Sierra: We're prepared to take risks with new IP

Prototype and F.E.A.R. publisher Sierra Entertainment has told GamesIndustry.biz it's ramping up development of new IP and isn't afraid to take more risks than its third-party competitors.

Speaking in an exclusive interview published today, the publisher says that it will develop and create new franchises based around the four genres the company has already established hit titles in — real-time strategy, open world, first-person shooters and kids' games.

"On top of these four pillars of genres we're going to create original IP, and I would say we're pretty solid in that direction compared to any other publisher," commented Martin Tremblay, president of Sierra Worldwide Studios.

"We're going to be up there with the big guys with regard to creating new franchises.

"Compared to any other publisher at the moment, we're the new one coming up in the console world. We will surprise a lot of people because our commitment to quality is absolutely there, and we're taking a real step forward in terms of the balance of licensed titles, original IP and strong sequels," he said.

As well as establishing F.E.A.R. as a new first-person shooter franchise, Sierra has recently unveiled Prototype, an open-world action title from Radical Entertainment, the team responsible for the successful Scarface: The World is Yours.

Sierra is also polishing Sabre Interactive's much-delayed shooter TimeShift for release this year as well as publishing kid's movie tie-in The Spiderwick Chronicles in February 2008.

According to senior vice president of marketing Al Simone, there's a real push from Sierra's parent company Vivendi to generate new intellectual properties across the board.

"Within the entire organisation, there's an over-commitment to original IP which we fully embrace, even though there's risk associated with that," he said.

"Next year, we're looking to bring original IPs probably at a pace that most third parties haven't in the past few years."

The full interview with Martin Tremblay and Al Simone can be read here.