Resurrecting Old Franchises

I was thinking about dormant properties like SOCOM for example, where there is still a desire, can they have a successful reintroduction? From a personal standpoint, I would it to have the DNA from 1&2, but someone that came to the series later would likely have a different idea of what the should be. So what do you do? Picking one or the other is likely to alienate a decent swath or your fan base, but could possibly be offset with new inductees to the franchise. Or do you pivot, and instead make a new IP that is similar enough to scratch the itch, but not enough to piss off the purists?

Speaking specifically about SOCOM, I would love if used the Battlefront engine, but with none of the perks or cards, or any of that nonsense. Just a solid game with one-life matches, real weapons and gear, no crazy gadgets or abilities, etc. But honestly, I have so little faith in modern gaming that I'm not sure that would work anymore, or that these companies have the will to make a game that isn't a service based cash machine.

I THOUGHT RE2R did a good job, but this video has me questioning that. I came into this video expecting to hate it, but she makes some solid arguments.

Clearly some games can be successful resurrected, but is it the property, the new effort, or the combination of both? Are there certain games that are too far removed, or do they just need modern DNA?

Sega just announced multiple IPs from the Dreamcast era and before are getting new games. Such as Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.

I really hope they do well, would love to see the return of AA games from Big AAA publishers. Let some smaller teams in big companies make some games and try new things

I think there's a place for resurrecting old franchises. Just look at Streets of Rage 4 or the Tony Hawk 1 + 2 remake. The developers of those games took old concepts and gave them a fresh twist. If it's possible for those franchises, it's entirely possible for other developers to do the same thing. Maybe a Guitar Hero or Rock Band reboot would be nice.

@Star67: I hope they succeed as well. I've said before that it would be cool if instead of a super high production $200 million dollar game, they instead resurrect five $40 million dollar classics. And here we are.

I just don't really care about giant productions anymore. I want giant ideas, with great gameplay.

@dracula_16: Yeah, it seems like making something fresh but familiar is the key.

But then there are some like Shadow of the Beast that didn't work. It's some Amiga game that I had never heard of, so was it too obscure, a bad remake, or both?

Seeing the bad press around the newest cod, as well as it's tired formula makes me think there is room for a new SOCOM, or something similar. But wasn't that the rumor a while back, that they cut a SOCOM reboot?

Socom will happen. We gotta keep hope alive!!

One of the few highlights from The VGA's for me was Sega updating their older franchises. Big fan of that.

A bit baffled by a project IGI Origins whatever that is, I remember the original as a fun shooter in its time but nothing that needs remaking, rebooting or whatever. I mean, they could have just made a modern FPS by any other name no need to drag an old IP out of retirement there unless the only thing it has to go on is the name.

Some other shovelware use of old IP upset me. Fear Effect had potential, not sure why they made that cruddy Fear Effect Sedna game. Flashback got an equal treatment with Flashback 2, which I find sort of funny they'd even call it that when technically that's what Fade To Black was.

Some reason people be nuts about a Beyond Good And Evil sequel, and though I enjoyed the original game in its day, I have no desire to want a sequel so bad I'd act like a petulant child about the lack of any progress there.

Some franchises that I’d like to see resurrected are:

- Dino Crisis

- Onimusha

- Breath of Fire

- Contra

- Castlevania

- Darkstalkers

- Chrono Trigger/Cross

- Final Fight

This is why I'd like to see more AAA publishers establish "pilot developers" or allow talented, proven developers to work on passion projects and stuff like that.

I feel like there is a big demand not just for the next big game or the next installment of an established franchise (like Assassin's Creed or Battlefield or whatever), but for more one-and-done type games. Concise 10-20 hours adventures.

Set up small developers within the larger developer and allow them some modest resources and time to chip away at games. They don't need to be anything amazing, but you know...fun! Not everything has to be a "banger".

@mrbojangles25: I do miss some good old fashion fun.

Galerians would be another franchise I'd like to see come back.

Baldurs Gate 3 just successfully revived a series that hasn't (really) had a sequel in 22 years, so it's definitely possible for developers to take a dead IP, update it, and win every award ever.

There is so much good shit from Sony. Its insane that they're not doing anything with it. But there's also Metroid that is completely abandoned, Conker, Perfect Dark, Get Force Gemini and Banjo that are dead, and its a shame.

New Crazy Taxi looks pretty half-assed and confused. If it fails, that will be why. Jet Set Radio just appears to be a remake. A lazy one, judging from those low-polygon trees.

Oh I agree with this 100 percent.

I would prefer to get new stuff. I don't trust any modern developer to catch the magic of the old games. I would be ecstatic for a new TimeSplitters, for example. But I have no trust in modern developers to make a TimeSplitters the way they did before, so I'd rather not have them try. The focus wouldn't be on "how do we make the coolest, best TimeSplitters yet?". It would be more "how do we modernize TimeSplitters, and where do we squeeze in the microtransactions?"

Not much of a point in resurrecting a beloved old franchise when 100% of the people who worked on it are gone.

@Litchie: that's a fair point

This.

One of the few times I agree with this clown...100% true

Don't get it mistaken, i am knowledgeable, and know what i am talking about.

stfu lol

What the hell

Even if an old franchise isn't resurrected, there are so many homages out there that you can probably find something similar.

Speaking of SEGA I would like to see more Outrun, Galaxy Force, Space Harrier, Sega Rally, Shining, and campaign mode Phantasy Star.

metroid is soo dread. it was in it's prime a long time ago echoes the whole internet. the corruption of AAA devs is why samus never returns. If she did there'd be none, I mean zero mission. <insert other M joke here>

Like what?

Yeah. I would love a new Jumping Flash, Wipeout, Syphon Filter, Jet Moto, Lemmings, Warhawk, Socom, Extreme Games, Cool Boarders. There are also good one-offs or sleepers like Puppeteer, Legend of Dragoon, Omega Boost, and collabs with third parties like Wild 9, and that's just a few from the PSOne days. They have much more to draw from, or at least they could provide more variety if they don't want to resurrect those brands.

Square-Enix also dropped in variety on their own releases and they're not doing as much with the Taito library as I hoped.

It's a shame Konami has the Hudson IP, Sega should have it.

Socom

Syphon Filter

MAG

Jak & Daxter

Resistance

Warhawk

MotorStorm

HeavenlySword

To name a few. And there's plenty that i am not mentioning because i have no interest in them, but others might, and Infamous is one of those titles.

I would never greenlight a new SOCOM game; it's an utterly bland and stale IP.

It would need a significant re-envisioning. What would you gain from using the IP?

Well of course you would completely reboot it. You can't just make an old ass game with better visuals and expect it to do well. You make changes that make sense, similar to what was done to GoW or RE2R.

Aside from Legend of Dragoon and Jak and Daxter I’m having a difficult time in thinking of any Sony IP’s that I’d be interested in seeing revived.

I would love to see adventure games like Zork and Myst brought back.

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