If you loved the original Halo, you may be among those who waited in line when the latest version of the gaming franchise was released earlier this week. Then again, even many younger gamers who never played the original were waiting in line, showing the power of sequels even for attracting new players.

The latest Halo version is just one of many examples of popular gaming franchises built on seemingly perpetual sequels, according to Bloomberg. While it’s called “Halo 5: Guardians,” the new title is actually the thirteenth iteration of the popular first-person shooter series.

In fact, many new games expected in this fall’s release season will be sequels of recent hits. The Call of Duty and Fallout series will both see new versions soon. Also out this fall will be “Star Wars: Battlefront,” an update of the game series that dates to the late 1970’s.

Creating new game franchises is not an easy task. Game developers often only create new series when new consoles are released. For example, last year saw the release of two games that appear to have long-term franchise potential, Titanfall and Destiny, both intended for use with the latest consoles.

The cost of developing a new video game is approaching that of a Hollywood movie, leading to hesitation among gaming companies to take risks on untested properties. Hence, like Hollywood, gaming studios are trending towards supporting proven titles over new riskier investments.

But some warn that overdoing sequels can water down fan support. The gaming series Assassins Creed has published eight sequels and a smartphone app in five years, with increasingly poor reviews and diminishing interest over time.