Sega explains Golden Axe co-op absence

via Joystiq


As totally rad as arcade classic Golden Axe might have been in 1989, developer Secret Level's decision to axe co-op from the game's upcoming sequel is akin to castrating the series of the one thing that made it worth playing at all. Since hearing of the studio's misguided design choice, we've been pining for the opportunity to ask anyone who'd listen for an explanation, a chance we got this week at E3 when we cornered Sega's VP of marketing, Sean Ratcliffe.

"Rightly or wrongly, we don't have co-op multiplayer in the game," he offered, a statement that was met with a short, yet uncomfortable pause. "I think as much as anything it's taking inspiration from the original series but in terms of that multiplayer co-op the developer decided that they didn't want to take the game in that direction."

"If Golden Axe: Beast Rider is successful," he added, "we can then come back with something else that maybe will have the co-op mode that everyone is wishing this game has." Or, you know, you could give people what they want in the first place instead. Just a thought.