5. Sega Needs A Big Hit
The weight of expectation does not solely rest upon pleasing their potential target audience of Alien enthusiasts. Sega's fortunes have been dwindling for some time now and are in real need for a big hit. Lay-offs, studio closures and dozens of cancelled games have further added to their decline of recent times despite some excellent releases. The good news amongst all that negativity is that Sega and Gearbox have certainly focused their time on this project. The various delays, while frustrating, could also be interpreted in a positive light. In order for Colonial Marines to compete with its peers, casual gamers including people new to the Alien universe will need to be convinced to part with their hard earned cash alongside hardcore fans of the film. All the fan-service and polish will be worthless if the games mechanics are not there. A captivating and enjoyable campaign will have to be further complimented by a strongly crafted, online multi-player offering. Gearbox has a good track record in both of these respects. Borderlands and Halo are both critically acclaimed game franchises that each has a loyal fan base. Combine this with Sega choosing to hold back and avoid rushing out a licensed game, (an error repeated countless times by nearly every publisher) , it would appear that they are approaching this in a well thought out manner and have a decent shot in obtaining the sizeable hit they are striving for. The wait is nearly over. On February 12 I am optimistic it will be screams of glee rather than terror. I have to go now. It's gonna be dark soon, and they mostly hunt at night. Mostly.