Gamers contract sequel-itis

The topic of
sequels has
come up
before, and now industry analysts are jumping onboard.
Wedbush Morgan Securities announced, "...consumers appear to be indifferent to the proliferation of sequels, indicating a slow  tart [sic] to holiday sales and risk of continuing weakness... We see little likelihood of a positive catalyst over the next five weeks."

As gamers, we often lament sequels and covet original titles like Katamari Damacy, yet titles like
Half-Life 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 consistently rate highly and sell higher – Katamari fans themselves demanded a sequel.

There should be a balance, but with the amount of time it takes to develop AAA titles, publishers fear anything that isn't a proven formula. We should look to solutions like engine-licensing – the kind on display in ex-Bungie member's offbeat title Stubbs the Zombie – to play some role in reducing costs and rewarding creativity.