Namco 'proud' of Enslaved despite low sales, won't comment on sequel possibility

There may yet be a future for Trip, Monkey and Pigsy. Despite its disappointing sales, Namco Bandai has stated that it is standing behind Enslaved: Odyssey to the West due to the outpouring of critical and fan praise. It seems a sequel could still be possible. Maybe...

Since its release last October, Enslaved has quietly grown into something of a cult-favorite, joining the likes of Beyond Good and Evil, Psychonauts and Okami in the %26ldquo;games most people ignored, but should really get off their asses and play%26rdquo; category. Thankfully, word of its cult-love has reached the ears of Namco Bandai. In an interview with MCV, the studio's marketing manager, Lee Kirton, hinted that there may be enough fan appreciation to fund a second attempt.

%26ldquo;It didn%26rsquo;t perform as well as we hoped it would, but we%26rsquo;re very proud of how it was received by both the media and the gamers who have experienced it,%26rdquo; said Kirton, continuing, %26ldquo;I can%26rsquo;t discuss where we are in terms of a sequel, but we%26rsquo;re looking at reviews and feedback from the press and because of the gameplay and quality that Enslaved delivered, we see it as a great catalogue title going forward.%26rdquo;

Ninja Theory put a lot of heart and soul into Enslaved, but heart and soul isn't enough when competing with high-profile releases like Halo: Reach, Medal of Honor and Fallout: New Vegas. If a second game were to materialize, it'd need a lot more marketing and a better sense of timing. And yes, more Pigsy.

Jan 28, 2011

[Source: MCV]