Quote: " Innovation doesn't sell! Proof would be on another forum I visit where loads of people are getting excited about the new command and conquer ... specifically the mammoth tanks. Yay .. mammoth tanks, for the 5th iteration, spanning over 10 years. No, innovation doesn't sell. The best thing to do is do exactly the same thing over and over again until we're all convinced there is nothing else to put into games. "
I don't think it's the fact that innovation doesn't sell, but the way it's implimented.
Viva Pinata for example is one of the best RTS I've played in a decade. It is quite innovative in the gameplay design, and the way that is it extremely freeform; you're basically creating a garden and coaxing artificial intelligence animals in, and to do what you want them to do in order to improve.
This said the game as a whole is an innovation, and the designs it's based on aren't.
Same goes for other very popular current generation games.
Gears of War for example, doesn't actually have anything particularly innovative; as the gameplay and story have been used before. The implimentation of it however makes it a very compelling game, and something that is now very popular.
Rainbow Six Vegas is another game that doesn't have necessarily innovative, but are new to the series that enhances it to a level that it looks and feels like a great leap forward; yet at the same time they've kept all of the previous elements that people loves about the series. This right now is one of my personal favourite games, because the implimentation of different innovations have been put together in a way that makes it a better game over predecessors.
Games that generally don't innovate in anyway like EA Sports games, basically are popular because of the sports fans. They purchase each new one for better graphics, and that seasons roaster.
Innovation certainly does sell games, it just depends on how it's integrated. Games that rely purely on the innovation generally fail because they focus on being innovative rather than on the game; and those that don't innovate are purchased because you know that the game is going to be a better looking version with some new features. So you already know you like it.
There is a point where even these games have to include innovations though just to keep peoples interest though.
