When a franchise hits, its developers can come up with many ways to divide it and keep it alive. It's amazing that so many franchises from the 80s and 90s are still around today because developers somehow manage to rejuvenate interest between releases.
Some franchises aren't so lucky and haven't gotten a game in ages, like Wild weapons and Baby Icarus. Then there are franchises that are still good but probably hit their tipping point recently or years ago. Can these franchises make a cultural impact again, or have they reached their peak and can't expand any further?
Call Of Duty
An annual tradition
A few firsts Call of Duty the games were popular as WWII shooters of their time, but Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare changed everything. Modern environments and RPG mechanics introduced in the innovative multiplayer shooters as a whole. Year after year, Activision brings a new entry with small improvements and innovations. For a good decade, fans couldn't get enough.
Now, Call of Duty it almost feels like an annual tradition that comes and goes like a holiday. There are certainly those who want to celebrate, but at the moment Call of Duty it no longer feels special despite consistent and solid gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda
Hard to innovate to perfection
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild reinvented the wheel for Zelda series as the franchise's first truly open-ended game. It innovated the series and the genre as a whole with mechanics like the paraglider and stamina meter. Its direct sequel, tears of the kingdom was just more of the same with the building mechanics stacked on top and Echoes of wisdom was a top-down version of the open world design.
Both of these games were good and well-received upon release, but Nintendo will have to create something beyond imagination to surpass the feeling new Switch owners experienced at launch. Breath of the Wild for the first time and became mesmerized.
Assassin's Creed
Finally they went to Japan
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
- Released
-
October 29, 2013
Assassin's Creed Shadows they finally gave the fans what they've been wanting ever since Assassin's Creed the series began in 2007: a trip to Japan. This game isn't the pinnacle of the series, but it lives up to the hype.
It's hard to say exactly where the fandom branched out, as some games are more popular than others. One could argue about that Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is the last game to unite all types of players and dominate a year after its release. Assassin's Creed Origins definitely raised the bar by introducing RPG mechanics. Either way, while the series still has fans, it certainly doesn't have as much buffer in the video game world as it once did.
Super Smash Bros.
Can you go after the ultimate?
Super Smash Bros. had one of the best commercials when it was released on the N64. The idea of iconic Nintendo and third-party characters bringing it out was fun, but also fun.
Nintendo went all out Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in terms of characters including not only EVERY character from the past but also new ones like Sora from The heart of the kingdom. While a new post with great guest characters would pop up in discussions online, the surprise of everyone getting back together seems like an impossible task to replicate.
God of War
How many times can Kratos get angry?
God of War was a late addition to the PS2 and surprised everyone with its level of violence. The original trilogy was adored by fans, with the third game being the pinnacle as a kind of end to Kratos' journey. It didn't seem like there was any juice left in the tank until the 2018 sequel/reboot.
Enjoyed the 2018 game, but did it or its sequel attract more players than previous entries? The only possible way this could surprise new players is if the next game ditches Kratos in favor of a new character or religious pantheon, but for some it really wouldn't. God of War already
Mario Kart
Not every series has to go open world
Super Mario Kart dazzled SNES players and offered a crazier racing game to get into. For decades, fans thought Mario Kart 64 was the peak until Mario Kart 8 Deluxe absolutely destroyed the sales charts year after year. It has had good support over the years, from new tracks to other racers, including othersMario characters like Link from the Zelda series and Isabelle z Animal Crossing.
technically speaking, Mario Kart World is a bigger game thanks to the open-world design, but is it really better as a game? It's an evolution of the concept, but not a revolution. Short of having an even bigger open world or more characters in the next game, chances are Nintendo has nowhere to go. Mario Kart.
Final Fantasy
Will there ever be a finale?
Final Fantasy he had two high points in the series, both of which can be considered highlights. Final Fantasy VII more players got into RPGs, leading to the success of the PS1 among other successful titles. Final Fantasy 10 it's popular for a variety of reasons, and the PS2 era is overall probably the last great generation of the series.
Since then, Square Enix has seemingly become more obsessed with nostalgia by bringing back the best Final Fantasy work through remakes and remasters. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a great game, but it drew on the past and only reminded players of what the franchise used to be, not what it is today.
He can't do better than Kojima
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is the last game Hideo Kojima worked on before departing from Konami. Since then, Konami has mostly focused on re-releases, along with a spinoff of Kojima's last work through Metal Gear Survive.
They have yet to innovate on what Kojima started in 1987, and it's hard to imagine anyone at Konami stepping up to the plate and creating something new because they'd have some gigantic shoes to fill. So, Metal Gear the franchise, barring remasters and remakes, may be dead, at least for Kojima fans.
