Are you a fan of the old school classic Resident Evil games such a RE1, RE2, or RE3? Well I have great news for you - Capcom is openly giving you the middle finger in one of their schemes to continue milking the Resident Evil name. This is because Resident Evil is not a game with integrity, but a cash cow that makes them money. [spoiler]His point was that while a majority of us were under 17 when we played the older games, they were not marketed toward us. They were usually marketed toward adults back then. (Although Toy Biz seems to contradict that in '98, so who really knows). But then again that goes in to the greater point I've made repeatedly in this thread. None of this is new. It's simply being publicly admitted that Capcom are willing to throw their own franchise and core fanbase under the bus to gain some investor good will. Remember awhile back Capcom's operating income plunged? It wasn't a huge deal because Capcom has been in that deep before. But at the same time it probably wasn't enough operating income to develop another current or next gen triple A product. The escapist article, which I'm now assuming I'm one of two people that read it points out that Capcom actually back pedaled and claimed RE6 was a success and re-affirmed RE's global brand recognition. Even though twice now they've said RE6 was a failure. They go on to say that Resident Evil is a recognized brand name that sends Hollywood execs into a tissy begging to help work on the next movie or game. There are a few key things to think about: 1.) That was a post on an investor relations website. Which meant it was written for current and potential investors. Investors give Capcom money, Capcom takes that money and publishes games. When those games are successful Capcom's stock grows, and the investors make a return. Thinking about that and the fact that Capcom's been a bit rough lately, makes it clear that this is a brochure aimed at convincing current and potential investors that Resident Evil, Capcom's pre-eminent flagship title, is still a powerful brand and not risking irrelevance. 2.) Where would any doubt of RE's relevance be coming from? Well RE6 kinda tanked. They expected 7 million and broke just over 5? And it took over a year and a half to do that? Investors are questioning the power of the brand. And suits, talking in the only language they know-- business, are trying to say RE6's failure is not coming from all the naysayers out there saying that it was a bad game. They're saying the established fanbase has grown out of gaming, that's why RE6 failed. They're saying RE6 did not fail because its a terrible game. 3.) The entire report is nothing more than a glorified marketing pitch to convince current and future investors that RE isn't on rocky ground. This is especially important within the context of Capcom's multiple failures of varying proportions regarding other projects, as well as current projects. Notice a few recurring themes in that brochure. RE is a global brand (as opposed to say, Monster Hunter) RE can collaborate and has collaborated with tons of entities to create merchandise. (They've been hocking toys and books and comics since '98) And lastly, Resident Evil is still a powerhouse and, as most people are probably thinking, is not fading into obscurity. What's any of this rambling mean to us fans? For starters it could've been fashion magazines or kitty litter brands, either way it's a statement to say that they can collaborate and that is supposed to signify the strength of the brand name. The age of who is and isn't growing in or out of gaming is merely an excuse. It's bold denial that they're the reason the franchise is faltering and that they're the ones driving it into the ground. Capcom constantly blames fans for failure to meet expectations. Lastly, they really don't know where the franchise is headed. And their investors might be losing confidence that Capcom can figure out what to do with it. This is not a bold marketing move. This is not something innovative. It simply means more of the status quo. Only this time they're openly admitting what many of us have been trying to point out. So yay for us. If you like the drivel they're putting out, congrats, it's likely to continue. If you don't, now you know you can stop trying to prop up Capcom and buying into their empty promises. Go support some good survival horror games and let RE die.[/spoiler] The following text was reiterated from the Capcom-Unity forum member "Harv"'s post shown above in spoiler tags http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120511-Western-Resident-Evil-6-Reception-Doesnt-Worry-Capcom In the above article we see businessmen representing Capcom saying that Resident Evil is still successful despite RE6's clear failure not because they're stupid, but because they're smart. This article was written for investors and investors give Capcom money to make their games with in return for more money. The stock market is a gamble and if Resident Evil doesn't look like a good place to invest, Capcom doesn't get any of that sweet nectar. This is why they are saying that Resident Evil is still successful. How are they saying that Resident Evil is still successful? Simple. They say that RE6 wasn't a shitty game and that the core fanbase has just grown out of gaming. In doing so they are merely excusing the fact that they can't make good games. http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/feature/hit2013/02.html [quote]The longevity of the "Resident Evil" title also comes with problems. The main user group is now in their late-30s to 40s, and the average age is also going up as the series goes on with an increasing possibility that some percentage of the existing users will outgrow games altogether.[/quote] But it gets better. In an effort to see Resident Evil succeed (make money) as a brand, they are trying to garner new fans by appealing to a younger and wider audience in any way they can. Placing ads in fashion magazines, opening up Resident Evil-themed horror attractions (which suck), and just generally getting the name out there as much as possible. Pretty much anything they can do to sell a crappy game to as many people as possible so they can please investors and continue business. [quote]Therefore, there is a constant need to gain new users, and the creation of opportunities for exposure in fashion magazines was carried out as an example. However, obviously game information is not carried by fashion magazines. Therefore, we have created opportunities for receiving coverage in fashion magazines by collaborating with fashion brands which are popular among young people. We are also actively working on spreading name recognition among non-gamers through expansion in other industries, including the "Halloween Horror Night" event in alliance with Universal Studios Japan (USJ) and the opening of the "Resident Evil Café and Grill S.T.A.R.S." (a "Resident Evil"-themed restaurant) in Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo. These collaborative events are opportunities to be enjoyed by non-gamers as well, so it is important to plan them so that anyone can enjoy them and not aim them at a section of our core gamers.[/quote] Do you still have hope that RE7 will return to survival horror and be an excellent game? Well then I'll see you creating a thread that RE7 tanked when the game comes out. Resident Evil ain't nothing nowadays but a fully-decayed corpse that has already been embalmed and placed 6ft under. It's a zombie; a shuffling, blank-eyed, empty shell of what used to be. A shadow of its former self if you will. If you know anything about zombies, maybe you understand that there's no cure for zombification. I've been to the RE haunted house at universal and the scent was still that of rotting flesh and not in a good way. Instead of focusing on making a decent haunted house, they focused on impressing fans with dozens of game references and cool effects. Every person who I walked out with said something along the line of "WTF did I just go through?" Resident Evil is one among the undead. I'd advise you to abandon the franchise, remove your RE7 pre-order, and instead support the many other survival horror games out there such as Shinji Mikami's "The Evil Within". Capcom can't succeed if you vote with your wallet.