Gaming IPs that are wasted in your Opinion

[bjork]

Is Disco Elysium a valid pick? Or really it should be the world of Elysium.
Appears we're stuck in Martinaise forever, God I have no idea how the creator must be feeling after losing the rights to their work. A world with over 6000 years of history waiting to be bought into new stories and it's residing with a bunch of talentless money makers.

In this case I'd say yes, but I'd also add that while that situation is 100% shitty, part of me is kind of glad that you could consider Disco Elysium a one and done? I'm curious to see what ZA/UM does next, but Disco Elysium was such a strong title that you almost have to go in with lowered expectations for anything that follows it, because how do you do that twice?

 

[Segadude113]

Mega Man X - Fuck classic Mega Man. It already got 11 games and hasn't been good since Mega Man 8

Strider - Certainly would be fun to see it back now considering recent ninja comebacks.

Maximo - I don't care if the main Ghouls n Ghost/Ghosts n Goblins IP stays dead and buried, but there is far too much fun to be had with Maximo to not bring it back.

Final Fight - I could easily design one better than all three SNES installments. We've yet to see the full potential of this series. It has always lagged way behind the Streets of Rage series.

Eternal Darkness - So much potential with the unique combat system and cool things you could do with insanity effects on modern hardware, especially if it was a VR game. I also miss those awesome sounding chants for the magic spells.

Space Channel 5 - Fuck PaRappa, I miss Ulala.

Battletoads - Such a phenomenal IP that has always been wasted from overly difficult older games to whatever the hell that most recent installment was. I could take this IP and make games that would blow away every single Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game ever made.

Klonoa - We need more cutesy platformers. Klonoa was always kind of unique.

Conker's Bad Fur Day - Holy shit do we need a game like this in our current times. Just a fun, ballsy, none politically correct, adult style platformer. Oh the fun you could have spoofing modern movies too.

Castlevania - I mean, wouldn't you love to live in a world where Castlevania becomes awesome again and yet you still have Igarashi giving us Bloodstained games?

If they bring back Mega Man X, it better be 16 bit.

 

[qw90700]

I think the term "wasted IP" should be solely reserved for stuff that has laid dormant, because every day a thing is out of sight, it just becomes more out of mind. A gigantic chunk of Sega's back catalog is what I'd point to first. The little handful of revamps they're doing now is a nice step in the right direction, but it's the same handful of IP because people will go, "oh, I remember Shinobi." No one on the planet would go, "oh, I remember AB Cop" in the same way, but they could have if we didn't have two decades of only getting the same collection of Genesis games over and over.

I think instead of remake BS these dormant IPs could be revived as reboot or continued. So many great game ideas couldn't experience their full potential due to the technical limitation of its time!!! But they just go for the most simple, quickest and popular ones for easy money instead. It means this is what happens when these companies doesn't care about video gaming, they are only in the industry to make money. However this is not like an industry that everyone can "survive" in it. This shit ain't like mass-producing a table or TV, it's an artform and not many people have any idea of art and less people actually can comprehend art of video game development, but only those who really have no idea about any of these are head of the company and whatnot decision how video games should be which is why what killing the industry for years. My guys mass spamming games in a "standardized formula" as if they selling a table lol. "Just make the game have pew pew action, some sexy characters, make the game about what is popular on Twitter right now, make sure it has tons of dialogues and cutscenes", et cetera BS as if it's like how a table at least should have 3 legs for balance, make sure its surface is flat, people prefer some color options like brown, blue, pink and white... SMH.

 

[Segadude113]

I think instead of remake BS these dormant IPs could be revived as reboot or continued. So many great game ideas couldn't experience their full potential due to the technical limitation of its time!!! But they just go for the most simple, quickest and popular ones for easy money instead. It means this is what happens when these companies doesn't care about video gaming, they are only in the industry to make money. However this is not like an industry that everyone can "survive" in it. This shit ain't like mass-producing a table or TV, it's an artform and not many people have any idea of art and less people actually can comprehend art of video game development, but only those who really have no idea about any of these are head of the company and whatnot decision how video games should be which is why what killing the industry for years. My guys mass spamming games in a "standardized formula" as if they selling a table lol. "Just make the game have pew pew action, some sexy characters, make the game about what is popular on Twitter right now, make sure it has tons of dialogues and cutscenes", et cetera BS as if it's like how a table at least should have 3 legs for balance, make sure its surface is flat, people prefer some color options like brown, blue, pink and white... SMH.

depends on where you place the 3 legs of the table. If we're talking a long rectangle table, only giving legs to 3 of the 4 corners won't hold. But if we're talking circular table, 3 legs is fine. Just a weird phrase is all.

 

[bjork]

I think instead of remake BS these dormant IPs could be revived as reboot or continued. So many great game ideas couldn't experience their full potential due to the technical limitation of its time!!! But they just go for the most simple, quickest and popular ones for easy money instead. It means this is what happens when these companies doesn't care about video gaming, they are only in the industry to make money. However this is not like an industry that everyone can "survive" in it. This shit ain't like mass-producing a table or TV, it's an artform and not many people have any idea of art and less people actually can comprehend art of video game development, but only those who really have no idea about any of these are head of the company and whatnot decision how video games should be which is why what killing the industry for years. My guys mass spamming games in a "standardized formula" as if they selling a table lol. "Just make the game have pew pew action, some sexy characters, make the game about what is popular on Twitter right now, make sure it has tons of dialogues and cutscenes", et cetera BS as if it's like how a table at least should have 3 legs for balance, make sure its surface is flat, people prefer some color options like brown, blue, pink and white... SMH.

You would need a market that would support taking chances, and that's just not where big game money is right now. To them, success is a bar graph that goes up, not realizing someone's vision. But I feel like that'll shift at some point, because it always does. I just don't know what it'll take to make that happen.

 

[Segadude113]

You would need a market that would support taking chances, and that's just not where big game money is right now. To them, success is a bar graph that goes up, not realizing someone's vision. But I feel like that'll shift at some point, because it always does. I just don't know what it'll take to make that happen.

The idea of a remake itself is not a bad one, but when it's half assed, it ends up being wasteful. You can only remake something once per console generation, once per anniversary, ect. That and there's nostalgia that won't be nostalgic anymore once it gets remade so you only get one shot unless you space the remakes really far apart from each other. A lot of companies don't have the same love for these games that the fans do and the fans ask for them all the time. I'd rather play fan remakes to be honest. These companies can't be trusted with them.

 

[Kamako]

Time Splitters, Conker, Duke Nukem, Portal, Bishi Bashi, Legacy of Kain, House of the Dead, Army Men

 

[bjork]

The idea of a remake itself is not a bad one, but when it's half assed, it ends up being wasteful. You can only remake something once per console generation, once per anniversary, ect. That and there's nostalgia that won't be nostalgic anymore once it gets remade so you only get one shot unless you space the remakes really far apart from each other. A lot of companies don't have the same love for these games that the fans do and the fans ask for them all the time. I'd rather play fan remakes to be honest. These companies can't be trusted with them.

I partially agree and disagree. "Companies" throws devs and suits into the same ball of wax, when you can't look at a finished product and really get any idea of how passionate the devs were; perhaps their timeframe was too tight or their budget wasn't what it should be. I know a bunch of people who worked on New Vegas and when it shipped, it was in fairly uneven shape, but it was absolutely not from a lack of effort on Obsidian's behalf. But I'm sure people called it half assed at the time, as unfair as that was.

As far as not trusting companies, let's do an exercise here. Let's say I'm Sega boss and you're Sega dev. I come to you and go "Segadude, your next project is to make me a new Congo Bongo. It's been 40 years and we're bringing it back." I supply you with every version for reference, original design docs and all of that, and send you off to make it. Even if you spent a bunch of time on some weird niche Congo Bongo fansite (surely one exists) to try and see what people expect, is there any guarantee that what you make will appease everyone who says they want a new one?

Perfect example is that new Shinobi. People seem to really like it and it's being received positively, but I spent about 40 minutes with the demo and it just felt like a generic ninja game with a familiar name slapped on. Does that mean Sega shouldn't be trusted with it? I'm in the vast minority when it comes to this Shinobi, but I think it's okay that they made a new one that's different.

 

[Segadude113]

I partially agree and disagree. "Companies" throws devs and suits into the same ball of wax, when you can't look at a finished product and really get any idea of how passionate the devs were; perhaps their timeframe was too tight or their budget wasn't what it should be. I know a bunch of people who worked on New Vegas and when it shipped, it was in fairly uneven shape, but it was absolutely not from a lack of effort on Obsidian's behalf. But I'm sure people called it half assed at the time, as unfair as that was.

As far as not trusting companies, let's do an exercise here. Let's say I'm Sega boss and you're Sega dev. I come to you and go "Segadude, your next project is to make me a new Congo Bongo. It's been 40 years and we're bringing it back." I supply you with every version for reference, original design docs and all of that, and send you off to make it. Even if you spent a bunch of time on some weird niche Congo Bongo fansite (surely one exists) to try and see what people expect, is there any guarantee that what you make will appease everyone who says they want a new one?

Perfect example is that new Shinobi. People seem to really like it and it's being received positively, but I spent about 40 minutes with the demo and it just felt like a generic ninja game with a familiar name slapped on. Does that mean Sega shouldn't be trusted with it? I'm in the vast minority when it comes to this Shinobi, but I think it's okay that they made a new one that's different.

A Congo Bongo remake would look like Super Mario RPG remake and play like Captain Toad. Shit now i gotta jot this down. lol

 

[Maximecool]

Syphon Filter, mainly 2 and 3, which I consider underutilized, even though I love these games.

kinda like Metal Gear Solid, but with more action.

 

[bjork]

A Congo Bongo remake would look like Super Mario RPG remake and play like Captain Toad. Shit now i gotta jot this down. lol

And somewhere some 60 year old guy would be going "this isn't how they did it in 1983, how DARE you not use 2d sprites" or whatever. It's an unwinnable situation. Modern-day Sega would probably want it retconned so that the explorer guy is Dr Robotnik's grandpa and this is what started his bloodline's vendetta against animals or something.

 

[Segadude113]

And somewhere some 60 year old guy would be going "this isn't how they did it in 1983, how DARE you not use 2d sprites" or whatever. It's an unwinnable situation. Modern-day Sega would probably want it retconned so that the explorer guy is Dr Robotnik's grandpa and this is what started his bloodline's vendetta against animals or something.

it would still have the same perspective, but the models would be CG.

 

[bjork]

it would still have the same perspective, but the models would be CG.

unacceptable. I need it to look like the SG-1000 version or I can't FEEL. If the ape doesn't look like a wolfman that got run over by a steamroller, what are we even doing

 

[Segadude113]

unacceptable. I need it to look like the SG-1000 version or I can't FEEL. If the ape doesn't look like a wolfman that got run over by a steamroller, what are we even doing
View attachment 109668

that ain't like the real one at all!

 

[bjork]

Diagonal lines done at all, let alone properly, were once a mythical accomplishment

 

[qw90700]

You would need a market that would support taking chances, and that's just not where big game money is right now. To them, success is a bar graph that goes up, not realizing someone's vision. But I feel like that'll shift at some point, because it always does. I just don't know what it'll take to make that happen.

Yes that's exactly the reason why they merge all "popular and for sure sell" ideas into one. For example Assassin's Creed IP turned into weird hybrid of Witcher 3 stuff + JRPG stuff and the games are more like you watch something from Netflix and then situations and what people talk is like what is popular on Twitter lol.

On the other hand business is about taking chances especially when you sell a luxury item because people don't have to buy them at all. If you can't gamble in a smart way better don't make business. For example even Resident Evil 2 Remake was risky because new generation kids perhaps wouldn't like a zombie game or a game like that, and then the risk of making old fans furious. There is no "for sure" way about it. Success of a game is because of stuff that's way more than what the game is actually. It's mostly about what most people think about it. A game may be rubbish but just because it has an anime and kids liked that this anime has a game it may be why they may buy the game and for the same reason the game may be hated too. It's a dual edged sword thing.

In this context for example Ubisoft believed their formula was "sure win" thing which is why so many of their games were copy paste, then people got bored of it. You can't sell the same shit again and again in this industry, either way people will get bored and want something else. This is why when games were different it was when they got popular and choked down generic games. Even Capcom knew they couldn't survive with remakes alone therefore try trying something else now with the new Resident Evil game. Business is gamble therefore either way you will have to take a risk. History of business and civilizations ends with a stupid decision mostly because they didn't want to take risks lol. End when people took risks perhaps the game failed but it may caused for a reason to make them CEO of another company!!! A businesperson should have the balls to dare, that's the way it's. If you wanna play safe business is bad for you.

 

[Vardalis]

I've definitely got a few.

• House of the Dead - I didn't like Scarlet Dawn and the remakes are absolutely awful. HotD: Overkill was the last good one and really, I don't think it'd be that hard to make some good entries.
• Time Crisis - Same as above really. Although my issue with Time Crisis is that it went too far into the futuristic and absurd, like with Razing Storm and 5. I'd love it to get pulled back a bit with a similar action movie feel to TC1 or 2 again.
• Dead Rising - Capcom would be better off letting a studio who cares take it off their hands.
• Tropico - Same absurdity problem and what feels like inferior rehashes after 4. Sure, I get the fact there's only so much you can do with the concept, but I'd prefer 4 having a proper scenario editor and more content being added than continuing to make pointless sequels.
• Warcraft - I don't think many other companies could do a worse job than Blizzard. Well, they could, but you know what I mean.

 

[Zeo]

I still miss the time when konami had the balls to experiment with Yu-Gi-Oh and release a bunch of spin-offs outside of the official cards games

While there are some with.... questionable quality, overall almost all of them where fun in a way and some are classics (not to mention the epic music on some of them)

Now days you dont see this kind of business risk

 

[qw90700]

I still miss the time when konami had the balls to experiment with Yu-Gi-Oh and release a bunch of spin-offs outside of the official cards games

While there are some with.... questionable quality, overall almost all of them where fun in a way and some are classics (not to mention the epic music on some of them)

Now days you dont see this kind of business risk

Yeah, too bad video game companies has no balls anymore. They are mostly bitching about customers and anyone who didn't like what they do. I guess new generation company people don't eat pork buns therefore they can never become a whole man!!! lolol

 

[Bakuma1997]

Klonoa, i hope the Phantasy Reverie make Namco realize we indeed want more Klonoa
Metal Slug, Defense and Attack are fine i guess, but i grew with the Run and Gun games and i NEED another Run And Gun one
Bomberman: Super Bomberman R are fine, but Konami hasn't milked them as well as one expect
Castlevania: Speaking of Konami, yet another victim of Komani's Pachinkomania

 

[C-Puff]

Is it too soon to say "The Elder Scrolls"? Like... how long ago did Bethesda make the announcement they were working on that? Before 76? Before Starfield? idk man.

For an actual answer, however, I think at this point I can confidently say Dragon Age. As a years long fan Veilguard cut me deep.

I also agree I have no idea what Final Fantasy thinks it's doing these days.

Also a very obvious one but a bit of a dead horse; Silent Hill. The SH2 remake was SOMEHOW a good game, but I don't really know how I feel about the new upcoming one being set in Japan. It just feels too far removed from what the originals were drawing inspiration from. The screensaps so far makes it look like a Fatal Frame game than a Silent Hill game.

Also; Fatal Frame.

 

[Turbo Kid]

If they bring back Mega Man X, it better be 16 bit.

I wouldn't mind that. In fact it would be fun to see how they'd design a playable, 16-bit Zero sprite. The one in MM X 3 was too big and bulky.

 

[Xdqwerty Xdqwerty]

Most first party Sega games (barring Sonic, ofc)

 

[Segadude113]

P.N.03, it's a Capcom game that has only one entry on the Gamecube!

 

[Miles Miles]

Most first party Sega games (barring Sonic, ofc)

SEGA has so many dead franchises it's not even funny.