2k Czeck
Mafia 2

End of 2004

 CEO 2k Games(G): <We entrust the sequel to you, do you like the idea? Basically, you don't have to do almost anything in 2-3 years, okay? We'll handle the publication...>

CEO 2k Czeck(C): <Damn, what about the storyline? The gameplay? You said we would have a game without excessive commitments...>

G: <Hey... we give you 2-3 years, in the meantime, watch Coppola and Scorsese's films, take the most significant scenes, review the script and stack them between the chapters of the game, okay? Some gameplay should be removed and additionally, we'll add the GOW-like cover system which the kids seem to love.>

C: <okok>

2 years later

C: <Boss, we have removed the shooting from the cars, added 3-4 random quotes in "Call Of Duty" style between mission loadings, and we didn’t bother to add the bonus mode like "Fast and Furious", so we thought of placing collectible Playboy magazines scattered throughout the city (another fake copy of Chicago), so the kid can even have a quick visit to his underwear while playing; lastly, we put a bogus gear system for car break-ins but at least it's something more.>

G: <Good job guys, regarding the scenes copied from films: let's take the trunk scene with the dying man they need to bury from "Goodfellas", from "The Godfather", as you suggested, the scene where they beat Connie's husband, and then we incorporate "American History X" and "Il Camorrista" for the prison scenes and those when they try to screw Vito in the toilets, what do you say?>

C: <Perfect, anyway the game all around still sucks, it needs more time. I know you're focused on that Bioshock beast, but I say come on, some creativity and support from your side too, we here in Brno never dealt with mafiosi or such scum like them and you expect us to make it appear somehow…>

G: <Who cares?, actually it might be better this way, releasing it later means increasing hype for users and cash for us... umm... for everyone, okay?>

 End of 2008- 2009

 C: <Master, so do we put those 2/3 novelties in the presentation trailer? Are you sure it will catch on? and the "to be continued" ending, won't they catch us on that?>

 G: <So, in the trailer, everything that's not contingent, please. The rest all in DLCs since this "collecting disease" is so contagious that they don't even realize how much money they're throwing into our pockets just to grab the extra crap we gradually offer them... We don't care about the ending, once the game is bought, after a few months I'll show you how they switch interest to the third installment, no worries.>

 A few days before  E3 2010

 G. < Oh, one last thing, considering that the lame PS3 can't handle certain shadow and grass textures, what if we entice them with "exclusive content for PS3"? It should work…this way we deal with the annoying Sony executives and money comes from there too.>

                                                                                           CONCLUSION

With the new consoles, I've often pondered whether it's me, now 21, who can no longer find that alchemy of involvement with video games that was so clear and immersive until the dear PS2. What do I do? I put back on Medievil and Crash 3 (for example within the PSX context, owning only that). It happens that I'm forced to devalue what I had imposed on myself, because that alchemy returns like a resurgence...

It's not me who's changed, it's unfortunately the current philosophy of software houses that's aiming at something else; and it's with a pinch of pride, right in their greedy and stinking face that I can scream it, reiterate it:... I still have the ability to dream! Even if, in your case, the shores are only those of memories, at best.

Not a lack of ideas, but market: just like the whole next-gen spiel, like a syrup with your favorite flavor, but it's still a syrup, and you feel it bubbling in your stomach with consequent regurgitation...