Unraveling the Game: Nickelodeon's Uphill Battle in the Gaming Industry

Highlights

Nickelodeon's rapid release of sequels for its party games leaves players with little reason to invest in the studio's future titles.

Nickelodeon's games suffer from a lack of support and updates, which impede their potential for success and longevity. Releasing sequels too rapidly, without prioritizing improvement and support for previous games, could negatively impact the long-term viability of Nickelodeon's franchises.

In recent years, Nickelodeon has made multiple attempts to launch a new party game. Utilizing its extensive collection of animated franchises, the network has thrown its characters into various thrilling experiences, hoping to attract players. While many of these games have provided enjoyment, the high number of releases has posed challenges for future Nickelodeon titles.

Party games and online experiences typically require time and support to establish a dedicated audience. Unfortunately, Nickelodeon has not allocated enough time to its games. Instead of focusing on making each game, such as Nickelodeon Kart Racers, the best it can be, the network quickly moves on to sequels, leaving previous versions behind. This pattern has persisted for a few years, leaving players with little incentive to invest in the studio's upcoming projects featuring its beloved characters.

Nick is Releasing Way Too Many Games

Major studios are eager to replicate the success of games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Some are creating unique experiences like Brawlhalla, while others are simply incorporating their popular intellectual properties into large-scale ensemble games. Warner Bros. followed this trend with MultiVersus, Disney with Disney Speedstorm, and Nickelodeon with various franchises.

In 2018, Nickelodeon introduced its first crossover franchise with Nickelodeon Kart Racers. Developed by Bamtang Games, the game brought together some of Nickelodeon's most well-known franchises in the racing genre. Although resembling Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it failed to reach the same level of success. While the racing gameplay was decent, it lacked in almost every other aspect.

Instead of focusing on strengthening Nickelodeon Kart Racers, the studio opted to develop a sequel, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix, just two years later. This sequel addressed many of the shortcomings of the first game. Surprisingly, Bamtang Games continued this pattern with another sequel, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway, two years later.

Bamtang Games has been consistently releasing Nickelodeon Kart Racers games, but has provided minimal post-launch support. This lack of support is not unique to Bamtang Games, as Ludosity and Fair Play Labs also followed a similar pattern with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Despite releasing only in 2021, they are already planning a sequel, and their support for the previous game was limited to three DLC fighters and occasional updates. It is likely they will employ the same approach with the sequel.

Releasing these sequels one after the other without adequate spacing seems like an odd choice. Unlike Super Smash Bros., which gained popularity by spacing out releases and consistently providing extensive content updates, Nickelodeon has failed to give players a compelling reason to invest in their games. This approach could have long-term consequences for the franchises.

Prospective players may be reluctant to purchase future Nickelodeon games knowing that they will quickly be overshadowed by a sequel. The lack of sufficient effort from the studios to sustain the games, low budgets, and unresolved flaws until the next installment further diminish the appeal. This unsustainable business model may limit the longevity of these characters and their impact on Nickelodeon.