Following critical drubbing of latest installment,
publisher's Games label president tells LA Times that "we're not going
to do another one."
Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount's The Godfather II
is widely agreed to be among the best films ever made. However, the
same can't be said for EA's second installment in its game adaptation
of author Mario Puzo's acclaimed gangster saga. The game's critical lambasting
recalled reviews more in line with the third film in the franchise when
it debuted on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC earlier this year.
The game has fared somewhat better at retail, selling just over 250,000
units in the US as of April 30, according to the NPD Group.
Now, it appears as if EA won't be returning for a third installment in the strategy-cum-action title. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times
last week, EA Games president Frank Gibeau said that the Godfather had
been fitted with a pair of cement shoes. "We're not going to do another
one," he explicitly told the newspaper. Gibeau went on to say that an
installment in the Godfather franchise was not part of EA's current
production schedule, which the LA Times notes extends three years.
Providing a more nuanced follow-up comment, an EA representative confirmed to the LA Times
that no Godfather games are currently in development. "Nothing has been
decided as to future sequels," the continued. "Paramount is a great
partner."
Establishing players as a newly appointed Don of New York, The
Godfather II let gamers handle strategic organizational aspects of the
mob, such as establishing and maintaining criminal endeavors and
creating a stable of made men. However, the title also included the
open-world action gameplay that was central to the original Godfather,
which received a positive reception in 2006.
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