Are Annual Franchise Releases on Their Way Out?

Sure, CoD isn't going anywhere just yet, and there will always be the sports updates. But in the last few years we saw Need for Speed slow its release pace, and Ubisoft is giving Assassins Creed and Far Cry the year off. EA tried to make Battlefield annual, but Hardline wasn't that well received and they seem to have backed off the idea. What do you think? Is this just a bump in the road, or is bi-annual the new annual?

I'm glad AC is being put on hold. In general I've really enjoyed the series, but once every two years would only improve the games.

I hope so. Games that take longer may not be guaranteed to be better by default, but it certainly gives them a better shot at it. I love Syndicate, but it was barely enough to recapture my interest in the franchise, so I'm glad they're slowing things down.

Crap games are on the way out not annual releases.

When you make crap game upon crap , people stop buying into the BS and talk with their wallets.

It´s that simple.

This right here, I didn't enjoy Syndicate but its nice to see them slow things down. When you flood the market with the same stuff people get burn out, and I don't think it really gives them to the change up what was wrong with the previous games. I'd be okay with Bi-Annual titles but yearly is getting old.

No. Some will still go on because they have both the fan base and the developer support to maintain its quality. The Call of Duty games are one example that can do this.

Instead of an actual yearly release, how about a suitable DLC offering that can use the original game while adding something to it? With the football games, is a new $59.99 (and higher) release needed when a proper DLC package can make the needed alteration to the game from the following year? Games are "special" and although that might not be the correct word, a franchise/sequel loses something when one is released every year.