Sony's Koller: Expect more big franchises in 2009
Not only does SCEA's John Koller promise that 2009 will be better, but he also tells MTV Multiplayer to expect big franchise names to be announced next year. While console ports (or Hollywood blockbuster titles for that matter) such as Transformers and Iron Man have done well in sales, Sony wants to push for games that are not direct ports but expansive new experiences. Koller points to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII which -- while part of a franchise itself -- expands the original lore and gives gamers a fresh outlook on something familiar.
Looking back at 2008, the two biggest and most successful names were God of War: Chains of Olympus and Crisis Core -- no doubt that "expansive" strategy Koller talks about is proven. From just taking a quick look at the all-time top five selling PSP games in the US and you can see a distinct franchise dominance in the charts. So what does this mean for original IP on the PSP? Does more franchises indicate a trend for less original IP?
