This topic has come up from time to time and I still maintain that you stick with Elemental. Getting all convoluted with E:FE:LH was a mistake. LH should have just been Elemental: Legendary Heroes.
When people mention GalCiv, they're thinking of whatever flavor of GalCiv they most enjoyed. Most of them are thinking of ToA, but probably not everyone. But, as a brand, GalCiv encompasses the totality of what you've accomplished with the GalCiv franchise. GC1, GC2 and all the attending expansions. That's what GalCiv is. Pull out some terms that go with the brand and you probably get phrases like excellent design, iteration on that design and amazing AI.
Elemental is WOM, FE, and LH. They serve as essentially three iterations on the franchise. Part of what makes Elemental so spectacular is the story that it tells about Stardock. Now, admittedly, part of that story is probably hard for you guys to hear, especially after it has been thrown in your face ad nauseum for years. But that initial, horrendous starting point is essential to the brand and, more importantly, to what that brand conveys.
Elemental stands for merging of genres, balance of tactical and strategic gameplay and fun heroes that can adventure in a big strategic world. But it also stands for a commitment to customers. What you guys did in response to WOM is the standard to which studios that produce failed games should be held. It is arguably the single best response to a failed launch in the history of the industry.
Embrace that. Don't hide from your rocky start, because you're essentially lopping off the best part of the story. You're voluntarily giving away a valuable piece of the brand. Through commitment to your customers Elemental has gone from disaster to a game that has:
Then you have the DLC situation. The DLC for Legendary Heroes doesn’t just sell well. It sells insanely well. There’s a huge demand for it because the installed base of the game we call Legendary Heroes (but is really Elemental: Fallen Enchantress – Legendary Heroes) keeps growing.
I know some people don’t care about the name. But the reality is, the single biggest thing holding LH back is the brand confusion. I’ve seen people on various forums say that LH is probably the best fantasy 4X that is currently available (though Age of Wonders 3 is looking pretty awesome).
So we have this great fantasy game that we have the budget to keep iterating on that is artificially held down because no one really knows what to call it.
You've reclaimed the moniker from the scrap heap by way of the excellent LH and, if I had to guess, you've spent a small fortune doing it. Dear god, don't waste that now. The next iteration of the series should simply be Elemental: XYZ. Drop all the intermediate crap in the name. LH is the pinnacle of Elemental. The next iteration should beat it and take Elemental to new heights.
GalCiv may be where you guys made your name, but Elemental is where you showed your worth the loyalty so many of your customers feel.
Besides, do you think if you call the next iteration of your fantasy TBS franchise Froggies: Now In The Ocean or some such that people would magically NOT bring up Elemental:WOM's disastrous launch? Might as well meet the comparison head on and take ahold of the good story it tells at the same time.
