Ok, so it’s been a while since I did any actual meaningful rants, but this one should make up for the lack thereof.  Ironically, the lacking of rants shows my exact mindset on the current standings of IP’s and their overextensions.  What got me so ticked off on this subject was my visit to gamestop.com over at their Xbox 360 section.  ALL but one game (left 4 dead) was a refurbishment of some series (Call of Duty: WaW, Fallout 3, Mortalk Kombat vs. D.C. Universe, Prince Of Persia, Street Fighter IV, Bionic Commando, and Skate 2)  now given, Afro Samurai was on there too, and is, in it’s own way, a new IP.  This does not make it an original game, however.  IP’s (By which, I mean games) are being overused, plain and simple.  Why do I say this, you, the reader may ask? I shall indulge you, ye of reading-osity!  I have three major complaints on the current standings of ips.

First, I am utterly disgusted with the overuse of ip’s to resale something which may be of seasonal use.  These games, like Madden ‘XX (put number there), have promoted a seasonal use to the masses.  Of course, this doesn’t mean you still can’t use it during the off-season and such, but really there’s other things to be doing during that off-season.  These are generally games that have progressive technology, but people like me, the seasonal players, don’t want to go through, renaming every roster so it’s correct.  That’s just rediculous and the saddest thing about all of this is (Yes I’m calling you out, developers of these games, EA specifically) that you make a buck off of this stuff!  IT SICKENS ME! You have the technology to give more progressive technology a chance, to have a standalone disc, then have microtransactions to create your oh-so-needy revenue.  THINK!  Developers, if you were to have one disc for that certain sport, then create microtransactions for updating rosters, putting in new teams created for that franchise, or whatever your little mind creates, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE REVENUE FLOWING IN THAN YOU DO NOW!  I stress this because I, a gamer, know what I want!  If the fanboys want to donate to your cause, then they will do so, no worries there!  All the yelling aside, you know I’m right, and you would have a bigger base than you actually do now.

Second, IP’s should at least have to recreate themselves every 4 games. Call of Duty is a pretty awesome series, no questions about that.  But since when did developers think that we needed a BAJILLION games on the SAME war?  Of course I’m using unreal figures to exaggerate my point, but I’m doing that to get across my point!  Call Of Duty has always been about World War II, up till Call of Duty 4, which really isn’t the fouth, rather more like the 5th or 6th or something like that.  The point being, World War II was the most important war to date within the substantial progress of technology and how much was in the air on the outcome of the war.  The thing is, WE GET IT!  You had us with Call of Duty 4, devs.  We were captivated with a renewed sense of interest and obsession, but no matter how awesome your main vocalist is (Keifer Sutherland, YOU ROCK!) for your next game, that doesn’t create a legitmate excuse for a laxiodaisical outcome with, actually, some regression!  Grand Theft Auto series suffers the same blow, and yet, how do you recreate a series such as that?  Really, Rockstar Studios has done a fantastic job to dodge my bullet here, but gets singed with the stories and their repetitiveness.  It’s the same old plot with a different character, and maybe a few add on’s along the way.  Each game, for the most part, however, has brought new innovations to the technology on their games, however, a great landmark for game developers to follow everywhere.  In the end of this aspect of the subject, reinventing an IP is not a bad thing, devs, get at it.

Third and finally, the good IP’s never get their credit due. Halo is the perfect example of this.  Bungie studios has gone to great length to make sure their story isn’t wrecked.  Innovative technology could have used a spruce up in each game, sure, I’ll give you that, critic.  That is not the point, however.  They didn’t retell the story of Installation 04 six times in a row did they?  no.  They didn’t go back to that same battle after Halo 2 and 3 did they? nope.  It’s always progressing, and the emotional factor, I believe could have been helped out a little bit with a little more promotion of the Master Chief’s backstory with a game of the Fall Of Reach, instead of Halo: ODST.  The point I’m making is they have less strikes on their record than do other IP’s, and where Halo 1 and 2 lacked innovative technology, Halo 3 brought us Forge and the popularization of in-game photography and filmmaking.  Like I said though, that’s no excuse for a steady progression, but straightforward progression is better than yo-yo progression.

In conclusion, take this to heart, developers, and think about it!  I’m not mad at the gaming industry as a whole, but I feel disgusted with the murkiness and blandness of the industry as of late, and using our imaginations, that which we gamers pride ourselves on, we can get out of it!  Thank you for reading.