Remember Me Creative Director: Now Is The Time For New IP

[The Wooster]

Remember Me Creative Director: Now Is The Time For New IP

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Dontnod's Jean-Maxime Moris argues against EA's stance on new IP late in a console's lifespan.

As the PS3 and 360 wind down, publishers have been hesitant to throw that all-important funding at new IP. Both Ubisoft and EA have argued that new IP typically sells better at the beginning of a hardware cycle, prompting their reliance on sequels and reboots. A smattering of smaller studios have stepped up to argue for new IPs, including Dishonored developer, Arkane Studios, and most recently, Dontnod, the team behind Remember Me. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119050-Capcom-Reworks-Cyberpunk-Adrift-as-Remember-Me]

In an interview with VG247, Dontnod creative director, Jean-Maxime Moris, was asked to comment on a claim made by EA Labels President, Frank Gibeau, last month.

"Those guys think that people are basically saving up money for next-gen hardware, and that by having your game, your new IP launch at the beginning of that new cycle, that it's going to be easier to integrate into that cycle," Gibeau told Gamasutra.

"That's true," came Moris' response, "but the install base of the PS3 and the Xbox 360 has never been so big, and if you have something that's new enough, that's fresh enough, and interesting enough, you've never been able to sell it to as many people as now."

Judging by its all-too-brief trailers, Remember Me is a high-concept, sci-fi adventure with touches of Assassin's Creed and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The game is to be published by Capcom, and it's one of only a handful of new IPs coming from a major publisher. It's due for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in May, 2013.

Source: VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/05/remember-me-dev-responds-to-ea-gibeaus-new-ip-criticisms/]


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[Kargathia]

You mean they'd do well if they'd rely on making a good game, instead of profiting from a lack of competition on a new platform? Tshk, tshk, what nonsense.

 

[Chrono212]

Oh man, does that new IP look good!

Anyway, a few games that have been under established brand titles (the Syndicate FPS & the XCOM FPS) that should really just haven been given their own, new, franchise.

More experimentation outside of established brands is better than provoking the ire of the established fan-base.

 

[gigastar]

Fisrt of all, someone brought up Remember Me...


Anyway both sides drive a good argument, but theyre both right. You can drive a new IP either by a launch-window release or by simply making it that good. However EA/Ubisofts approach is quite a bit safer than trying to get something different to appeal to the masses, as several flops over the years have proven.

and it's one of only a handful of new IPs coming from a major publisher.

Discounting the 5 full-size full price new IPs that Sony are putting out next year, you mean?

Actually what are those? Im assuming for now it doesnt count Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.

 

[GTwander]

Am I the only one that sees this as eerily reminiscent of Watch Dogs?
It's like the same exact... well, everything. Down to the engine, UI and publisher.

 

[UnderGlass]

Oh man, does that new IP look good!

It does look very nice. Pity it appears to suffer from a severe case of Capcom's recurring foot-in-mouth syndrome, that apparently has any good writers and talented voice actors in their vicinity running for the hills.

Still I'm sure the 3 low-level code-monkeys, the tea lady and the homeless man who sleeps on the stoop will do a stand-up job picking up the narrative slack.

 

[Baresark]

No big surprise there. I think there are less new IP's because the biggest games being released are sequels from huge ass publishers, those people are too afraid to try new things (for the most part). I think there are new IP's all the time, but they get little or no coverage, OR gamers ***** and complain about things that are obviously budgetary in nature (look at all the awesome open minded comments regarding Of Orcs and Men). No wonder they are afraid to try new IP's.

 

[Two-A]

and it's one of only a handful of new IPs coming from a major publisher.

Discounting the 5 full-size full price new IPs that Sony are putting out next year, you mean?

Actually what are those? Im assuming for now it doesnt count Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.

Considering All Stars is this year, that might have tipped you off.

They're The Last Of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, The Puppeteer, Tearaway, and Soul Sacrifice. Full range of age groups, of subject matter, of genres, and of stylistic influences, but all of them are full retail releases of new IPs.

Edit #1: Oh wait, I forgot, 6. The Last Guardian.

And yet people still think Sony don't make games.

Edit #2: I just realised, that with The Last Guardian added, these games Sony are putting out next year have a perfect balance between Eastern and Western. 1 Vita title and two Ps3 games each. One brutal, in your face violent game (The Last Of Us and Soul Sacrifice), one slightly softer, more emotional game that still has its violent moments, about the relationships between someone real and their mythological friend (Beyond: Two Souls and The Last Guardian), and one kid friendly game that has a unique mechanic that manages to not look gimmicky, and has a main character with a weird head(Puppeteer and Tearaway), from both sides.

Just something that interests me.

Ah dang it, The Last Guardian is coming up next year?. I wish I had a PS3.

OT: While EA and Ubisoft's approach to new ideas is safer, it runs with a few risks. The fact that games released early on during a new generation tend to be more buggy because the hardware is still new being one of the most notorious. Not to mention that most of the developing time is probably spend on getting used to the console. Other thing I've noticed is that original games released at the end of a console generation tend to be more critically acclaimed (take Shadow of the Colossus and for example), but less commercially succesful. I'd say that both approaches have their pros and cons.

 

[Two-A]

God of War was released late, and it still did really fucking well.

I know, I never said I was against the idea of new IPs being released late in the cycle, God of War is kind of a QED.

No big surprise there. I think there are less new IP's because the biggest games being released are sequels from huge ass publishers, those people are too afraid to try new things (for the most part).

Well, another reason is that no-one usually likes the new IPs better than the established franchises. How many of you think Catherine is a better game than Skyrim? Yeah, thats what I thought

Catherine was made by Atlus, a relatively obscure company. Not to mention the fact that it was marketed as a sort of dating sim, so it kind of went under the radar. On the other hand, if you asked people if Skyrim was better than Shadow of the Colossus, their opinions would vary more.

Edit #1: Oh wait, I forgot, 6. The Last Guardian.

Ah dang it, The Last Guardian is coming up next year. I wish I had a PS3.

I wouldn't rush out and buy a PS3 for Last Guardian on the expectation that it will actually come out next year yet.

I would love it if it did, but...

I'd love if it was released next year too, but I doubt I'd buy a PS3 even if it did.

 

[oldtaku]

Edit #1: Oh wait, I forgot, 6. The Last Guardian.

Ah dang it, The Last Guardian is coming up next year. I wish I had a PS3.

I wouldn't rush out and buy a PS3 for Last Guardian on the expectation that it will actually come out next year yet.

I would love it if it did, but...

 

[oldtaku]

You also hopefully have all your tech issues well under control at that point too, so you're not trying to work on a new engine on new hardware and developing new IP and new control schemes/etc all at once.

There have been good launch games, but usually they're pretty half-baked. Takes a couple years for the really great stuff to start hitting.

As far as sales go, seems like you'd like to have a bigger installed base rather than less competition in a smaller initial base, but I guess that depends on whether people are still using your console (X360,PS3) or have mostly relegated them to the closet (Wii). Also, if your game is fantastic, you want the bigger base but if it's middling you'd want the reduced competition early in the launch cycle.

 

[oldtaku]

Ah dang it, The Last Guardian is coming up next year. I wish I had a PS3.

I wouldn't rush out and buy a PS3 for Last Guardian on the expectation that it will actually come out next year yet.

What, the other 3 new IP's aren't good enough for you? Along with the sequels and the indie downloadable games?

I already have one. But since he was talking about owning one specifically for Last Guardian, and Last Guardian has been in dev hell for years he shouldn't buy one now just for that game.