We have seen so many remakes in the past few years, ranging from Final Fantasy 7 to Metroid Prime. This year alone saw the re-release of Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, and Red Dead Redemption. Add to that an endless slew of sequels, and you get a gaming scene where outside the indie realm, new IP is rare – something industry veteran Peter Molyneux is taking issue with.
Many within the gaming world, including Xbox boss Phil Spencer, acknowledged the industry’s reliance on older IPs because of the risks associated with new titles. One of Fable’s creators recently shared his thoughts about newer games. In an interview with TheGamer, Fable’s lead designer Peter Molyneux said that new games don’t take enough risks.
“This sounds absolutely crazy in today’s world, [but] there was a shame in doing sequels,” Molyneux said. “So, when we started thinking about the sequel, we were thinking about how we can’t just do more weapons, a bigger landscape.”
Fable 2 took a big step, opting for a darker tone compared to the original in traditional “second game” style. One notable location in the second game Wrathmarsh was originally an idyllic town called Oakvale in the original.
“We were a bit fearless when it came to stuff like that,” Molyneux shared. “You wouldn’t ever do it now because you’d probably get [negative] test feedback on it. It was a big risk. I think people tend to be a little bit more risk averse these days.”
A lot of the bigger titles have notably taken fewer risks and used tried and tested gameplay mechanics to ensure sales numbers. Games that have taken big risks like Forspoken and Saints Row 2022 have been poorly received by gamers. The Volition Games action-adventure Saints Row had such a weak release that the studio was shuttered. Redfall is another original IP that had a disastrous launch.
Meanwhile, the likes of Resident Evil 4, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Dead Space have seen massive sales numbers. The remake of Resident Evil 4 saw record numbers, selling four million units in just the first two weeks. Activision Blizzard’s remake of 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 also earned a lot, becoming the publisher’s fastest-selling title of all time, earning $1 billion in just 10 days.
While some of the best-selling games this year have been remakes, sequels have also found success with the release of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Final Fantasy XVI. Larian Studio’s newest Baldur’s Gate installment has done particularly well, with record-breaking player numbers on Steam. Sequels for Alan Wake and Marvel’s Spider-Man are poised to rake in big numbers this month as well.
The gaming industry will continue to lean on remakes and sequels with the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Splinter Cell, Max Payne, and Metal Gear Solid. With rising development costs and longer development cycles, remakes and sequels are still the safest bet when it comes to achieving the sales expectations of big studios.
For now, we can only hope that smaller, independent studios and lesser-known IPs bring in fresh ideas that offer variety and innovations. Hopefully, Fable 4 will have the same vibe as earlier titles that Molyneux worked on.
