Have to say Teddy...

Look at EA. Biggest publisher around who sells more than anyone else. Look at their portfolio. At Christmas (by far the most lucrative time when most games are sold) it was Return of the King and Rising Sun that were in the top 5 sales (at least in the UK but that's a fair barometer for elsewhere) along with some other regurgitated brands. Everyone has their own definition of what deserves to be called 'original'. I'd consider Dungeon Keeper, savage and Black and White as reasonable examples. Now count the 8 (!) The sims games and sequals. And the Bond, Potter, Rings brands thrown at us. I'm not saying they are not fun, but in a counting game of original vs unoriginal, unoriginal derivatives win.

Innovative games do get made, but it's a freaking hard sell to publishers. Costs to make a game are forever going up so fewer risks are taken. Brand awareness is seen as a key route to sales.

-----------------
If you can keep your head when all about you have lost theirs, it is possible you haven't grasped the gravity of the situation.

Jean Kerr
--------------------