Road Rash, Populous Comebacks Not Impossible, Says EA

[Logan Westbrook]

Road Rash, Populous Comebacks Not Impossible, Says EA

EA knows that it has some much-loved franchises in its vault, but it also knows that it has to be careful how it uses them.

EA says that it hasn't turned its back on its back on its classic IPs like Road Rash, Dungeon Keeper, or Populous, and that it is always on the lookout for opportunities to develop some of its more venerable franchises.

EA Games Label boss, Frank Gibeau said that bringing back a classic franchise was always an option, but it was something that the publisher had to handle carefully. Gibeau had worked on Road Rash and Desert Strike on the Genesis, so he was very familiar with the classic library, but said that gaming tastes had changed over the years and that people wouldn't necessarily be satisfied with straight remakes or re-releases. He used the original GoldenEye as an example, saying that while he thought of it as being a great game, it very much showed its age when he went back to play it.

While there's always the worry that remakes will detract from the original in some way, it's hard to ignore the potential in those classic IPs. A fierce and violent motorcycle race through crowded city streets in a new Road Rash game could be incredibly exciting, as could flying a helicopter into a warzone to rescue troops pinned down by insurgents in an unspecified Middle Eastern country in the reboot of Desert Strike.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/295138/news/ea-we-havent-forgotten-about-road-rash-magic-carpet/?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-News-RSS]


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[JediMB]

I remember playing Road Rash once, and loving it.

Then I remember playing Road Rash 3D, and hating it.

I don't know. Were they that different, or was I delusional?

 

[ccesarano]

Mutant League Football.

All they have to do is hand off their engine for the Madden series and let a bunch of talented developers turn it into one big pile of awesome. Why they haven't acted on this game is a complete mystery to me.

 

[Art Axiv]

Where are thou, Creativity?
I am really sick of all these comebacks.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

If you're gonna breathe life into an old game, EA, look no further than Genewars.

Go on, you know you want to...

 

[Chamzaboogie]

Comeback on a mobile phone, no thank you.

 

[Soxafloppin]

New Roadrash please! Good memories on the PS1

 

[Vohn_exel]

Where are thou, Creativity?
I am really sick of all these comebacks.

Well they're not planning on it so I guess you don't have to worry, lol. There's alot of games that were tons of fun back when they were released, but are pretty dated. Some of the things it wanted to do could be done well by today's capabilities.

Look at the difference in the gameplay and such of Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story. The gameplay was practically unchanged, but it was completely different and handled well, and was a fun game, mostly because it could be executed better. I'm not saying it's a better game than the original, but it was able to execute everything better.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Bring back Dungeon Keeper, I will be happy forever.

 

[BENZOOKA]

I loved Road Rash on the PC! It was great fun and I never thought I'd hear about it.

A comeback would be awesome.

 

[Dectilon]

Well, a new dungeon keeper game came out fairly recently. I haven't played it though so I don't know if its any good.

 

[Art Axiv]

Where are thou, Creativity?
I am really sick of all these comebacks.

Well they're not planning on it so I guess you don't have to worry, lol. There's alot of games that were tons of fun back when they were released, but are pretty dated. Some of the things it wanted to do could be done well by today's capabilities.

Look at the difference in the gameplay and such of Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story. The gameplay was practically unchanged, but it was completely different and handled well, and was a fun game, mostly because it could be executed better. I'm not saying it's a better game than the original, but it was able to execute everything better.

I am not saying those "re-runs" are bad, but I'm just disappointed at the lack of new IPs from all of the great publishers and developers lately. It's all about "Blablabla" 2 or 3. Eventually, digging up from the grave some old IP forgotten to most of people besides those who care.

EDIT: I also care for Dungeon Keeper 3: War for the Overworld D:

 

[Antari]

While its a nice idea EA is entirely incapable of remaking a game without completely destroying it. They can talk about risks all they want, but 90% of the time its because they try to change the direction of the game. Which is almost always the worst decision they could have possibly made.

"Gibeau had worked on Road Rash and Desert Strike on the Genesis, so he was very familiar with the classic library, but said that gaming tastes had changed over the years and that people wouldn't necessarily be satisfied with straight remakes or re-releases."

Yes this is because we'd like to see you PROGRESS beyond that which has already been done. Do it better, not just differently. If EA had any concept of quality this wouldn't even need to be discussed. But the problem lies with them not us.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Mutant League Football.

All they have to do is hand off their engine for the Madden series and let a bunch of talented developers turn it into one big pile of awesome. Why they haven't acted on this game is a complete mystery to me.

I have never played an MLF game but they have sounded really cool. Weren't those the ones in which you used guns and stuff while playing offense? I'd buy that...

Anyway, EA: Please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE stop making Bioware dumb down their games and get to work on giving me a new Road Rash and/or Mutant League Football. You don't want me to give my money to some other company do you? Like Gamestop or, my fellow man, selling their old games online? PLEASE EA, stop holding out on us!!

 

[nuqneh1]

I was expecting the bikes in Burnout Paradise to play out like free-roaming Road Rash. I would gladly buy a new Road Rash game.

 

[gibboss28]

Yeah...they care about they're old games so much that they're turning dungeon keeper in to a fucking mmo.

So yeah..you can guess how much I trust them to do a good job on this.

 

[Vohn_exel]

Where are thou, Creativity?
I am really sick of all these comebacks.

Well they're not planning on it so I guess you don't have to worry, lol. There's alot of games that were tons of fun back when they were released, but are pretty dated. Some of the things it wanted to do could be done well by today's capabilities.

Look at the difference in the gameplay and such of Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story. The gameplay was practically unchanged, but it was completely different and handled well, and was a fun game, mostly because it could be executed better. I'm not saying it's a better game than the original, but it was able to execute everything better.

I am not saying those "re-runs" are bad, but I'm just disappointed at the lack of new IPs from all of the great publishers and developers lately. It's all about "Blablabla" 2 or 3. Eventually, digging up from the grave some old IP forgotten to most of people besides those who care.

EDIT: I also care for Dungeon Keeper 3: War for the Overworld D:

Yeah I know what you mean. Sequels aren't always a bad thing, sometimes they're better than the original. I'd like to see some new stuff too, but I'd rather "suffer" through something like "Just Cause 2" than to REALLY suffer through something like "Battle Engine Aquila."

Now those sequels that are basically just update patches, those I can generally do without. If they can bring up really old games and do them better, I'm all for it. But if they bring back an old game and just forget what it originally about or don't even change anything, then I get a little iffy.

 

[Brotherofwill]

I really liked Road Rash on the PS1. I'd love an old port to PSN, Xbox live or Steam.

There's one question I have though:
Why the hell are old, archaic games so ridiculously expensive? I mean PS1 games are around 10-15 years old. There's no reason why simple re-releases should cost you around 5 Euro. That's ridiculous. FFs cost around 10 Euros...are you fucking kidding me? Why the high cost? Sony's PSN service can't possibly be that expensive to distribute stuff, on top of that they just have to port it.

If more old games would be around 1-2 Euro I'd happily buy them.