>>718040254 (OP)
It's always the same story anymore:
1. We have a brand, people liked the game with this brand, if we make a new wholly unrelated game under this brand people will buy it.
2. We have developers that will make the sequel to this thing (Titan Quest 2, Bloodlines 2, etc etc etc, insert whatever). It's questionable as to whether they like or even played the original in some cases. We're sure it'll be fine.
3. The developers in some cases don't even want to make an actual sequel they want to make their own thing. It doesn't matter if the established playerbase wants that thing. It'll be fine though because the changes will somehow bring in the original playerbase that's upset and an entirely new playerbase.
4. The original playerbase of the original game is mad at what we're doing. They must be wrong, we can't possible be wrong. They're just mean and hateful and probably bigots of some sort.
5. ???
6. Profit?
The thing is, sometimes this works. Titan Quest 2 seems to have sold enough copies, and the original playerbase of TQ1 is successfully being shouted down and disparaged on the TQ2 forums and social media. Bloodlines 2, however, doesn't seem to have that going for it. I find it pretty difficult to find anyone even slightly hopeful for it, let alone defending it, even among the usual suspects.
Maybe Bloodlines 2 will be fine financially in the end. I don't know. But I certainly don't think, if it is fine, that it will be a real sequel to the original Bloodlines - which is what people actually wanted. The problem is people only see success, they don't see an entire playerbase ripe for a sale being ignored. Bloodlines is a game worth making a sequel to, or something like Bloodlines. There's an audience that actually wants it.
But I'm afraid too many people see Bloodlines and just go: "If I make a Vampire game that's what they want right?" Not understanding the under the hood reasons Bloodlines actually appeals.
