darkSpyro

As its now known, Sky 6 is confirmed to be in development AND that SSC sales were lower than expected. Wile we don't know if the sales for SSC were only somewhat bad but still lower or terribly low, we do know its not as good as the previous games (The highest selling is currently SF, just an FYI).

If Sky 6 does sell lower than SSC, depending on how bad the sales are, I would expect either Sky 7, 8 or maybe 9 to be the final game.

If they're horrible, then I'd say Sky 7 will be the last game.

If they're lower than expected but still satisfying (Like what SSC seems to be) then I think we're safe for now.


One more question.

Do you think Sky 6 will sell better? Why or why not?

Pretty much. Acti isn't one to even get close to risks. The moment it stops being easy, even if it's their fault entirely and not the devs', they'll jump ship.

Or worse,they'll start treating the devs worse and worse,then put shiny new teams that get dropped with no experience that'll drive the series into the ground. DOTD's history repeats,nobody is happy.

I HOPE it sells better if it's better,but we know nothing about the game yet. If it's good and deserves to be good,I want it to be sucessful, not so much if it's lazy.

Go down the crapper, as it should if they don't want to care about their product.

I'd like to think that they wouldn't totally crap on the franchise like you guys are saying, but we do have a sordid past as our guide for the future. We'll see.

I have a feeling TFB will seal it with more characters and not such an annoying method of gameplay *cough ,vehicles, cough* I think they just overall make better characters and games to be honest.

First, "lower than expected" does not mean horrible mediocre sales. Sales were just average/lower than last year but still enough to release a new game this year.

When Sky 6 will be released, before they know if the sales are good or bad, development on Sky 7 will most likely have already started. So if Sky 6 sales are bad, Sky 7 could be the last game released the year after. Whether Sky 7 does good or bad in this scenario, we would get a 1-2 years break allowing them to come up with a truly innovative concept that could re-ignite the Skylanders craze. They could still release smaller games during that break so the franchise is not completely forgotten. If Sky 6 does good, I think it is safe to say TFB will be working on Sky 8 when Sky 7 will be released.

It's a bunch of "they said, we said" since we don't have numbers. The fact they did not reveal them is in fact revealing. no posters for for 4 billion toy sales yet?

Quote: newkill

First, "lower than expected" does not mean horrible mediocre sales. Sales were just average/lower than last year but still enough to release a new game this year.

When Sky 6 will be released, before they know if the sales are good or bad, development on Sky 7 will most likely have already started. So if Sky 6 sales are bad, Sky 7 could be the last game released the year after. Whether Sky 7 does good or bad in this scenario, we would get a 1-2 years break allowing them to come up with a truly innovative concept that could re-ignite the Skylanders craze. They could still release smaller games during that break so the franchise is not completely forgotten. If Sky 6 does good, I think it is safe to say TFB will be working on Sky 8 when Sky 7 will be released.

Oh I know, the sale could have been great for SSC but lower than expected. I should have worded it better.

I think it will be better because hopefully toys for bob learned what not to do from vv did in superchargers.

They said they will consider stopping at 10 games, so I hope they stick to that. After 10 it'll really get stale. Then again, they also said they wouldn't make a cartoon a few years back.

Quote: TrapShadowFan

They said they will consider stopping at 10 games, so I hope they stick to that. After 10 it'll really get stale. Then again, they also said they wouldn't make a cartoon a few years back.

This worries me

They said they had no plans, not that they'd never do it. At the time Giants was still in development so they weren't that deep into the idea that it really got popular.

There were a lot of factors for SSC that drove people away. For some just the fact that VV was developing it drove them away. But I think that was a low amount of people. For some it was vehicles, for some it was Skymiibos.

Quote: 84skylanderdude

There were a lot of factors for SSC that drove people away. For some just the fact that VV was developing it drove them away. But I think that was a low amount of people. For some it was vehicles, for some it was Skymiibos.

I've only seen the Skybrids (I think it's a catchier name ) attract people so far. So many of the lets-players I've watched that weren't as interested in Skylanders before have dipped their toes in with Superchargers and loved it. A few people I've seen have even gotten previous games because of it.

I say it won't sale [Where i live] Cause all the people who i knew liked Skylanders last year now are addicted to Lego dimensions! And at my local shop they sortof removed the skylanders shelf & added amiibos

I can only hope that the sixth Skylanders game will be the last one.

I'm partying but im sure sky 6 will fix everything

Making drastic changes can turn people off from trying it again, hopefully SSC didn't damage that too much.

Everytime Activision has had a chance to go cheap with this game they haven't. Look at the 2015 launch, everything was against them, Disney was launching Star Wars with a better then ever metacritic on the game and Lego Dimensions launched a brand new product. Given that Skylanders is certainly long in the tooth they have everything to loose in a stiffening market.

If Activision was wavering on their faith in the franchise they wouldn't be launching a new TV series and continuing the comics. But actually the opposite is happening where they are investing MORE money into Skylanders and trying to break it into the mainstream kid/parent conciousness. Skylanders is still a very mis-understood brand with the majority of consumers confused about how it works and why they should buy it. And core gamers who I think would appreciate the game only see it as cash grabs with overly expensive plastic DLC.

For Activision to take the next step they need the world and characters of Skylanders to be understood by parents who are not gamers and who might see the value in the toys not just feeling begged to buy them. You don't see parents balking at spending hundreds on Lego or Disney products, but yet parents buy everything from waterbottles to bedsheets with Anna and Elsa or Mater and Lighting on them. That is brand synergy that Activision needs! Disney has it, Amiibo has it and Lego has it. Without it yeah they are dead.

But you don't create the kind of brand conciousness without more global and accessible forms of entertainment. And that is where the TV show comes in. Introduce the 6-12 year old public to your characters, make them want Skylanders pyjamas and THEN you got a hit.

But there is plenty of Skylanders merch, from waterbottles to bedsheets. Not in the same quantity as Frozen and Cars, but there's a ton, even dog tags and the horrifying Spyro costume everyone finds when looking up the classic series merch.

If Sky 6 is good, I see no end in sight
If Sky 6 is ok, then there will at least be a Sky 8
If Sky 6 is bad, there will also probably be a Sky 8
If Sky 6 is terrible, then Sky 7 may be the last game

Honestly though, I think that I feel a major change coming, and in a good way for this game, but we will have to just wait and see.

As long as the next game doesnt have vehicles or something else that comes close to that or being forced to buy 10 trap masters to open gates than it should be okay.

We need one thing:



sorry....

Only thing we need is use of old items. Like magic items, traps and they better not rip us off with no vehicles.

That is definately not the only thing to help this next game. I'd be all for keeping magic items useless if the rest of the game was awesome and full of good content - it's having it be so empty already that made the lack of them worse. Having both would be nice, but in development where they always seem to run short on time, gotta have priorities.

I expect some of the old features to return with particular attention to a revamped online pvp. If not then Activision are intent in burying this franchise in the ground.

I really hope we have a lot Of skylander games ahead Of Us. I'm optimistic about ThE next installments.

Quote: TrapShadowFan

Quote: 84skylanderdude

There were a lot of factors for SSC that drove people away. For some just the fact that VV was developing it drove them away. But I think that was a low amount of people. For some it was vehicles, for some it was Skymiibos.

I've only seen the Skybrids (I think it's a catchier name ) attract people so far. So many of the lets-players I've watched that weren't as interested in Skylanders before have dipped their toes in with Superchargers and loved it. A few people I've seen have even gotten previous games because of it.

Yeah, but I've also seen a lot of complaints from Skylanders fans, many saying that was the point where they no longer had a a desire to purchase the game.

Quote: TrapShadowFan

They said they will consider stopping at 10 games, so I hope they stick to that. After 10 it'll really get stale. Then again, they also said they wouldn't make a cartoon a few years back.

Quote the source. i have it somewhere in writing that they had 20 years of ideas/games. Of course, this was during SSA days. Words are cheap. Money will talk.

I expect the next installment to be much better. But I think the future of the game depends as much on the success of the TV series as it does on the game. If the TV series is popular kids will want the toys and then the games that the toys are used in.

Quote: Bifrost

But there is plenty of Skylanders merch, from waterbottles to bedsheets. Not in the same quantity as Frozen and Cars, but there's a ton, even dog tags and the horrifying Spyro costume everyone finds when looking up the classic series merch.

Sorry not really in the UK. Most stuff related to Skylanders is from the Giants era.

Giants and Swap Force from what I've seen,yeah, but if ebay is any indication it still sells plenty :U The only merch that ever reached Brazil in time were the storage cases,unfortunately. There's also this thing from Trap Team that I found out now in the subreddit.

My main concern is that Sky 6 would of been slightly over half way through development by the time they realised SSC was not so popular. They will only be able to change it so much.

Quote: Skylandskid

I think it will be better because hopefully toys for bob learned what not to do from vv did in superchargers.

They were already half way through, it may be tricky (thought not impossible)

Quote: 84skylanderdude

There were a lot of factors for SSC that drove people away. For some just the fact that VV was developing it drove them away. But I think that was a low amount of people. For some it was vehicles, for some it was Skymiibos.

Don't see why VV would put people off. SF is the most successful and generally most highly regarded and that was VV. Last one from TFB was TT which personally I thought was great, but it isn't as good as SF.

i personally believe that tfb will bring it yet again, so lets put that failed ssc side game behind us and move on. i am looking forward to skylanders6 now, i bet its gonna be awesome. tfb know how to make games so they will deliver plenty, and bring back what everyone loves about skylanders games. the dungeons crawling and brawling

I think Skylanders 6 will be another game with a new gimmick and the brand continues the decline. You have to remember that the driving gimmick in Superchargers isn't what drove people away and caused low sales. People were excited about it. If it was the problem, people would have still bought lots of Starter Packs, just very few figures because they didn't like the game. But, they obviously had troubles moving Starters as well judging by how quickly the prices got slashed. People are just wearing out on the franchise - and also discovering the competition which really stepped up this year. Not exactly the best year to have a dip in the reception of the game.

I'd say if they were smart, they would put it on hold a year and build up demand. Make the fans really want a new game. And take time to really come up with something special. They need an awesome gimmick like Swap Force.

But, they won't do that. Activision will burn the candle at both ends until no one wants it. And TfB will have some great toy designs, but will not move the game technology forward at all. Some people may not like VV gimmick this year, but they are clearly better technical developers than TfB.

I also agree that Skylanders will continue to decline, but that is not cause for alarm or panic. Rather, it is an organic decline, to be expected for a franchise and concept that began with such over-the-top above-expectations sales and popularity during its first 2-3 years on the market. It's unrealistic to expect sales numbers to continue to escalate when the initial numbers were insanely off-the-charts, based on a completely novel idea that has now been mimicked by several other entries into the market.

I do think that Skylanders 6 has a great opportunity to outshine SuperChargers, but it won't be a slam dunk. The game will have to be excellent. I think it would be VERY wise for Skylanders 6 if they simplify the starter pack releases at launch, and make that a much simpler, less confusing experience for the average consumer. And if the competitors are not requiring expensive new starter packs every year, then Skylanders probably needs to take note of that and make sure their product isn't over-pricing itself away from un-established gamers/families who are choosing what franchise to invest with for the first time.

But, as for the questions raised in the OP here, I do not think that you should fear the end of Skylanders games any time soon. Skylanders 7 is almost certainly already under development, and I would be surprised if Skylanders 8 isn't also already in the works. If sales volume over the next few years SERIOUSLY tanks, then yes, at that point, it would be reasonable to ask (in earnest) if the franchise has run its course ... but we aren't there now, at all. Remember, even though SuperChargers sales did not meet expectations, that does not mean it wasn't a profitable game.

Agreed defpally and Bahamut. I'm curious why they can't release the numbers however. We need to somehow move the tech (and game design) forward without alienating the fans....which is definitely not as easy as it sounds. I also agree VV is better equipped at handling quality but they've got a poor record for quantity...something TfB is better at. We really need both to get that wow factor.

If they are smart, they will release villains figures and I am confident that will be a sure win for them. A fail safe. Unless Superchargers has turned too many away.

Well, I have no doubt in my mind that this game will sell. Superchargers only didn't sell well by the series' standards. But if it does sell worse than Superchargers, then yeah, I'd say we can kiss Spyro goodbye once again.

Like many others I feel like the other Toys to Life games took Skylanders' audience away with the release of SC, so I don't believe sales will ever become higher than what we had this release. Also, maybe kids are starting to get tired of this kind of stuff, but probably not. Though, we can still have hope for more releases.

doubt sky 6 will be the last game acti is know for beating dead horse

If it ends up somehow selling worse than this one, than that or maybe sky7 will be the end of it

Quote: nitendofan92

doubt sky 6 will be the last game acti is know for beating dead horse

C.O.D. anyone? haha

This horse isn't dead yet.

As other users have pointed out, the fact the game didn't meet the expectations doesn't mean it wasn't profitable. The day the franchise means losses for the company they will probably start thinking about drastic changes, but as for now, the game still be a positive investment,and imo, there is a long way to go until the game don't ever cover it's own production costs.

We are assuming the franchise will never reach the sales it did with other titles, but we don't know that, neither we know how the TTL industry will evolute. Maybe this sector has been born to live a long life, maybe skylanders finds a way to become an AAA title and survive in its own way, maybe the franchise evolutes smartly to reach a greater array of audiences.

Toys have always exist, and videogames don't seem to dissapear anytime soon, not to mention the fact they have become a toy in themselves. Additionally DLC is not that different form buying a figure, you get additional content if you do so, and nobody questions the fact that DLC won't dissapear tomorrow.

We can just theorize on the future and its possible scenarios and experience tells me a product can survive it manages to adapt to how the market and consumer changes.

Assuming the end is near is a risky as saying there will be 30 skylanders games.

It was always going to be difficult for Activision this year facing down Disney with Star Wars and the Launch of a new Lego TTL title. I actually sold all my Infinity collection because their software was so buggy we simply could't reliably play the content.

Unlike say Guitar Hero which is a fad and very niche type of game, Skylanders is built on solid gaming footing. The toys element is simply a business model which has justified them charging £30.00 for a 30-60 minute DLC section. If Activision added an additional 30 minutes to CoD and charged £30.00 on top of £65.00 they would be attacked by gamers and media alike. But somehow they managed to convince us to do it with Skylanders.

It's not like they want to loose their golden child. It's not a fad game, it's a massive part of their overall income! So they are re-investing in the brand, adding a TV show and a card game. If they mainline series was going away those projects would be the first to be cancelled.

Disney likely has nothing big this year in the pipe (Lion King maybe) and Lego is not releasing a starter pack. So that pretty much leaves Toys-For-Bob to show us something cool and it's up to them to re-invigorate the series.

All very true, xboxfanuk, the only thing I want to say is that all the Toys to Life figures (the characters, at least) are more than just a physic DLC, they are an investment.

Speaking of Skylanders even in SuperChargers where you barely have a reason to play as the different characters they are still upgradable, all of them, can still collect experience and gold and remember those informations.
Giants and SWAP Force also had special sets of Quests for each chatacter which means they can potentially have a lot of specific features tied to them.

A Call of Duty DLC is tipically valid only for the current game, from what I know.
Skylanders remain useful across the years.

Quote: Drek95

All very true, xboxfanuk, the only thing I want to say is that all the Toys to Life figures (the characters, at least) are more than just a physic DLC, they are an investment.

Speaking of Skylanders even in SuperChargers where you barely have a reason to play as the different characters they are still upgradable, all of them, can still collect experience and gold and remember those informations.
Giants and SWAP Force also had special sets of Quests for each character which means they can potentially have a lot of specific features tied to them.

A Call of Duty DLC is typically valid only for the current game, from what I know.
Skylanders remain useful across the years.

I personally have bought into the Skylanders concept and enjoy collecting the figures and even personally love Superchargers. I guess ultimately it comes down to how you feel about collecting those figures. But I was speaking mostly from a cynical gamer point of view where DLC is scrutinized and the kind of money Skylanders and similar games charge probably puts allot of people off.

And yes you can use the figures going forward which is great, but their value continues to be limited as the new game mechanics always require the current gimmick figures to be purchased now in multiples of 10 instead of 8.

Activision said they were planning 10-20 games, so Skylanders 7, 8, or 9 shouldn't be the last game. YAYAYAYAYAYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote: xboxfanuk

Quote: Drek95

All very true, xboxfanuk, the only thing I want to say is that all the Toys to Life figures (the characters, at least) are more than just a physic DLC, they are an investment.

Speaking of Skylanders even in SuperChargers where you barely have a reason to play as the different characters they are still upgradable, all of them, can still collect experience and gold and remember those informations.
Giants and SWAP Force also had special sets of Quests for each character which means they can potentially have a lot of specific features tied to them.

A Call of Duty DLC is typically valid only for the current game, from what I know.
Skylanders remain useful across the years.

I personally have bought into the Skylanders concept and enjoy collecting the figures and even personally love Superchargers. I guess ultimately it comes down to how you feel about collecting those figures. But I was speaking mostly from a cynical gamer point of view where DLC is scrutinized and the kind of money Skylanders and similar games charge probably puts allot of people off.

And yes you can use the figures going forward which is great, but their value continues to be limited as the new game mechanics always require the current gimmick figures to be purchased now in multiples of 10 instead of 8.

Oh, yeah, the game's structure definitely doesn't help the series looking acceptable for the majority of the gamers.

And yes, newer games always required you new figures to access extra content but SuperChargers is the actual first game where a specific type of figure is required not only to progress with the Story Mode but also to simply play the game.
Prior to it we only had to own a single Skylander.

But I absolutely get what you are saying and I agree.