2012’s most anticipated games are sequels

 

We asked yesterday if new videogame IP was really necessary in today’s sequel-driven, mainstream gaming market. Eidos Montreal’s Stéphane D’Astous believes not – and he could have a point. According to research firm Nielsen, the games Xbox, PS3 and Wii players are looking forward to most this year are pretty much all sequels and new entries in existing franchises.

Nielsen surveyed consumers using 8 metrics, including things like awareness and intent to purchase – and unified them in to a single score – and found that gamers were most eagerly anticipating sequels like Halo 4 and Assassin’s Creed 3.

The games Xbox 360 players are most looking forward to are  Halo 4, Assassin’s Creed III, Max Payne 3, Madden NFL 13, Resident Evil 6, and Ghost Recon: Future Solider, respectively. PS3 owners are most anticipating Assassins Creed III, Max Payne 3, Madden NFL 13, Resident Evil 6, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter. Waggly Wii players seem to be more keen on something fresh – but are still more keen on sequels like Madden NFL 13 and Activision’s Battleship than Nintendo-published titles The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles.

Here’s the full list, according to Gamasutra:

Xbox 360

1. Halo 4
2. Assassin’s Creed III
3. Max Payne 3
4. Madden NFL 13
5. Resident Evil 6
6. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
7. Fable: The Journey
8. Kinect: Star Wars
9. NCAA Football 13
10. Bioshock: Infinite
11. Tomb Raider

PS3

1. Assassin’s Creed III
2. Max Payne 3
3. Madden NFL 13
4. Resident Evil 6
5. Medal of Honor: Warfighter
6. NCAA Football 13
7. Prototype 2
8. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
9. Bioshock: Infinite
10. Tomb Raider
11. NBA Live 13

Wii

1. Madden NFL 13
2. Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
3. Battleship
4. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
5. The Amazing Spider-Man
6. Men In Black
7. The Last Story
8. Xenoblade Chronicles

With that I ask you: What single game are you looking forward to most this year?

Last Updated: April 11, 2012