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There are countless video game franchises out there. From the beginning with Mario, to more present gaming behemoths like Madden Football. Some are top sellers simply by virtue of the fact that they've been around so long. Somebody that buys the newest Burnout title is very likely to continue to into the future. The brands are self-reinforcing because they're always at the top in sales. We like what we're comfortable with, especially when we're shelling out $60 for a game. We want to make sure we're not wasting our money, so we go with what works.

Assassin's Creed is one of the newer franchises on the scene. With the 2007 release of their first title came a huge following and given the royal treatment for a popular video game: massive holiday sales, stellar reviews, and enough capital to produce a sequel. The franchise is interesting in that, for such a young brand, it already has a considerable fan base. We've seen this before with franchises like Crash Bandicoot in the 1990s. The games are very popular at first, and then the developers become blinded to the attributes of the original game that gave them the fame in the first place.

We can only hope Assassin's Creed 2 doesn't fall into this same failed developer model. Mainly, Ubisoft Montreal will have to know when enough is enough. Assassin's Creed 2 will no doubt be one of the top performers this holiday season. The game play and storytelling, and certainly the graphics, will be top notch. The question will remain, though: does the franchise have the legs to become a gaming dynasty?