This blog will look at how it really IS possible to revive extinct video game series, so long as there is a will on part of the gamers. Shadow Hearts is a video game series which ended in 2006 due to the publisher who owns the Shadow Hearts Intellectual Property going bankrupt. Dark Cloud and Suikoden are other series which have virtually become extinct as the publishers have shown no interest in investing in those series.
Take Mortal Kombat for example. This series would have been heading for the grave, never to return due to the bankruptcy of its publisher and developer Midway. But had it not been for Warner Bros which purchased all its assets back in 2009 Mortal Kombat would have ended FOREVER [source: Kotaku 5312018]
The Shadow Hearts IP was owned by Aruze Corp (which went bankrupt), but is now owned by Universal Entertainment Corporation which is still in Business. In 2009 they got back into the Video Game industry with a DS game called "Aoi Don: Hanabi no Kiwami & Hanabi no Takumi" [source: destructoid 169989]. Since then they haven't made any games.
As the company is not bankrupt I think there is still hope in seeing a Shadow Hearts 3. We have seen how successful social media campaigns can be, and how in this day and age it is now possible for games like you and me to communicate with our favourite developers on twitter.
My proposition is that gamers should contact the publisher urging them to firstly release a Shadow Hearts HD collection. Then depending on the sales they can decide for themselves if their is enough interest and demand for a sequel.
This kind of litmus test of releasing a HD collection for extinct video game series to determine if there is enough demand should be the norm and I would love for Level5 to do it as well with the Dark Cloud series. But its up to the gamers to contact the companies on social media to push them to try it. We have seen developers like Konami responding to requests such as putting "Suikoden 2 on PSN" positively. So anything is possible if gamers just have the will. "Where there is a will, there is a way"
Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.
Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.
To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.
The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.
Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.
15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.
These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse
The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.
Thanks to the slip-up of an artist working on the title, we now have more evidence that a new Injustice game is in the works.
That Shadow Hearts HD Collection.... *Droooooolll*
If they go back to the old model of making rpg's it could be very possible of seeing a lot of these older franchises coming back. But that won't happen under the current model of developing games.
There are so very many franchises that we would love to see come back. But doubt that very many if any at all will.
I just recently purchased Suikoden I and II for PS3 and I am playing it now over some of the more recent gen titles.
There is just something really charming about a JRPG without the use of CG or cutscenes and still being able to convey the story using the sprites and the limited animations available.
I think there is a place for RPG's to come back through digital on today's consoles. With digital release only, there's no expectation of high end graphics, CG scenes or anything AAA that the bigger franchises like FF always do.
I always thought that maybe these Japanese devs should go that route because there is a market for it. I would love a new Suikoden, and I would not care if it wasn't in 1080p with huge cutscenes and a million dollar marketing budget.
Just give me a good story, some good sprite art and some excellent gameplay.
And hey, retro seems to be the new fad...maybe old school RPG will be the next for that.