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And now for something completely different...
There are a variety of factors that lead to most developers sticking with particular genres or single IPs; most gamemakers are subject to the decisions of a major publisher, and given the rough landscape of the industry, it often pays to go with what you know. Plus, after putting in so many years with a single engine, the prospect of trying something completely different can be pretty daunting.
Epic MegaGames finds first-person in 1998
Up first: Epic MegaGames' development history in the mid-90s is the very definition of scattershot, including puzzles games, Cliff Blezinski's early adventure titles, mascot-based platformers, and strategy. In late 1997, Epic developed 7th Legion, a strategy game set in the post-apocalypse. In early 1998, Epic published Jazz Jackrabbit 2, a rare popular PC-exclusive platformer (albeit a firearms-filled sidescroller that had much more of an edge than the kid-friendly-fare on consoles). Whether you consider the outside work Orange Games did on Jazz Jackrabbit 2 enough to disqualify it as a true Epic product, even the grittier 7th Legion was far from a typical prelude to the team's next move.
Ubisoft Montpellier turns off the cartoons in 2006 (and 2011)
Up first: Between the early (and current) success of Rayman, as well as the Wii-driven popularity of the Rabbids, Ubisoft Montpellier has been able to remain somewhat independent of the many other Ubisoft studios, most of which contribute to the publisher's more consistently-released titles like Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, and Far Cry. The developer usually keeps things lighthearted, as it did with Rayman games as well as Beyond Good and Evil during the PS1 and PS2 eras, on top of the Rabbids-and 2D-animated fare it mostly produced during the Xbox 360 and Wii's heyday.
Neversoft drops the board, picks up a guitar in 2007
Up first: While Neversoft's early days were slightly tumultuous--see the team's canceled Ghost Rider project and the drastically-revised Apocalypse--the developer found some stability on a skateboard, developing and publishing a new Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game once a year for almost a decade. Even though the team had time to work on something different on rare occasion (like the first Activision-published Spider-Man game or the Xbox 360 western Gun), most of the team's efforts were focused on the Birdman's extreme sports brand.
EA DICE trades guns for running shoes in 2008
Up first: Even though EA Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment existed for a decade before Battlefield (mostly producing pinball and racing titles), once the shooter took shape in 2002, it was the developer's bread and butter. Over the next half-decade, DICE rolled out six standalone games and another half-dozen add-ons, becoming one of the industry's pre-eminent shooter developers.
Aki undergoes the greatest gimmick change in games entertainment history in 2008
Up first: Even though they worked on a handful of combat-free titles, Aki's greatest success came in the squared circle. Whether it was WCW, WWE, Def Jam, or M.U.S.C.L.E toys, you could count on Aki to deliver the best wrestling video games in the world. However, by the mid-2000s, the contraction of popular worldwide wrestling organizations left Aki out of the ring. In September of 2008, Kinnikuman Muscle Grand Prix 2 Tokumori came to the PlayStation 2 in Japan, the final gasp of life from the miniature grappler toy line in any territory.
Retro Studios goes bananas in 2010
Up first: After the studio was given the greenlight for its first published project in 2000, most of the first decade of Retro Studios' existence was dedicated to one of Nintendo's most forward-thinking franchises: Metroid Prime. From the premiere FPS iteration of the franchise on GameCube in 2002 to the update/compilation package Metroid Prime: Trilogy on the Wii in 2009, the studio was unflappable in its creation of high-quality, atmospheric, first-person sci-fi action.
Team Ninja (briefly) quits karate in 2010
Up first: From its inception in the late 90s all the way up to today, Team Ninja has been laser-focused on two closely-knit franchises; the fighting series Dead or Alive and the hack-and-slash action of Ninja Gaiden. Between the former's jiggle physics and the latter's constant violence, the house that Itagaki built made it known it wasn't afraid of tackling Mature-rated content.
Rare goes better with Kinect in 2010
Up first: From its early days working on licensed fare and Battletoads to the magical period in the mid-90s where it spawned Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, and the two finest shooters in N64 history, Rare could be counted on to deliver the finest western-developed games on Nintendo consoles, and sometimes they weren't even E-rated!
Makeover time!
While we're sure to see other big-name developers try something completely new during this tumultuous next-gen time, this list showcases the fact that it can sometimes lead to successful reinvention, even if theres a Metroid: Other M left in the wake from time to time. Can you think of any other development teams that have made such drastic shifts? Bring them up in the comments below!
