sixteen-bit
Member
It prints money
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Skylanders Giants Announced (Sequel To Skylanders Spyro's Adventure)
- Thread starter Pooya
- Start date
Popular game gets annualized sequels? Shocking and unforeseen.
No need for the "OMG they're running it into the ground" hysteria yet. GH's death wasn't caused because they did one new game every year; it happened because they had a new game every couple months.
Hell, only introducing 16 new characters for this one is actually unbelievably restrained. Given the first game's popularity you'd think for certain that they'd expand the amount of toys by leaps and bounds.
No need for the "OMG they're running it into the ground" hysteria yet. GH's death wasn't caused because they did one new game every year; it happened because they had a new game every couple months.
Hell, only introducing 16 new characters for this one is actually unbelievably restrained. Given the first game's popularity you'd think for certain that they'd expand the amount of toys by leaps and bounds.
Logically, I'd assume that the only way he'll appear in the new one is if you have the figure of him from the previous game - and wasn't he only available in the actual game bundles, not any booster packs?
Unless, of course, they make a second-generation Spyro figure, but that would seem a bit counterintuitive when compared to how the character progression works.
mediapulp_wes
Member
Looks like a limited edition version of Cynder has been given out/sold at the Toy Fair today. So jealous of everyone there:
Pic courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166932401216434176/photo/1
Pic courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166932401216434176/photo/1
Plinko
Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Very excited but I will add this:
They better do a much better job addressing the market demand. It is absolutely ludicrous in today's world that people are regularly paying $20 for an $8 figure because they're sold out everywhere.
Knowing that it is Activision, though, I fully expect every character to be available and overstocked in stores by the end of the year, which is a good thing.
They better do a much better job addressing the market demand. It is absolutely ludicrous in today's world that people are regularly paying $20 for an $8 figure because they're sold out everywhere.
Knowing that it is Activision, though, I fully expect every character to be available and overstocked in stores by the end of the year, which is a good thing.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Woo! Go Activision! Run this thing into the ground as fast as you can!
mediapulp_wes
Member
One negative I can see to going the Giants route. How are retail expected to keep up with demand if the toys now take up more space in the warehouse and in the store?
Activision better make more frequent shipments.
Activision better make more frequent shipments.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Looks like a limited edition version of Cynder has been given out/sold at the Toy Fair today. So jealous of everyone there:
Pic courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166932401216434176/photo/1
That is going to be worth a small fortune on eBay...
AbsoluteZero
Banned
Edit: Hah. Beaten. Multiple times.
Waiting for the first starter set to get down to the $20 mark before I pick it up to try out. Unsure if I'm gonna go with 3DS or 360.
charlequin
Banned
It's a kid's game that involves collectible pieces. The way to make the brand work is to have something new for every kid who got the first set for Xmas last year to get this year. Now the new game will work with all their existing figurines and give them a reason to stick with the brand for another year instead of tossing it all in a bin and moving on to something else.
I'm hostile in general to Activision's slash-and-burn strategy, but for this product it's actually correct. The brand doesn't really have a lot of long-term potential and its appeal is directly based on a short-term-iterative release schedule (just like card/miniature games); the correct thing to do is to actively support it while the market's still there. It's really not comparable to some of the franchises Activision has destroyed in the past.
On the specific topic of "OMG whatta ripoff!!" from our last thread: I'd like to note that specifically unlike normal DLC, any extra characters people acquired for the first game will work automatically and for free with this one.
I'm generally apathetic towards Activision, but why do I get the feeling that if it were any other company people wouldn't be anywhere near as emotionally charged in their reactions?
Activision took a risk and it paid off.
Also, regardless of their track record, did anyone really expect them to wait two or three years before making a sequel (or never making one)? I know that Activision are famed for short-lived series, but I actually feel like this is one where interest could easily die quite quickly anyway. I hope I'm wrong though.
What an awful first post, I'm sorry.
EDIT: I bet that the only reason that Activision originally put Spyro in the game was so that it would have some kind of familiarity with consumers to help it sell. Because the series has now proven capable of standing on its own merits they don't need to use or highlight him anymore. I would also like it if Activision removing Spyro from the title, or even the next game itself (aside from bringing his old character forward), means that they might consider giving him his own series again.
Activision took a risk and it paid off.
Also, regardless of their track record, did anyone really expect them to wait two or three years before making a sequel (or never making one)? I know that Activision are famed for short-lived series, but I actually feel like this is one where interest could easily die quite quickly anyway. I hope I'm wrong though.
What an awful first post, I'm sorry.
EDIT: I bet that the only reason that Activision originally put Spyro in the game was so that it would have some kind of familiarity with consumers to help it sell. Because the series has now proven capable of standing on its own merits they don't need to use or highlight him anymore. I would also like it if Activision removing Spyro from the title, or even the next game itself (aside from bringing his old character forward), means that they might consider giving him his own series again.
charlequin
Banned
That was actually the thing that I thought might happen that would give good reason to believe they'd overmilk it -- too many new characters means people give up. Reducing the number of new characters added to this iteration makes it easier for people to swallow.
Do you think Call of Duty needs to broaden its audience too?
I think I wondered that specifically back in that thread; good to have it confirmed.
Looks like a limited edition version of Cynder has been given out/sold at the Toy Fair today. So jealous of everyone there:
Pic courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166932401216434176/photo/1
The New York toy fair? That doesn't start until Sunday...
Rabbids, anyone? Or, for that matter... who actually remembers Thimble Theater?
No kidding - they haven't even released all the adventure packs/figures for the first game yet!
If my son wants this, I will go with the same strategy as the first - he gets to pick one figure (that is readily available) from each element type. This is not going to be a collect-em-all!
charlequin
Banned
Well, Activision are historically big jerks. If some bloviating douchewhistle at your office started making a big, obnoxious announcement one day but it turned out to be about how he was running in a cancer fundraising marathon, you wouldn't be wrong to have originally assumed he was going to say something dumber or suspect he was just running the marathon to get attention for himself.
Same thing here. Activision have killed franchises that could definitely have had long-term success (THPS) or at least had some potential to avoid cratering completely (Guitar Hero) via excessive iteration; I don't blame people for leaping to that conclusion, even in a case like this where I think it's basically mistaken.
What an awful first post, I'm sorry.
Believe me, many have done far, far worse.
If stores were selling a couple of figures to kids at a time, like it should be, supply would be fine. My Walmart gets 60-100 figures in weekly. It's the eBay jerks that come in and buy up everything in one fell swoop that are screwing up the supply and gaming the percieved demand in their favor.
Hot Coldman
Banned
So when's Sgt Byrd gonna come back?
sloppyjoe_gamer
Gold Member
moo moo goes the cash cow...
Let's not open that can of worms again....
In case you were serious, the data for the characters are on the disc. However, all character data (level, upgrades, customizations) are stored in the physical figures themselves so they can be moved to another game, regardless of console.
D
Deleted member 20415
Unconfirmed Member
Good luck on this one... there are eight Giants, one for each element... then about 12 new regular-sized Skylander dudes.
Those Giants have to cost a premium.
Great news.
Plus by introducing not that many new figures, the "old" figures still have value (both economic and emotional) to each person; while people still have time to collect the remaining ones (which are still hard to find in most cases).
Current owners only need to buy the game and a figure or two (at first); while new ones might jump into the new starter bundle, to then get the remaining ones. That way the new figures serve as a expansion of the current ones, instead of a substitute.
Plus by introducing not that many new figures, the "old" figures still have value (both economic and emotional) to each person; while people still have time to collect the remaining ones (which are still hard to find in most cases).
Current owners only need to buy the game and a figure or two (at first
); while new ones might jump into the new starter bundle, to then get the remaining ones. That way the new figures serve as a expansion of the current ones, instead of a substitute.mediapulp_wes
Member
I think today was a special Skylanders event ahead of the fair. No idea if these will be at the fair or not.
You pretty much clarified what I already suggested. I think that in the case of Guitar Hero though, interest would have probably dropped regardless due to how fickle the music and rhythm genre is. Konami only tended to release a single DDR game every year on each console, but that hasn't stopped their series from losing tons of popularity. It kind of makes sense considering that when dancing games lost interest, instrument simulation became big and now the former is popular again. That's not to say that I don't have a lot of issues with how Activision handled the GH franchise, but I think that the games themselves are a lot better than people give them credit for, especially on the Wii.
I've also seen some resentment towards the Just Dance in fact, though it seems that because it's published by Ubisoft there's a lot less emotion attached to it. Strange since the former seemed to have originally been developed as a blatant cash-in, but then due to its overwhelming popularity they seemed to put more effort into the sequels. Just a shame that their DLC system is so weak. Also, I've noticed a couple of "disk packs" crop up; why has Ubisoft not been called out on this?
Believe me, many have done far, far worse.
But I have an opinion and opinions are WRONG!
EDIT: I have yet to try out Skylanders, and I do think that it looks interesting, but I don't think that it's any more "evil" than the other multiple methods that corporate bodies use to enamour children.
bumpkin
Member
If I were to wager a guess, it's because Kotick has proven time and time again publicly that he's an asshole. Meanwhile, Yves (forget his last name) is just kinda awkward and squirrel-y. If he's a tool, it's behind closed doors.
1) One giant per element sounds right.
2) What is your definition of "fully complete"? In the current game, you can fully complete the game with the three characters included with the bundle. If you want to find every item and upgrade (optional), then you would need to get at least one figure for each element.
mediapulp_wes
Member
Forgot to post this one:
Courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166897142596775936/photo/1
And also in game footage of another:
Suggestions this is a Giant version of Cynder, but I'm not so sure. Doesn't quite look big enough:
Video footage from today's event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY4hULaqHpc
Courtesy of: https://twitter.com/#!/OWTK/status/166897142596775936/photo/1
And also in game footage of another:
Suggestions this is a Giant version of Cynder, but I'm not so sure. Doesn't quite look big enough:
Video footage from today's event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY4hULaqHpc
SebastianAlexander
Member
they are not that GIANT
So it is about emotions attached to the company then? The weird thing is, Activision are dicks, but they hire some fine developers and do publish some great games. In fact the main reason why people seem so set against this series and its sequel is because it's published by Activision and not because the game itself is inherently bad.
That's good news too.
Skylanders was originally a Wii exclusive game, and both Toys for Bob and the 3DS-version developer (Vicarous Visions) have a good relationship with Nintendo; so they know more than they can talk.
Skylanders was originally a Wii exclusive game, and both Toys for Bob and the 3DS-version developer (Vicarous Visions) have a good relationship with Nintendo; so they know more than they can talk.
Not to mention, that the reason Skylanders was a success (and a good polished game with enough time and resources) was because of Kotick.
Are they not doing a 3DS and Vita version?
mediapulp_wes
Member
No idea, but that article does mention a mobile version developed by another company.
Joe Molotov
Member
I just hope the Wii isn't the lead platform this time, the first game looked like poop even in HD.
darkjedi187
Member
any additional new on the portal. I read one article that stated a new one was going to be sold.
This makes sense. Vicarious Visions have done amazing things on the Wii too. I'm sure that Nintendo are happy to have a third party developer who doesn't resent working with their consoles.
Thanks, I didn't know that.
I'm curious, and this is directed at anyone, I own a Wii and 3DS so if I were to purchase the first game, which between the two would be best?
I think it looks pretty damned good for a "wii" game cant speak about the HD versions as I haven't seen em.
As for this sequel yep, cash cow FTW, and with NFC tech already built into the WiiU you can bet yer ass there will be some sort of Pokemon version of this down the road.
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