Gaming franchises on consoles always seem to have a natural rise and decline. The clearly defined hardware generations that accompany console development allow various franchises to come in and out of existence gracefully. With the ever continuing and undivided evolution of the PC however, franchises fall out in a more noticeable manner. So many great series have dropped of the radar conspicuously, leaving us sad, bewildered and constantly asking why. Here are ten of our favourite PC franchises that are no longer around and need a revival.
10. Microprose’s Magic: The Gathering
It might not be for everyone, but damn is it addictive
It’s an unconventional call to make but, considering the success of the recent Duels of the Planeswalkers series, I’d say there is still a demand for digital alternatives to collectible card games like Magic. The recent games have been an enjoyable single player alternative to the card game, but the 1997 Microprose adaptation and its expansions are the premier examples of a digital Magic: The Gathering. With fully customisable decks and a campaign that saw you improve your cards as you battled against the the forces of evil, Microprose’s deep and involving take on the elegant Magic the Gathering game needs to be reborn for the modern generation.
9. Discworld
Those games could talk the talk and walk the walk
An often unsung hero of the point and click canon, the Discworld games were true examples of how books could be effectively turned into games. Merging the wit and creativity of Pratchett’s Discworld with some fiendish puzzles, the Discworld games were a highly memorable and inventive addition to the genre. The series ended on a fantastic note with the highly stylised Discworld Noir, but little has been heard from it since. The good humour of the series needs to make a return to the gaming world in some shape or form.
8. Warcraft (the RTS version)
When will next see Warcraft the way it was originally meant to be played?
World of Warcraft is one of the biggest and most profitable games ever made. Whilst it’s good for some, us fans of the original real time strategy incarnations of Warcraft are left with little hope of satisfying our constant desire for humorous and strategic fantasy. It’s a shame as well, as the most recent third instalment to the Warcraft series introduced some pleasant RPG elements for the hero characters that added a whole new dimension to the experience. It was a great mechanic that doesn’t get a look in from many other RTS titles. With Warcraft 3’s hugely popular Defence of the Ancients mod set to get a full blown sequel later this year, we can only hope that Blizzard will take notice and revive the RTS incarnations of Warcraft.
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