Not too long ago news leaked that the development team over at Team Bondi fell victim to poor employment conditions while hard at work on the ambitious 40s crime game L.A. Noire. While the game turned out to be quite a fantastic package - read our review here - the future of Team Bondi and the franchise is growing bleaker each day.
As word has it, the discord between Rockstar and Team Bondi has gotten so bad that the famed publisher will not publish another title from the development studio. As a result, Team Bondi will need to look elsewhere for a publisher, which may prove to be quite difficult. Whether we'd like to admit it or not, the reality is that publicity is the key to success in this industry. If L.A. Noire didn't have the Rockstar logo slapped on the box, there is no doubt in my mind that the game would have tanked sales-wise. Think of all the commercials and billboards Rockstar financed, and how essential that has been to the title's success.
Fortunately for Team Bondi, the game did so well that there is a chance they can find success by clinging to the L.A. Noire brand. A large portion of the gaming community doesn't know who the developers are anyway, so the fact that another L.A. Noire title is coming may be enough to get the average consumer excited.
I however, am not all that optimistic about the future of this franchise. Chances are that Team Bondi will be able to find another publisher to make the sequel a reality, but I doubt the follow-up will see the same level of marketing as the first. I expect L.A. Noire to reuse many of the assets from the first game, providing a very similar experience with different characters. As such, it wouldn't surprise me if L.A. Noire 2 turns out feeling like a very large expansion rather than a completely new experience.
The reality is quite saddening for us gamers, as L.A. Noire was one of the more innovative titles of this generation. In an industry bogged down with military shooters and sports games, it's nice to see something fresh from time to time. Going off that thought, perhaps it wouldn't be all that bad if L.A. Noire didn't see a sequel. The developers at Team Bondi are certainly a talented group and may be able to push the envelope further with something entirely different.
What do you think? Should Team Bondi continue to work within the L.A. Noire universe? Let us know in the comments section below.
