The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Eighties pop group Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Postman Pat. Harrowing Vietnam movie Platoon. The Volkswagen Beetle. Manchester United. Big Brother. Paul Hardcastle's song '19'. Heck, even Edd the Duck. What do they all have in common? They've been licensed for use as computer games. And now, with news that Terminator is returning to our joypads (foolowing a lukewarm tie-in to the film Terminator 2 ten years ago), it seems that the boom in licensed games is returning once more.
It's easy to see the advantage to the publisher. Instead of trying to push over a new concept to the buying public every time they come up with a new game, they simply buy the rights to use something we're already familiar with, pretty much let the finished product sell itself and occasionally (but only if we're good), throw in a good game for the buying public at the end of it all. But therein lies the problem. The graveyard of mediocre licensed videogames is full to bursting point, with queues right around the block waiting to get in. Why? Because having spent all that money on the licance, chances are there's not so much left in the development pot, and if we're all going to buy the damn thing anyway on the strength of the name, where's the incentive to the software company to spend ages making something worthwhile to put in the box? Oh, we are cynics. However, every now and then, a developer manages to take a licence, and genuinely use it to enhance their game, and it's moments like these that make it all worthwhile. Take Ocean Software back in the early 90s. The company, previously criticised for its templated approach to movie licences (take big film, turn into a series of sub games which increasingly got worse with each release - examples include NAVY SEALs and Total Recall), had an early first person-shooter on its roster that they applied the Robocop licence to. And hey presto, what was before a good enough game in its own right was cleverly enhanced by proper application of the licence. Everyone's a winner!
Of course, when licensed games are good enough they turn into money mints for companies concerned. The PSone game Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has sold more than a million copies in this country alone across all formats (a staggering achievement, thus leading to inevitable sequels), whilst at various points in the past ten years, games featuring the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, WWF Wrestling and The Simpsons have also bolstered the bank accounts of those concerned. At one point, licensed games were so prevalent that it got to the point where magazine news pages were nothing more than lists of who had signed what, and for publishers, they know if they marry the right game to the right licence, they're laughing all the way to the bank (FIFA series, anyone?).
But something had to give. Consumers began to realise the big licence did not necessarily lead to a good game, and as the market got wiser, licensed games became less successful. Sure, the ones that had a big enough name (think Star Wars, Star Trek etc) still sold, but for long-term shelf-life, we began to demand - and partially got - better games. Thus, the formulaic way of bringing films, TV shows and such like to the gaming world had to cahnge - and it did. Not for nothing are there very few, if any games on the PS2 that sell on the strength of their licence alone, with FIFA the possible exception.
For perhaps the best example of successful usage of licensing in the modern gaming world lies in the EA sports range. Here, the company have snagged licences to the likes of FIFA, Cricket World Cup, NBA, NHL and so on, building up a portfolio of official sporting titles covering all interests, and thus regular income into the EA account. Here again though is an example of how licensing has evolved. How many of you out there actually went and bought FIFA 2001 because it had the endorsement of football's world governing body? Chances are, more of you were swayed by the EA sports brand, the reputation of the FIFA games, generally positive reviews and the pretty pictures on the back of the box. Feel free to post in and disagree.
PC owners got probably the best recent example of a licensed game in the form of Alien vs Predator. It's a title that unites the oh-so-popular first-person shooting genre with the tension, moodiness and - occasionally - all out action of the Alien movies. Genuinely a game you may need to play with the lights on, and certainly better than any of the Alien games that have made it onto any other format. Bah!
So what now? Now, we're at the point where licences now aren't necessarily the be all and end all of the title. Gran Turismo 3 has licensed several cars for use in the game, but none appear on the front of the box - which would have been unheard of even five years ago. Certainly a good licence can work wonders - look at the mega-hit Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for example - but do you honestly feel that the likes of Metal Gear Solid 2 needs a licence to sell it? Me neither. For the market has grown up. A licence may work wonders for the first week's sale of a game, but should a publisher fail to attach the requisite quality game, we've got plenty of other titles out there to keep us entertained. And believe me, I'm more happy to play them instead.
It's easy to see the advantage to the publisher. Instead of trying to push over a new concept to the buying public every time they come up with a new game, they simply buy the rights to use something we're already familiar with, pretty much let the finished product sell itself and occasionally (but only if we're good), throw in a good game for the buying public at the end of it all. But therein lies the problem. The graveyard of mediocre licensed videogames is full to bursting point, with queues right around the block waiting to get in. Why? Because having spent all that money on the licance, chances are there's not so much left in the development pot, and if we're all going to buy the damn thing anyway on the strength of the name, where's the incentive to the software company to spend ages making something worthwhile to put in the box? Oh, we are cynics. However, every now and then, a developer manages to take a licence, and genuinely use it to enhance their game, and it's moments like these that make it all worthwhile. Take Ocean Software back in the early 90s. The company, previously criticised for its templated approach to movie licences (take big film, turn into a series of sub games which increasingly got worse with each release - examples include NAVY SEALs and Total Recall), had an early first person-shooter on its roster that they applied the Robocop licence to. And hey presto, what was before a good enough game in its own right was cleverly enhanced by proper application of the licence. Everyone's a winner!
Of course, when licensed games are good enough they turn into money mints for companies concerned. The PSone game Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has sold more than a million copies in this country alone across all formats (a staggering achievement, thus leading to inevitable sequels), whilst at various points in the past ten years, games featuring the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, WWF Wrestling and The Simpsons have also bolstered the bank accounts of those concerned. At one point, licensed games were so prevalent that it got to the point where magazine news pages were nothing more than lists of who had signed what, and for publishers, they know if they marry the right game to the right licence, they're laughing all the way to the bank (FIFA series, anyone?).
But something had to give. Consumers began to realise the big licence did not necessarily lead to a good game, and as the market got wiser, licensed games became less successful. Sure, the ones that had a big enough name (think Star Wars, Star Trek etc) still sold, but for long-term shelf-life, we began to demand - and partially got - better games. Thus, the formulaic way of bringing films, TV shows and such like to the gaming world had to cahnge - and it did. Not for nothing are there very few, if any games on the PS2 that sell on the strength of their licence alone, with FIFA the possible exception.
For perhaps the best example of successful usage of licensing in the modern gaming world lies in the EA sports range. Here, the company have snagged licences to the likes of FIFA, Cricket World Cup, NBA, NHL and so on, building up a portfolio of official sporting titles covering all interests, and thus regular income into the EA account. Here again though is an example of how licensing has evolved. How many of you out there actually went and bought FIFA 2001 because it had the endorsement of football's world governing body? Chances are, more of you were swayed by the EA sports brand, the reputation of the FIFA games, generally positive reviews and the pretty pictures on the back of the box. Feel free to post in and disagree.
PC owners got probably the best recent example of a licensed game in the form of Alien vs Predator. It's a title that unites the oh-so-popular first-person shooting genre with the tension, moodiness and - occasionally - all out action of the Alien movies. Genuinely a game you may need to play with the lights on, and certainly better than any of the Alien games that have made it onto any other format. Bah!
So what now? Now, we're at the point where licences now aren't necessarily the be all and end all of the title. Gran Turismo 3 has licensed several cars for use in the game, but none appear on the front of the box - which would have been unheard of even five years ago. Certainly a good licence can work wonders - look at the mega-hit Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for example - but do you honestly feel that the likes of Metal Gear Solid 2 needs a licence to sell it? Me neither. For the market has grown up. A licence may work wonders for the first week's sale of a game, but should a publisher fail to attach the requisite quality game, we've got plenty of other titles out there to keep us entertained. And believe me, I'm more happy to play them instead.
Page:
By the way, my recent post was directed specifically at the ego-twisted, mater of paranoia, Mr 'Slice'n'Dice' Guy!
YOu missed me out MJ! :-D
*Starts to sulk*
*Starts to sulk*
Reload....... You gonna ever admit youve cheated?
Well, well, whats all of this comotion. I leave and all hell breaks loose.
Reload- YOu copy, you lie....got any other tricks?
Neo Genetic- Two words for you right now.....Shut up.....oh and go to bed, you shouldn't be up this late.
Mr Nice Guy- We knew all along didn't we?....well you did, I was being a bit naive.
Chris- How dare you tell me to stop being depressing :-D I just needed a match on TO to let my stress out :P
Shaneo- Naff off, your just as bad as Reload, sorry mate.
MJ
Reload- YOu copy, you lie....got any other tricks?
Neo Genetic- Two words for you right now.....Shut up.....oh and go to bed, you shouldn't be up this late.
Mr Nice Guy- We knew all along didn't we?....well you did, I was being a bit naive.
Chris- How dare you tell me to stop being depressing :-D I just needed a match on TO to let my stress out :P
Shaneo- Naff off, your just as bad as Reload, sorry mate.
MJ
The only true and REAL place I'm aware of copying from is my brain! Sorry to disappoint, once again! Plick! See, anyone can namecall in a sly way!
Even if by some MIRACLE the site actually DID copy HIM, then who's going to be believed? The site, or you Reload? Heh, I don't know why I said that, because it's pretty obvious that Reload 'ere can't admit it.
Come on Reload, admit it!
So, where else have you copied from then Reload? All of these posts of yours can't be yours. As if you're just soo good at writing these posts then you would have been soo good you wouldn't have needed to copy. And you've been here 21 days and that doesn't mean you won't get banned. MWHAHAHA
That was a little Harsh Ad. Oh well. :D
Accusations? He's got proof you little pratt, No one liked you because you posted a (Copied) topic and then weren't seen again until the next day when you posted another (copied) topic.
Page: