10 Popular Video Game Series' That Completely Forgot Who They Were

Sometimes it's better to quit while you're ahead.

It's incredibly rare nowadays to see a standalone, brand new video game that isn't then turned into a fully-fleshed series; usually, any kind of new IP that sells or performs well is immediately milked for all it's worth. Look at the furore that was generated by Ubisoft's Watch Dogs; the publisher was already making plans for a feature film before the game was even finished. The more cynical of us would suggest that a brand new IP is always designed with sequels in mind; that's fine, really, as the first game in a new series tends to be a little shaky; the concepts might not be fully realised yet and the feedback from fans is generally needed to turn potential into good games. That being said, some developers simply don't know when to stop. Nowadays, several video game series' have turned into annual events; new games arrive year-after-year and simply go through the motions. Eventually, people get tired of seeing the same gameplay concepts and ideas, so developers start to 'innovate' and change things around - which doesn't always go well. Things tend to change drastically; gameplay elements are altered to create a more mass-market appeal; story lines might be rebooted or changed to allow new fans in, or there might be a radical shift in genre to freshen things up a bit. Sometimes this works but more often than not it isolates fans and divides opinion. All of the following franchises changed in some way, shape or form, forgetting the games that came before in favour of creating something refreshing and new (or bizarre and awkward). If you can think of any more examples of similar series, please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.