http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1649762/insomniac_terrified_by_fuse_reveal.html

Insomniac Games has admitted to being "terrified" when announcing new IP.

“I think we’re pretty much terrified whenever we reveal a new game concept,” Brian Allgeier, Creative Director at Insomniac Games, told NowGamer. “Whether it be stylised and cartoony or more grounded and fantastic, it’s happened with every game we’ve worked on. You never know how people are going to react.”

Allgeier admitted that the studio agonised over changing Overstrike into Fuse, and  initially worried how the gaming public would react to what could be considered a rather drastic change from it original vision.

The general consensus was positive, albeit slightly confused. Many questioned the need to change what already looked like a well-established art style, but were happy to accept the new direction. Though there were some vocal criticisms, Allgeier believes the studio has made the right choice. 

“Any time you make a big change like that, it’s going to create waves,” explained Allgeier. “Ultimately you have to do what’s right for the game. You have to make a lot of tough decisions. You have to assess everything, you know? We get feedback from ourselves, company-wide usability tests where we get feedback from people and ultimately we have to make a decision, and it’s tough.”

I would have been more terrified of the fact that I was revealing what looks to be another generic and bland shooter title.

I wish they would have put their development resources into something more... fresh than the shooter genre.

The game does look generic to me.

They seem not to have learned anything from the Resistance failure.

I don't blame them. Looked really well made to me, and yet it has bomb written all over it. That generic name ain't gonna help. :/

Who knows. I would cite "Dishonored" on the matter of "generic as hell in aesthetics and name," but clearly the game really nailed down fun gameplay well enough to overcome all of that, and Insomniac is good at nothing if not making a game fun to play.

I still love Insomniac, but I don't think they're handling the game well.

Firstly, I think the name change was a poor choice. Overstrike has more of a ring to it than Fuse.

Secondly, it feels like they're trying to cater to two different fanbases but actually pleasing neither. The long-time Insomniac fans (like me) wanted a fun third-person shooter with their usual brand of wacky, fun gameplay. The Call of Duty demographic want Call of Duty.

I don't see who they are pleasing with their current direction. I wish them all the best for the game and I'll certainly try it out, but it's not looking too promising.

Well, Insomniac also still has to be punished for their perfidy to Lord Sony, so bomb it shall.

Probably why they shouldn't have gone with Activision. Activision wants only Call of Duty

Actually, Activision could return Spyro to Insomniac, couldn't they?

It's been published by EA.  Which is even more to the point, since EA are looking for the game that can topple COD's popularity... hence Battlefield; Medal of Honor's current direction etc.  Not necessarily saying that's what happened with Overstrike, but it certainly appears that way from the outside.

And yes, Activision could ask Insomniac to make Spyro.  They won't, though.  They've found a job for him in Skylanders which is making them a lot of money.  It's Crash who needs rebooting in some meaningful way (which is partially why I'm so miffed that they're being so arsey about him being in PSABR.  It's win-win for both sides.  Sony gets the character everyone wants; Activision get loads of publicity for him).

Yeah, you'd have to figure Crash isn't making A-B any money right now, so any deal Sony would give them would be better than no deal at all.

What offer did Nintendo make on Sonic? Sonic's way more popular than Crash right now, surely Sega had more leverage with him getting into Brawl.