 3 impart from some added on Wii controls doesn't really mess with past formula and stick to what works and I ask you... how would the fanboys react if TP turned out to be totally different? I know I would kick up a stink if they ruined Zelda!

Nintendo usually does very well with their franchises, and what do people want from Nintendo? They want more sequels, they want another Zelda, they want Kid Icarus 3, Punch Out 2, Starfox

Rare has made a habit of ruining their franchises. Perfect Dark Zero and the Conquers remake were terrible, Banjo Nuts n Bolts have been getting shocking reviews and I am thinking whats next?

Sega has been guilty of the same thing which really pains me as a Sega fanboy from the 90's. They have ruined Golden Axe and NiGHTS this gen, last gen they ruined Shinobi and Altered Beast last gen and just look at what they have done to poor old Sonic icon_cry.gif

That being said both Rare and Sega have found some success, the Sonic handhelds have been OK, Virtua Fighter and Sega Rally have evolved very nicely over the years and Viva Pinata has been popular amongst kids giving hope for Microsoft outside the core audience.

Sequels are not so much what I have issues with, yearly updated franchises are what I have a problem with. Worldwide the most famous ones are sports games, last years game with slight visual bump and updated roster. Dont know how you guys like World at War but I felt it was a major step back after Modern Warfare, the Guitar Hero franchise is huge yet hasn't innovated since the first game (except for that terrible music creator) now they have gone online and ripped off Rock Band they dont need more sequels, just release new songs online and thats it. That did seem to be where Rock Band was headed but now they seem to be guilty of this too.
3 years ago
1st week numbers on BK NB are shocking. 20,000 in territory outside Japan and US. Dk what countries but seems as though innovation was one of the problems.
3 years ago
Honestly I'd prefer to see a game try something new and fail misserably then go for the same old **** again.
3 years ago
I understand what he saying but I think he is being defensive about Rare's latest offering and probably the recent outings.

Sequels serve a purpose because extends a franchise. Its up to the developer and the publisher to guarantee a quality experience. I don't believe developers / publishers go out of their way to destroy a franchise. It doesn't make sense but it can happen. Tomb Raider is fine example where they had to give it back to Crystal Dynamics.

In regards to Nintendo as a more of hard core gamer I think the Wii serves a purpose. But I will argue casual gaming doesn't help me in any way.
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