Launching a new IP is pretty tricky. There are some that look incredibly cool and fun but don’t quite do well once released and there are others that emerge as sleeper hits, getting a ton of unexpected love. Studios know it’s a risk, and that it takes a while to pay off, but at least Square Enix believes in the rule of three.
Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda told Famitsu (thanks VG247) that cultivating new IPs is important and doesn’t happen overnight:
I believe that it is very difficult to immediately build up a big IP. Looking retrospectively at the gaming industry, many games take off or get their big break at their third title. There are cases where the opposite is true of course.
As he explains, the first two titles are developed with more experimentation and flexibility; by the time it reaches the third title it’s more established and the scale of the title can be expanded.
You need at least three games before you can tell whether an IP is going to be really successful or not. If the third title is successful then all is well
This makes sense looking at the stable of games coming from Square Enix. They have plenty of existing IP that they know will do well, but it’s when they take risks and try something new that we sometimes see something innovating and refreshing. Or absolute disasters. But still, it’s worth exploring and I hope that they keep at it – there are some incredible worlds that they’ve created with new IP, and I know I’d love to play another couple Nier games while they figure out if it’s worthwhile.
Last Updated: July 23, 2015
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 23, 2015 at 10:33
Misread as 3 titties, had some lulz
Ranting Raptor
July 23, 2015 at 10:44
huehuehuehue
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 10:49
I think the Admiral has been playing Witcher too much…
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 10:51
Or he watched Total Recall recently
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 10:51
Or he watched Total Recall recently
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 10:55
If it’s the Arnie one, I can understand. If it is the Colin whatsisface one, he should be left on the surface of Mars and have his eyeballs sucked out…
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 10:56
The only good thing about Colins version is Kate Beckinsale
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 23, 2015 at 11:41
I actually have that DVD at home, no idea where it came from. Decided to actually watch it a while ago. Took me 3 nights to watch it, kept falling asleep
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 11:44
Oh I think we all have that DVD of shame. Mine is called Jason Goes to Hell.
Ranting Raptor
July 23, 2015 at 11:12
Inderdaad
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 10:47
TOTAL RECALL!!!!
BurninZ
July 23, 2015 at 13:23
watched Zoe’s s3xy vid once to many times yesterday hey
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 10:39
Dead Space was a successful IP, well except for the third one…
GooseZA
July 23, 2015 at 11:09
Aaaaand now I want a Dead Space re-master. (And I hate remasters)
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 11:47
XD
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 23, 2015 at 11:40
TURD one
HvR
July 23, 2015 at 10:48
Probably getting old and cynical but feel new IP shouldn’t be designed to be a series from the onset, put everything in for a complete experience in the first iteration. If it is successful and the story and gameplay lends itself to a sequel do it.
That is the recipe for the most memorable games that developed cult followings.
Jonah Cash
July 23, 2015 at 11:32
The Last of Us! Also I am very skeptical of a second game for it…. The first one’s story had a beginning, a middle and a damn fine end. So there isn’t much room for a second one, unless they jump 5 years ahead or 5 years prior. I really hope they don’t go earlier though!
Nikola
July 23, 2015 at 12:06
Yes thiis!! 3rd one will be probably open world as everything is now days and it will suck hahaha
Jonah Cash
July 23, 2015 at 16:43
If they make it open world I will just cry! I am so fearful that Uncharted 4 is an open world nightmare. Some games just can’t keep you interested in the story in open world and I mainly game for the story… so I am screwed!
Nikola
July 24, 2015 at 09:02
I know like I am a tad fed up with open world, I do enjoyed it but not every single game has to be flipping open world!
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 10:53
So… if your first two games sucked horribly but the third one was ok then all is fine. I honestly do not know what to make of this.
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 10:56
Your franchise is only as good as your last game.
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 11:00
So if Aliens Colonial Marines 3 is amazeballs we were all wrong about ACM 1?
Hammersteyn
July 23, 2015 at 11:02
LOL no
Dutch Matrix
July 23, 2015 at 10:53
So… if your first two games sucked horribly but the third one was ok then all is fine. I honestly do not know what to make of this.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 23, 2015 at 10:58
Stop making me bring up Mass Effect.
konfab
July 24, 2015 at 08:47
Mass Effect does prove this quite well.
They were able to make three different games in the universe and still have people freaking out and dreaming over the next one.
That denotes a successful IP in my opinion.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 24, 2015 at 08:51
The article states that only by the 3rd game an IP can be successful. Mass Effect proves the exact opposite. If the first game was not as successful as it was EA would not have approved the second game. Bioware themselves stated that ME1 only succeeded in getting a sequel after the success of the PC port.
Brady miaau
July 23, 2015 at 10:59
Kingdoms of Amular. Crazy world, but crazy brilliant. Company dead. Cause new IP only sold a million copies on something like 3 months.
The Sten
July 23, 2015 at 11:14
This was such a tragedy. Kingdoms of Amalur was fucking awesome.
Her Highness the Hipster
July 23, 2015 at 11:16
YES! such a tragedy.
Her Highness the Hipster
July 23, 2015 at 11:13
i’m just waiting for Umar to appear and wax lyrical with me about Nier.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 23, 2015 at 11:24
Umar is still unavailable after that raunchy video you put up yesterday. 😛
Malphius
August 4, 2015 at 03:12
NieR was the best thing to come out of SE for a decade (they really only published it to boot) and they bash it openly. Hilarious. This company /facepalm.