Would it be so terrible if DkS2 is terrible?

@Paperclips: No no no, you've got it all wrong. Long-term profitability is viable if and only if you're consistently providing a genuinely great product, service or experience. Understanding the source of long-term profit is just as important as making it.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Individual differences mean one individuals great experience is anothers nightmare. So a brand has to meet to needs of a large market to survive. Eg. COD, Skyrim...
I think that at the moment DkS is too niche. If the changes made in DkS2 are more appealing then maybe it'll take off.
I think that you have to meet the needs of the market to have a viable product. Though what this means for the future of the franchise...?

GodOfPaperclips wrote:I don't think that's necessarily true. Individual differences mean one individuals great experience is anothers nightmare.

Did you play Steel Battalion?

So a brand has to meet to needs of a large market to survive. Eg. COD, Skyrim...

Nope. The vast majority of very profitable products are those that appeal to a very narrow segment of the population. Also, you're not thinking long-term enough; those games are built upon the success of their very good, revolutionary predecessors like the original Modern Warfare and Morrowind. Finally, it should be pointed out that Black Ops 2 was not profitable for a lot of retailers.

I think that at the moment DkS is too niche. If the changes made in DkS2 are more appealing then maybe it'll take off.

The Souls franchise has already taken off. Dark Souls sold over 1m units. It's not only one of From's biggest titles, it's one of Namco's biggest titles.

I think that you have to meet the needs of the market to have a viable product. Though what this means for the future of the franchise...?

The needs of the market have been met, which is why the Souls franchise is already so viable.


My original point was simply that mass appeal =/= long-term profitability, and I stand by that statement.

All very good points.

I never play steel battalion. How's that relevant?

I'm not denying DkS is popular. I was trying to point out that it is one of the very popular and innovative predecessors which the franchise will be built upon.

In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, DkS2 will represent a test for the viability of the franchise in the long term; twining the 'hardcore' fan base with a new fan base brought in through greater accessibility.

To expand a franchise you have to bring in more consumers. To me that means meeting the needs of a broader audience. 1m units may have been sold, but how many landed in the pre-owned section a week later. DkS may have gained alot of praise but it got just as much flack for its 'difficulty'.

That's just my opinion, and I really do appreciate yours. It's really engaging.

Dark Souls 2 will be amazing. Which in return will induce a lot of phone calls to my mother asking her, "Can you watch the boys for 3 or 4 hours??? I have to work late tonight...AGAIN!"

shhhhhhhh........

Of course it would be terrible! Imagine waiting even more years for another Souls game, having only the supposedly bad DsK2 to fill the gap, I would go hollow before it was even released!

Coming back to this, the point of it being bad as a positive thing.. I'd say that it being even better would bring out this positive even more so.

Rather than give us a reference point, how about simpluy raising the bar for games, cus lets be honest, what passes as a 'quality' game nowadays is a complete joke. Rehashes of the same game score 8-9/10s and games with enough glitches to write a phonebook get game of the year, it's unacceptable really and i don't know why we put up with it.

Give us back a healthy self challenging industry please, rather than the fat cat max profit/minimum effort ideal that's too popular right now.

Serious_Much wrote:Coming back to this, the point of it being bad as a positive thing.. I'd say that it being even better would bring out this positive even more so.

Rather than give us a reference point, how about simpluy raising the bar for games, cus lets be honest, what passes as a 'quality' game nowadays is a complete joke. Rehashes of the same game score 8-9/10s and games with enough glitches to write a phonebook get game of the year, it's unacceptable really and i don't know why we put up with it.

Give us back a healthy self challenging industry please, rather than the fat cat max profit/minimum effort ideal that's too popular right now.

Couldnt agree more man, we need some kinda of revolution in the gaming franchise, this generation became a joke, its too much of the same, only a handful few dare go in a different route...and most of them dont even come back....