Of all the weapons that video games publishers yearn to have in their arsenal when it comes to releasing a new game, a strong licence remains perhaps the most fearsome.

Strong IP and a loyal fanbase are hugely important, of course, but the marketing opportunities afforded by a strong brand open doors that perhaps no other USP can budge.

However, while it was once the case that successfully acquiring a licence itself guaranteed a certain level of success, in recent times things haven’t been quite as simple. Licensed titles have, among some followers of gaming at least, a somewhat sullied reputation – for every good use of a licence you’ll find two games that weren’t seen to be up to scratch.

To read the full feature, click here.

Advertisement