Square-Enix Trademarks "Sleeping Dogs" as Possible Kane & Lynch 3

[Greg Tito]

Square-Enix Trademarks "Sleeping Dogs" as Possible Kane & Lynch 3

The real news here is someone thinks another Kane & Lynch is a good idea.

The first Kane & Lynch game was marred by a trademark request from Square-Enix [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/79589-Gamespot-Issues-Gerstmanngate-FAQ] for a game called "Sleeping Dogs" are correct in assuming it is for Kane & Lynch 3.

Square-Enix owns Eidos, who in turn owns the Danish studio IO Interactive, makers of the Hitman and Kane & Lynch franchises. Square handled publishing duties for the last Kane & Lynch, so it would make sense if that company was the one registering the trademark.

Also, Ian Livingstone of Eidos said the team wasn't done making Kane & Lynch games last year. "We haven't made any announcements about Kane & Lynch going forward, but we all know that Kane and Lynch are two amazing characters who have a lot of brand equity," he told Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-12-02-videogame-lifer-interview?page=3]. "People like those guys, so they're not going to disappear."

So that's about all we know. Despite its lukewarm reception, the Kane & Lynch franchise isn't dead. Square filed a trademark for "Sleeping Dogs" and IO Interactive is about to ship Hitman: Absolution this year. Has the team started work on a new Kane & Lynch? Will those lovable kooks team up again for more gritty shootouts? Will I get a chance to see more pixelated man-ass?

Only time will tell.

Source: CVG [http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459756]

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[Korten12]

While it did have many flaws, I liked Kane & Lynch 2, the campaign was fun to play in co-op and it's multiplayer was really really cool and unqiue.

 

[gigastar]

Ok. i think i can let them off making another Kane & Lynch, but could they please just drop it in the bin where it belongs if they bomb it again this time?

 

[Gmans uncle]

Okay...um...
WHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!!?!
The last one was like concentrated garbage. The plot isn't all that interesting, the gameplay is pretty damn cookie cutter, the only thing unique about it was the way the second one was designed to look like it was shot with a budget camcorder and the destructible cover, and those just served to annoy. And it didn't even sell well, so they don't get that excuse either.
I honestly can't see any reason to make a new K&L game... no reasons at all...

 

[NvrPhazed]

Ok. i think i can let them off making another Kane & Lynch, but could they please just drop it in the bin where it belongs if they bomb it again this time?

I think it is still too early to dismiss this franchise while both games were not spectacular, they did take risks with a unique campaign (even if it did fail) and its multiplayer is fairly unique to the genre. If they could fix up technical and story issues, it could be a great game.

 

[Zhukov]

Hey, it wasn't just standard pixelated middle aged man-arse, but bleeding pixelated middle aged man-arse.

 

[gigastar]

Ok. i think i can let them off making another Kane & Lynch, but could they please just drop it in the bin where it belongs if they bomb it again this time?

I think it is still too early to dismiss this franchise while both games were not spectacular, they did take risks with a unique campaign (even if it did fail) and its multiplayer is fairly unique to the genre. If they could fix up technical and story issues, it could be a great game.

Ill concede that the multiplayer might be unique, mostly because i never touched the thing.

But what you seem to have missed in my earlier statement was the "if" which ive now highlighted in red.

 

[laryri]

I feel like the Kane & Lynch games are full of good ideas and have the potential to be good. I'm glad that despite all the flaws of the previous games they aren't giving up on the series.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Well, Kane & Lynch 2 did sell over a million copies. Not stellar, but apparently this convinced Squenix we really want more.

If it were me, I would have let sleeping dogs lie. Or better yet, take them out back.

 

[Saggingcow]

The amount of NOPE in this article is well...distressing, the first one was meh, the second one still causes me nightmares.

 

[Formica Archonis]

So, we're now at the point where making a third game in a series like K&L is seen as a better idea than making a brand new game in a brand new IP.

This is stupid. Sequelitis has finally become terminal.

 

[Gammayun]

The really depressing thing is that it sold well enough to warrant this, and so many of ip's I like are no more because they couldn?t sell enough but then this pile of absolute f****** s*** sold more units than them. Why cant publishers publicise good games instead of something that $1 hooker wouldnt touch. THIS IS WHY WE CAN HAVE NICE THINGS. Thank you square enix for giving a damn good reason that the games industry should be taken out back and be shot in the head. I mean there are some many more games are better over this, i mean would rather give a ten year old a headset and a copy of call of duty and say "go nuts" than let him play this garbage, hell a kick to the crotch is a preferable option. I feel sorry for the people who where suckered in by square enix. And btw square how many games how may good games did you released in 2011 and how many did you actually release compared to that number.

Ok I think I?ve been watching far to many zero punctuation for my own good.

 

[Drummie666]

I played the DEMO for KL2 and was starting to get nauseous by the end. What in fucks name are they thinking?

 

[s_h_a_d_o]

Damit all Square, just let Sleeping Dogs lie.

Damn... beaten to the punch[line]

 

[Therumancer]

The really depressing thing is that it sold well enough to warrant this, and so many of ip's I like are no more because they couldn?t sell enough but then this pile of absolute f****** s*** sold more units than them. Why cant publishers publicise good games instead of something that $1 hooker wouldnt touch. THIS IS WHY WE CAN HAVE NICE THINGS. Thank you square enix for giving a damn good reason that the games industry should be taken out back and be shot in the head. I mean there are some many more games are better over this, i mean would rather give a ten year old a headset and a copy of call of duty and say "go nuts" than let him play this garbage, hell a kick to the crotch is a preferable option. I feel sorry for the people who where suckered in by square enix. And btw square how many games how may good games did you released in 2011 and how many did you actually release compared to that number.

Ok I think I?ve been watching far to many zero punctuation for my own good.

My immediate guess is that a lot of work and money went into the franchise with plans to turn this into a major property before the first one was ever released. One of those situations where they had resources dedicated to an entire series before the first one ever saw the light of day, so right now they are thinking in terms of "how do we sell this" or "how do we salvage it" rather than just wanting to cut it loose.

A lot of mediocre properties have had the same thing happen.

You also have to look at the digital distribution platform. The Kane and Lynch games hit the budget bin on STEAM pretty quickly it seemed. Given that there is no real cost in terms of packaging and distribution, one has to wonder how many people bought the games for like $5 or less during STEAM sales, and after Gabe's cut how profitable that made the game.

Right now they could be thinking that they release the game for full price, the tiny handful of people who really like Kane and Lynch (I'm guessing there must be someone...) will buy it, but then the meat of the money will come from discount sales via digital platforms.

 

[Fox242]

No...no...no...no...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want Feedom Fighters 2 damnit! No more of this! No more! I'm sorry, but this is my honest reaction to seeing this. I was so hopeful that the next title from IO would be Freedom Fighters 2. After seeing this, my hopes are crushed.

 

[TheDooD]

I always liked Kane and Lynch as characters. Yet the games and the storylines they been put in pretty much shit on their personas. IF SE are making a new game get somebody who can write crime drama and don't half ass the gameplay.