For me there are 2 criteria to success for any entertainment product:
1. It makes a profit, meaning the product is financially successful
2. It was well received BY THE CONSUMER (i.e. most people who paid for the product liked it), meaning the product has created a positive opinion towards the people who made the product, and towards the product itself. This then leads towards a higher likelihood of 1. being achieved (and improved) in future products.
The Conduit AND PSP both achieved 1. and 2. but as you can see I said "higher likelihood". Because there are no guarantees that just because 1. and 2. were achieved for the first product doesn't mean they'll be achieved for the second (witness PS3 which only achieved 2.2 after PS2 achieved 1. and 2. with unprecedented levels of success, but achieving 2.2 alone does still give some cause for optimism well for a future product). Conduit 2 or PSP2 may or may not well or better than the first of their respective names. There are other factors at play which determine whether sequels succeed, namely what is competing for the consumers discretionary dollar/pound/yen/peso/euro/ruble/yuan/talla/clams...
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix
