When do you consider a series as "Dead"?

[shadowsandwich]

There have been many different video game series throughout the year's some got further than others some bit the dust before they even got to 3.
But as gaming moves on series naturally sometimes dont make the jump to the new era and fade away into history.
There are some series that you probably consider as "dead" but there seems to be a blurred line between active series of game's and dead and gone one's that i want to discuss.
Now when i say a series i mean a game that has had at least 1 sequel to it.
Personally i consider a series as "Dormant" If nobody is talking about it and no further sequals and "Dead" If the company who made the previous sequel has folded and the previous point apply's to.
What do you think?

 

[yuval152]

When the dev/publisher haven't mentioned it for about 10 years.

 

[Aeshi]

When there are no more games being made for that series.

When the dev/publisher haven't mentioned it for about 10 years.

I can think of at least 1 or 2 active Franchises that would be 'dead' by that definition

 

[McMarbles]

When the IP's owner not only murders it, but stages an elabortae "Weekend at Bernie's"-style farce to convince everyone it's alive and kicking.

I'm not naming any names here *cough* Mega Man *cough*.

 

[Muspelheim]

When the studio is gone, all updates and development has siezed and all the developers and studio staff has been scattered to the winds.

Of course, sometime an IP can fall prey to a necromancer. Sometimes, it ends up well. Other times, well... Duke Nukem was a good effort, but they didn't really do any good needlework, and the limbs just sort of plopped off the moment it raized from the slab.

But in effect, never truly give up hope. Wonders still happen. :3

 

[Melon Hunter]

No set length of time, only if the developer conclusively says they're not making any more. Even then, there have been unlikely resurrections: just look at the Fallout series. Developer dead and disbanded, IP's dignity ground into the dirt by an ill-advised FPS-thingy (or whatever Brotherhood of Steel tried to be). Come 2008? Fallout 3 wins multiple GOTY awards.

Really, I'd only say a series is 'Dead' if zombies get added.

 

[GAunderrated]

When the studio is gone, all updates and development has siezed and all the developers and studio staff has been scattered to the winds.

This is pretty much describes a dead series to me. My personal example is suikoden series which stopped at 5 for the ps2 and I thought it was the best one since suikoden 2 which it can't touch sadly.

I wish they would have brought the series to the mobile market if the console was not selling or at least re-release suikoden 2 for the PSN,XBLA,steam, or even iOS.

 

[alphamalet]

When EA publishes it.

/thread

 

[t.tocs]

There really isn't a defining formula I can pinpoint, but you just kinda know. For instance, Crysis...I think the series died with the mediocre release of 2 but they are pushing forward. Assassin's Creed still has juice in the tank though (depending on how 3 is) but other games not so much.

 

[Cavan]

There really isn't a defining formula I can pinpoint, but you just kinda know. For instance, Crysis...I think the series died with the mediocre release of 2 but they are pushing forward.

Crysis 2 was an above average release, just because you personally didn't like some of the changes doesn't make the series dead. It improved a lot of things on the original.
Assassin's creed by comparison has had it worse because of revelations.

 

[BreakfastMan]

When a new game in the series has not come out for 10+ years. Seems to be a pretty solid measure to me.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

When games in the series are no longer made. So, I'm getting a little worried about Suikoden. I want a proper Suikoden sequel Konami. Please. I don't want that series to die, but this console generation is ending and there hasn't been any sign of Suikoden on any of the big platforms. Those silly DS spin-offs don't count.

Also, the only reason I don't consider Half-Life dead too is because Valve insists they haven't given up on it. I'll keep believing that for another year before I give up.

Now, if you mean 'Dead' as in, "I'm done with this series. It's lost its way and I don't think anyone should play it anymore," I've never had that happen to me. Any game in a series that I own, I own all of the series. I would imagine Sonic fans could give you a better idea on that though.

 

[Overusedname]

One scenario of death is when the original dev hands it over to someone else and it goes poorly.

Case in point: Final Fantasy. Hironobu has nothing to do with his own creation anymore.

But this isn't always bad: Metroid Prime wasn't made by the original creator, and the prime games are often considered the best trilogy in gaming. When the original intent of a series dies, and there's no new GOOD thing to replace what was lost, it's gone.

The last three final fantasy games were called Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon and Last Story, by the way.

 

[Rad Party God]

Really, I'd only say a series is 'Dead' if zombies get added.

Then Call of Duty has been dead for quite a while. And like a good zombie, it's still alive and eating brains. And laughing their way to the bank with their dosh in hand.

I don't think a series can "die" by that mere definition, just like somebody else said, they're only shelved until somebody decides to resurrect it and in most cases with positive effects, look at Deus Ex for example, after being mishandled by ION Storm, Eidos Montreal made a great game and many Deus Ex fans truly consider it a worthy succesor/predecessor (though they still dismiss Invisible War ever happened).

The only genre capable of "dying" is the MMO genre, when a game gets shut down, you can't play it again, just ask the Star Wars Galaxies fans and City of Heroes fans (granted, it's still not "dead", but it's like watching a terminal patient remembering it's past glory, with all of his friends and family enjoying their last moments with that person until that dreaded day comes and as always, his demise was just "too soon").

 

[nickyv917]

Consecutive bombs.

However, it's not a perfect rule, since Sonic's been on one of the all-time great comebacks lately. But it's usually a good rule.

 

[TehCookie]

When the developers no longer care for it. It could either be when they're churning out soulless remakes to get more money or not making any games at all.

 

[GAunderrated]

When games in the series are no longer made. So, I'm getting a little worried about Suikoden. I want a proper Suikoden sequel Konami. Please. I don't want that series to die, but this console generation is ending and there hasn't been any sign of Suikoden on any of the big platforms. Those silly DS spin-offs don't count.

Also, the only reason I don't consider Half-Life dead too is because Valve insists they haven't given up on it. I'll keep believing that for another year before I give up.

Now, if you mean 'Dead' as in, "I'm done with this series. It's lost its way and I don't think anyone should play it anymore," I've never had that happen to me. Any game in a series that I own, I own all of the series. I would imagine Sonic fans could give you a better idea on that though.

Nice to see that I am not the only one worried about suikoden as a series. I'd honestly want them to do a suikoden on the handhelds that reflect the ps1 era suikoden games. I think it would be a blast and not break the budget.