o  yeah... i forgot to blame NBA Jam for this...

I blame NBA Jam...

 Imo, until we see gameplay, it's impossible to judge the new SSX. The fact is games that are quirky and vibrant don't sell any more, so they unfortunatley need to give this game some edge and grit to make it appealing to the mainstrean. It's a shame, but as long as the core values of SSX are there, as long as the racings fun, the tricks over the top and the atmosphere isn't too dark it'll be fine.

 My fear is all the levels will be a range of different shapes of black and the characters will be all serious :/. 

 It amuses me everyone thought this trailer was a Battlefield 3 trailer initially.

If they want/need to change the style they shouldn't call it SSX, rather go with Dark Summit reloaded or whatever.

Make this video popular and hope for somebody noticing the fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhMXn1frLTI&feature=player_embedded

the best selling game ever made happens to be a current gen sport game with a art style which isn't photo realistic at all.  Sales from Japan (where it wasn't bundled with the Wii) show Wii sports still would have sold shit loads if it wasn't bundled.  If anything, SSX should have gone down that route.

'quirky and vibrant' still sell very well, it's just seems that not many are on the PS3 or 360 and those which are, most are not retail games

 Aye, I couldn't be arsed to go into specifics, but obviously I was talking about the PS3 and 360 market that the game is on. I'm sure SSX as it was would sell okay, but EA have seemingly made a conscious decision to aim this game at the people who buy COD, Assassin's Creed, Fallout etc, which is undoubtedly the biggest market on the HD twins.

WTF?!?!?! time to dig out Tricky.

lol what?

An art style can make or break a game and Deadly Descent has no style what-so-ever.  Gritty and realistic isn't a style, it's just boring and if they don't give this game any personality, it will fail.

Also, just quickly looking through my collection of PS3 and 360 games, these game beg to differ that only gritty and realistic sell, style sells:

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/39483/super-street-fighter-iv/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/25464/bayonetta/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/13826/borderlands/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/12539/lego-star-wars-the-complete-saga/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/2619/viva-pinata/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/7619/the-orange-box/ (TF2)

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/7636/fable-ii/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/35099/modnation-racers/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/37830/3d-dot-game-heroes/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/18897/valkyria-chronicles/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/18886/naruto-ultimate-ninja-storm/

http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/game/12390/littlebigplanet/

Also, look at most anything Harmonix has made for reference on how a game can still be semi-realistic but still have incredible art and art style.

I remember when SSX Tricky came out and blew everyone's minds. The game was so awesome.

A year later a game comes out by the name of Dark Summit. Everyone blew it off, as we were still having too much fun with SSX. A "mature" snowboard game? Yeah right! Who wants to play that?

...

And now we have SSX: Deady Descent. I am not a happy camper.

lol calm down twesterm it's just a trailer. It's not even an actual gameplay footage.

Also, that video is perfect.  It's amazing what a song and a voiceover can do.