At what point is a Franchise Whoring Out?

[Mr. Omega]

Now I'm going to assume you mean milking a franchise. When I think of a franchise whoring, I think of it shilling out for all sorts of DLC like Team Fortress 2 or anything made by Capcom.

Anyway, milking a franchise doesn't really have to do with quantity, or even span of time. It has to do with what is actually being done. Quality matter. There's a reason Mario is still considered a gaming icon and Sonic isn't.

 

[Bobic]

When a game has nothing to add to it or sequels have become record defying.

Or you make this:

Damn. You know a game is ridiculous when, upon seeing it, you take a trip to google to check whether the guy who showed it is trolling you with an impressive photoshop.

Apart from that perfect example above, I'd use the definition: When multiple games in the series have come out without adding or changing anything of note, (story additions, extensions, etc. can be fine if it's a story worth telling). Release one or two near identical games, fine, move onto the third, and I'll call you a whore. (I will add, that if you one of those samey games is released on a different console e.g. those God of War psp games, I'll let you off, you're just bringing your game to a different audience/ letting people play it on the go. Fair enough.)

 

[FoolKiller]

When it becomes yearly. So far, God of War isn't doing that.... and frankly, they've been excellent games for the most part (although 3 was pushing it with my nerves). If this has to do with becoming the Kratos of legend, I would be interested. I wanted to see him fight and lose and then be blessed by Ares.

 

[Squidbulb]

When a new game is released every year with little changes and tons of overpriced dlc.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I considering it milking it since it finished it's planned trilogy.

However I'm not quite sure how the ending God of War 3 was "conclusive".
But I suppose "nothing left to kill" is a kind of conclusive ending.

GoW3 should've been conclusive, but then "he apparently stood up and walked away". *sigh*

Which is why I groan at the thought of a new God of War. I love the series, at least the 3 main games, but the character of Kratos has been totally played out. I know this new game will most likely be a prequel, but even then it'll just be Kratos doing his same old shtick... Again... Being pissed off.

btw. Do we even know if it's the original development team working on it?

 

[Lugbzurg]

Once the company makes DJ Hero, it's time to stop.

It did.

Now I'm going to assume you mean milking a franchise. When I think of a franchise whoring, I think of it shilling out for all sorts of DLC like Team Fortress 2 or anything made by Capcom.

Anyway, milking a franchise doesn't really have to do with quantity, or even span of time. It has to do with what is actually being done. Quality matter. There's a reason Mario is still considered a gaming icon and Sonic isn't.

Team Fortress 2's DLC is Free, dude. Unless, you're on the X-Box 360. In which case, it isn't Valve's fault. It's Microsoft and their foolish policies.

When the franchise has over 10 games (regardless of whether or not they're prequels, sequels, spin-offsm,etc) it gets a bit much. Final Fantasy is a bit of an exception since they only have similar elements and completely different characters, storylines and universes.

That and when random side-characters get their own game, it can be a little painful!

Maybe if it just started in the current generation of videogames. But, when it's been around for over 30 years, like Mario, then, no.

As soon as it tacks "Revelation" onto its name.

I kid, I kid. Kinda...

But Myst IV: Revelation was really good! D:

At least... until the end...

OT: A game franchise is "Whoring Out" once it gets action figures outside of the Collector's Edition.

The heck are you talking about? Why should videogames be excluded from getting action figures any more than Batman, GI Joe or Albert Einstein?

 

[Lugbzurg]

Once the company makes DJ Hero, it's time to stop.

It did.

Now I'm going to assume you mean milking a franchise. When I think of a franchise whoring, I think of it shilling out for all sorts of DLC like Team Fortress 2 or anything made by Capcom.

Anyway, milking a franchise doesn't really have to do with quantity, or even span of time. It has to do with what is actually being done. Quality matter. There's a reason Mario is still considered a gaming icon and Sonic isn't.

Team Fortress 2 has got free DLC. That's just how Valve rolls. And the reason why it's still getting this stuff is because people are still playing it, even after nearly five years. There's nothing wrong with selling lots and lots of DLC the way Valve has been doing. Would you rather they take Activision's route of selling out $60 map packs every year?

When the franchise has over 10 games (regardless of whether or not they're prequels, sequels, spin-offsm,etc) it gets a bit much. Final Fantasy is a bit of an exception since they only have similar elements and completely different characters, storylines and universes.

That and when random side-characters get their own game, it can be a little painful!

Maybe if it just started in the current generation of videogames.

But, when it's been around for over 30 years, like Mario, then, no.

As soon as it tacks "Revelation" onto its name.

I kid, I kid. Kinda...

But Myst IV: Revelation was really good! D:

At least... until the end...

OT: A game franchise is "Whoring Out" once it gets action figures outside of the Collector's Edition.

The heck are you talking about?
Why should videogames be excluded from getting action figures any more than Batman, GI Joe or Albert Einstein?

 

[Lugbzurg]

Oops. Somehow, a post came out twice.

 

[Olas]

Usually by the time they stop including numbers in the sequel titles.
I'm looking at you Halo Reach.

 

[lacktheknack]

As soon as it tacks "Revelation" onto its name.

I kid, I kid. Kinda...

But Myst IV: Revelation was really good! D:

At least... until the end...

OT: A game franchise is "Whoring Out" once it gets action figures outside of the Collector's Edition.

The heck are you talking about? Why should videogames be excluded from getting action figures any more than Batman, GI Joe or Albert Einstein?

You can blame my general dislike for action figures in general.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

This is the point a franchise is whoring out.

 

[alik44]

This is the point a franchise is whoring out.

Thats more around fan service territory isn't it

 

[Racecarlock]

When it starts to advertise completely unrelated products in promotions and stuff. What the hell does mountain dew have to do with call of duty? And why is need for speed advertising energy drinks?

 

[Aerosteam]

When a game starts to suck because it's only been a year since the last one in the series was released, I'd say that's whatever 'whoring out' is.

 

[xshadowscreamx]

mario still brings out good games..his still a whore though

 

[WeAreStevo]

(preparing to be flamed)

I believe that the Assassin's Creed series has been hardcore whored out the minute Ubisoft discovered people liked Ezio. It's like they thought "Hmm...he's liked by a lot of people. Let's make 2 additional "tack on" games, squeezing his popularity across them both, but we'll throw in multiplayer to confuse the masses from realizing that there's just not enough content with him or his story to warrant two complete new games. Oh, and one city this time. We're trying to MAKE money."

Then when I finally thought it was done with, they squeeze him in Soul Caliber V, which in of itself is ironic (speaking of milking a series...when has Soul Caliber gone through any gameplay changes ever?)

Oh, and Dead Rising 2/Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. It was the SAME FREAKIN GAME with a new zone and Frank West, who I think is almost as much of a tool as Kratos is.

Where's the game rage thread again? I feel I need to go there for a bit...

 

[havass]

When the games have yearly releases with little to no changes in gameplay/story. Sonic, mario and Modern Warfare come to mind. Also Halo.

Halo doesn't have yearly releases - never has, though I suppose it may do under 343. Also the story progresses across each one. Gameplay doesn't change much (arguable whether that's even a bad thing), but still more than CoD.

Should have clarified heh. I named Halo 'cause didn't they say Halo: Reach would be the last Halo game? Well yeah..Halo 4 definitely classifies under whoring out.

 

[repeating integers]

When the games have yearly releases with little to no changes in gameplay/story. Sonic, mario and Modern Warfare come to mind. Also Halo.

Halo doesn't have yearly releases - never has, though I suppose it may do under 343. Also the story progresses across each one. Gameplay doesn't change much (arguable whether that's even a bad thing), but still more than CoD.

Should have clarified heh. I named Halo 'cause didn't they say Halo: Reach would be the last Halo game? Well yeah..Halo 4 definitely classifies under whoring out.

Bungie did indeed say Halo: Reach would be their last Halo game. Now someone else is handling it. I am admittedly a little worried, but also cautiously optimistic.