Topic: "The Dragon Returns" - Castlevania Lords of Shadow Sequel (HERE BE SPOILER INFO)

[e105beta]

It's the safe mentality. When you're investing millions of dollars into game development, it's not exactly a safe bet to invest into the series that just bombed when you have much more profitable avenues.

I wouldn't plan on this bombing, though. LoS did great and this only looks better.

[A-Yty]

Anyone else rooting for this game to bomb?  If the sales are bad enough we may get a new direction for the series.

I'm indifferent to its success. But that's because I seriously doubt bombing would make Konami re-evaluate Castlevania and start treating it how it deserves to be treated. They've let Silent Hill crash and burn years ago. Castlevania might be on the road of becoming something to pass around and let constantly changing average-at-best developers take a shot at it and ride its name. All they really seem to have steam and interest in is MGS. And if Kojima had not managed to intergrate himself to its success so strongly, the main series would meet the same fate as Rising.

[Nagumo]

I think we will get a new direction one way or another. Maybe I'm too naive, but I have a hard time imagining the next team who will work on the series wouldn't attempt at least a little bit too bring it back to it's original aesthetics and what made it charming in the first place.

[Intersection]

Hey, we're talking Castlevania here. We don't all love LoS, but that's a very poor reason to hope for it to fail. Believe me -- if LoS2 bombs, then we're all done for.

Castlevania should be changing direction no matter what. Cox's been clear about the end of LoS's life span; the series shouldn't be staying in place much longer. So there's absolutely no reason to be so defeatist.
Now, of course, if the next CV does turn out to be a LoS spin-off, then it'll be a whole different story...

Here comes another LoS2 movie poster, the first of the fan art ones

(click to show/hide)

Cool art.
Though I'm in the dark as to why we're having "Vistas Zobek"...

[A-Yty]

All a review can ever really be is an opinion anyways, so what's the big deal? I never read reviews expecting to get solid facts. I read them to get opinions. I thought that's what the purpose of a review was. Unless the reviewer is talking about a bug in the game, or something about the gameplay mechanics, story, or music, then you are getting an opinion.

We're talking about an interview, not a review.

[Kingshango]

Anyone else rooting for this game to bomb?  If the sales are bad enough we may get a new direction for the series.

I don't think it works like that dude.

[DragonSlayr81]

It's the safe mentality. When you're investing millions of dollars into game development, it's not exactly a safe bet to invest into the series that just bombed when you have much more profitable avenues.

I wouldn't plan on this bombing, though. LoS did great and this only looks better.

The problem I have is, usually, the companies push the blame on the fans/consumers. "Oh, it's not OUR fault! YOU people obviously didn't support it enough! YOU are the reason we aren't making any of those games anymore!". Some cases, I can buy it that fan support has waned. But, I call bullshit if those accounts in making a certain game fails because of devoloper bullshit. If you make a new installment of a beloved franchise and it plays terribly, it's not the fan's/audiences' fault they don't want that piece of shit. Hell, it doens't even have to play like shit, it could just be wearing a idea thin with little to no innovation. They won't identify that it's their own fault for this. No, it's passed on to the fanbase("Hey, I guess the fans aren't around anymore! They are bored of the series, so..."). Developers, for what ever bonehead decisions they make, should be held accountable for the games they make. Especially when it comes to franchises that were at one point accept and hailed as being good.

 Companies would do anything to save face, even by resorting to that. Of course, don't think I'm talking about LoS. I might not care for the games, but I don't believe it fits under THIS example. 

[Maedhros]

It's the safe mentality. When you're investing millions of dollars into game development, it's not exactly a safe bet to invest into the series that just bombed when you have much more profitable avenues.

I wouldn't plan on this bombing, though. LoS did great and this only looks better.

Don't worry, it WILL bomb (as in much less than what they were expecting). Lots of reasons why, the main one being that the first was divisive enough, which means that not everyone that bought the first will get it again.

It'll sell good enough though.

And considering the game has 0 marketing and hype besides the fanboys and internet dwellers...

[shelverton.]

Don't worry, it WILL bomb (as in much less than what they were expecting). Lots of reasons why, the main one being that the first was divisive enough, which means that not everyone that bought the first will get it again.

It'll sell good enough though.

And considering the game has 0 marketing and hype besides the fanboys and internet dwellers...

Yeah, I don't see it selling over a million copies (PS3/360 combined) like the last game. I predict 500 000 copies total. Like you said, not everyone who bought the first game will buy this, and those who didn't get LoS1 will probably not jump in for the sequel. Well, some will, but I don't see many people doing that. This is, after all, not GTA or Assassin's Creed. Sequels generally don't perform as well as the first game.

On top of that, one might wonder if releasing Mirror of Fate on consoles is such a great idea. Modern gamers, unfamiliar with the LoS saga might try it and decide that LoS is not for them (even if they would potentially like LoS2 much better. They would write the series off as a rough-looking 2D platformer and not give LoS2 a chance.)

I am personally more interested in LoS2 than either of the previous two games, but I don't see it sell a lot. I don't see reviews being great either. Possibly in the 6.5-7.5 range at best.

Though I know absolutely nothing about this. Just speculating for lack of better things to do.

[e105beta]

Don't worry, it WILL bomb (as in much less than what they were expecting). Lots of reasons why, the main one being that the first was divisive enough, which means that not everyone that bought the first will get it again.

It'll sell good enough though.

And considering the game has 0 marketing and hype besides the fanboys and internet dwellers...

The first one wasn't as divisive as some people like to think. It's just divisive among people who frequent Castlevania forums, ignoring all of the mainstream appeal it gained. Also, I don't see how you can say it has 0 marketing and hype considering how much more hyped its been getting than LoS...

[Neobelmont]

los in japan got commercials...... why did los not get commercials over here in the west? That baffles me 

[Shiroi Koumori]

Konami might be trying too hard to appeal to the Japanese gamers who are not that much into Castlevania.

[Maedhros]

The first one wasn't as divisive as some people like to think. It's just divisive among people who frequent Castlevania forums, ignoring all of the mainstream appeal it gained. Also, I don't see how you can say it has 0 marketing and hype considering how much more hyped its been getting than LoS...

Read one topic about LoS on Neogaf or Reddit or any gaming portal commentary section and you'll see if I'm wrong...

[Ahasverus]

Nah it wasn't that divisive, it's the usual anti los defense force that is very vocal, like tomb raider haters. It's not a DmC case where fans were really offended by heart, most of us did just fine.

[Rugal]

It won't bomb, but it won't be very good either. You seriously can't expect too much from a compulsive liar. The only ones that really absolutely adore LoS are people that don't have the best tastes in action games, or just haven't played any of the many better ones out there.

As for Cox saying he wants to end his series of Castlevania.. Again, compulsive lying. How much of that can we really take as truth?