Why is the new Thief game called a Thief game?

It doesn't even remotely resemble any of the previous games in the series.

Why do they bother calling it a Thief game?

It looks awful, but that's not the point. Deadly Shadows wasn't very good, but at least it WAS a Thief game. The setting, characters, story, and art style were very Thief. Even if that game was awful (and it wasn't), it still bore the Thief name accurately.

Why call this new one a Thief game?

It isn't brand awareness. Nobody who liked the old Thief games wants to play this game. It's not a popular, recognizable brand.

Here's my theory: They're just bad people. They take delight in seeing old franchises that were great be ruined in the most insulting way possible. They're sadists who want to cross a line.

It's just marketing. Literally nobody would be talking about this game at all if it was a new IP. At least now they have some people following it.

It's like when they turn old strategy franchises into shitty FPS. You're much better off calling it XCOM: the Bureau than just The Bureau from a marketing standpoint, even though nobody ever asked for a XCOM FPS.

@ReddestSkies: So their approach to marketing is to make sure that everyone is good and mad at how much of a disgrace it will be to a good franchise?

Dishonored was a new IP and it did just fine, and it was the same sort of thing; stealth based fantasy game in a similar setting.

It's made by Eidos and published by Square Enix. Both of these companies have a history of milking franchises. Isn't Square working on a game called FINAL Fantasy 13-3? I'm sure the name choice went like this:

Eidos guy: Hey Square, we want to make a new stealth game, wanna publish it?

Square guy: Sure, but first, we need to figure out in which franchise to put it.

Eidos guy: Well 15 years ago we had this stealth franchise that a lot of people liked.

Square guy: That's it! Call it a reboot or something.

Well, i disagree from what have been shown it looks a lot like a Thief game as any previous ones, graphics could be better but isent that always the case.

So are you just complaining to complain? because it sure seems like it.

Same reason Konami calls the Lord of Shadows games Castlevania, I imagine. Also the same reason the FFXIII games are called Final Fantasy, despite not being much of a Final Fantasy game series at all. (a moogle does not a FF make) Hell, Bravely Default has got far more of a right to be called a Final Fantasy than anything SE has done lately.

I have to agree here. If you want to have a serious discussion about this, then at least give some arguments why this game isn't a Thief game. Or maybe you could be clearer about what you think constitutes a Thief game. Now it just seems like all you want to do is rage...

But hey, I understand your suspicion... there have been plenty of questionable franchise continuations, and since the last Thief game was released 9 years ago (and wasn't even considered the best one) I doubt this one is going to be the same as its predecessors. But the developers probably sincerely think they kept the Thief spirit alive. But that is of course open for debate.

Really? Thief isn't a recognizable brand? Could have fooled me. Anyone who's been a gamer for any period of time knows of the Thief franchise.

While the Thief franchise isn't exactly a household, it was decently popular back in the day and had a strong following of fans. They probably figure that the remains of this following will help hype up other games by talking about how much they liked the old games, and how they would want to play the new one.

I suppose I'm one of the few who's really looking forward to this game, think it looks fine in the vids, and yes......I've played every Thief from the very first. I don't get the hate.

Same here I think the game looks awesome and it's one of my most anticipated releases.

Then ill join you as one of the few, tho i must admit that hearing Giantbombs Patrick explain how what he has played has been disappointing, makes me a bit worried.

But so far from what i have seen in demo´s gameplay videos with the devs, and screenshots it looks like a Thief Game anno 2014