10 Exact Moments That Killed Video Game Franchises
"My face is tired"
In an ever-connected world where companies are keeping tabs on what we're watching, playing, liking etc., it forms a clearer picture than ever of "what works".
At least, in theory.
This has led to scores of movie studios deploying "bankable formulas" for the next Hollywood blockbuster, and gaming too, started to give way to generic, by-the-numbers toss across the 2010s.
It's why something like Death Stranding is such a massive breath of fresh air, but the point still stands: Where does the line fall, when it comes to analysing the wants and needs of the masses, and how do you implement that, whilst maintaining genuine creativity?
Risk becomes a calculable factor, and that's before you factor in marketing gaffs, major delays, broken game engines or just plain bad releases that misjudge everything.
All it takes is one major stumble to fall flat on your face, and when the whole world is watching, you might never recover.