Topic: Ubisoft Announces Raving Rabbids 4

[NWR_pap64]

Outside of that, the company will focus on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the next fiscal year.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=20792

 Ubisoft has announced that, for the next fiscal year, they will focus on more traditional, core titles, due to their casual portfolio shrinking by 50 percent, according to Gamasutra.    

These titles include a new Assassin's Creed title, The Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and a fourth Raving Rabbids game.    

"The fiscal year 2010-11 line-up will be more focused on the Xbox 360 and Playstation, the consoles which are expected to experience sustained sales growth in games for gamers in calendar 2010," Ubisoft said in a statement.    

Despite Ubisoft's focus on more traditional titles, they also promise that "other new franchises and innovations will also be announced throughout the year."

[BlackNMild2k1]

FRANCHISE FATIGUE!!!!

STOP DOING IT!!!!

[Caterkiller]

Part 4? I'm glad Nintendo makes at most 2 sequals a generation, but years and years apart.

[Jonnyboy117]

I suspect that Ubisoft's new strategy won't last long when they see sales numbers.

[Stratos]

I feel like every other news story this new year is a 'State of Nintendo and 3rd party support' argument/discussion just waiting to happen.

[TJ Spyke]

Part 4? I'm glad Nintendo makes at most 2 sequals a generation, but years and years apart.

To be fair, it's easy to make sequels to party games (need I remind you N64 had 3 Mario Party games and GameCube had 4?). The Raving Rabbids games are basically just mini-game collections (although they are fun).

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Recently, retailers started to reject new mini-game collections to stock.  Way to go, Ubi.

[Halbred]

Missing games of note:

A sequel to the new Prince series, which is a real shame, since the Epilogue ended on a massive cliffhanger;

Still no BG&E2, though Kotaku (or some other news site, I forget which) said recently that it is still in development.

[NWR_pap64]

I am deeply saddened that no one bought the excellent Rabbids Go Home, a title that for once didn't rely on the tired mini-game collection train of thought, forcing Ubi to likely make Rabbids 4 yet another mini-game collection.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

2009 was a "one wii game for xmas only" year, and it belonged to MARIO.

[NWR_pap64]

2009 was a "one wii game for xmas only" year, and it belonged to MARIO.

Say that to Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort, both which were part of the top three best sellers in December.

[ShyGuy]

I should pick up Raving Rabbids 3, but I need to get Silent Hill first.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

2009 was a "one wii game for xmas only" year, and it belonged to MARIO.

Say that to Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort, both which were part of the top three best sellers in December.

I wasn't going to mention non-games, but Rabbids doesn't even stand a chance to those, nor non-games released last year.

[Kairon]

I am deeply saddened that no one bought the excellent Rabbids Go Home, a title that for once didn't rely on the tired mini-game collection train of thought, forcing Ubi to likely make Rabbids 4 yet another mini-game collection.

Yeah, but in this case, it's probably because of franchise fatigue. After 3 years of Rabbids mini-game collections, Rabbids Go Home was probably fighting an uphill battle to get attention from people whose eyes have started to glaze over.

[Urkel]

Recently, retailers started to reject new mini-game collections to stock.  Way to go, Ubi.

I can confirm from my last trip to Best Buy that there was a lot less shovelware (i.e. Ubisoft games) on the shelves. Most of it is now on a small shelf of "value software" along with discounted titles like Tales of Rehash.

[Chozo Ghost]

I wish the Rabbids would go home and stay home.

Ubisoft, please give us the same games you're giving PS3 and 360! We don't want your garbage!

[Kairon]

I think the Rabbids are wonderful creations actually, but aren't a lot of us still waiting for the actual Rayman game?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Not at all.  Can't rely on Ancel for those sorts of things anymore.

[Ian Sane]

Yeah, but in this case, it's probably because of franchise fatigue. After 3 years of Rabbids mini-game collections, Rabbids Go Home was probably fighting an uphill battle to get attention from people whose eyes have started to glaze over.

That's likely the case.  When I saw the headline I thought "wait, they've made THREE of those already?"  If you aren't looking for a sequel you don't pay attention to when they release one, regardless of how good or bad it ends up being.
 
For example Guitar Hero 6 could become the most highly reviewed game of all time and I wouldn't even know because I've lost interest in the series so I don't read up on news about it and read previews or reviews for it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The problem with the Guitar Heros and Rock Bands is that they are the exact same game over and over again with new music tracks. So why don't they just release all the new tracks a DLC and you only have to buy the game once?

Rabbids on the other hand is a great new IP, but they are seriously trying to run it into the ground. The 1st one was a surprise because they essentially took over a Rayman game. My sister bought the 2nd one for me and I don't think it got more that 10 minutes of playtime. I saw a TV party(RR3) but there was no way I was even gonna give that the time it took to really acknowledge it.

What should have happened after the 1st Raving Rabbids game was an actual Rayman game. Maybe one where he is getting revenge on the Rabbids but it is a more traditional Rayman game. But 3 minigame fest in a row before releasing a real game with the rabbids in it was already working against RGH and it's not gonna do any favors for RR4.

[Chozo Ghost]

Sequels are okay, but having a sequel every year (or less than that, in some cases), is just going overboard. Every year we see a new Madden game, and pretty much the only thing that ever changes with those games is the Roster. Party games are pretty much the same way.

[GoldenPhoenix]

What will we ever do without Ubisoft's poor attempts at core games besides Red Steel 2? I mean they've been trying so hard lately.

[Mop it up]

Ugh, not another Rayman Rabbids party game. With as much as I like Mario Party, I thought I'd never tire of minigame collections... though I think the fact that Mario Party used to be pretty much the ONLY minigame collection released each year helped keep it from becoming stale. These days there are like, what, at least one every week?

I bought the first Rayman Rabbids game for $8 a few months ago. It was decent, if I'd played it when the Wii was first launched then I would have really liked it, but at that point I'd already played similar minigames in other titles. I got TV Party for Christmas and have yet to crack the shrink wrap.

[Peachylala]

No third party is trying hard enough. They are stuck in Fail City.

[KDR_11k]

FRANCHISE FATIGUE!!!!

STOP DOING IT!!!!

Never stopped them. PoP trilogy in one generation?

I wish the Rabbids would go home and stay home.

Ubisoft, please give us the same games you're giving PS3 and 360! We don't want your garbage!

I'd rather have Rabbids than Sam Fisher.