Sequels can sometimes be a risky business.

　　High hopes, big budgets, and serious expectations often create an extended moment of high anxiety for the entire team - from creative to management to marketing.

　　The solution? Give it your best shot.

　　Part of Myst sequel Riven's "best shot" begins Thursday night with the launch of an expensive blitz of TV ads that break on national cable networks MTV, FX, TBS, The SciFi Channel, and E!

　　Broderbund, Riven's publisher, seems to know what it wants. "Send the rocket as high in the sky so it stays up there for a while," Bruce Friedricks, senior brand manager at Broderbund, told GameSpot News.

　　The 30-second ad, created by the San Francisco office of ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, will run through mid-December. The spot is a moody, compelling, if not deliberately paced, coming attraction to the game.

　　The TV campaign - combined with the print, catalog, and in-store campaigns by retailers - is designed to tap the scattered demographic counted among Myst owners who have avidly awaited its sequel.

　　"We found that one third of installed base buys an average of 11 games per year. The other two thirds were casual buyers - and a significant portion of that group had never purchased a game before," Friedricks said.

　　Since Myst was released in late 1993, however, gamers have increased in both number and sophistication. And the number of games has increased dramatically, as have the ads that now clutter mainstream media.

　　"The success of Myst, everyone will admit, was a fluke. No one could have planned for it," said Kim Kline, the Broderbund account director at Saatchi.

　　The ad out of Saatchi is designed to have the feel of a movie trailer because "it's not just about selling a product, it's about selling a mood," says Kline. The intrigue and anticipation that movie trailers ideally generate in viewers are exactly what the Saatchi creative team thought was needed.

　　While Saatchi and Broderbund declined to comment on the total budget for the Riven campaign (print and broadcast), informed sources indicated to GameSpot News the media buy totaled between $500,000 and $1 million.

　　Money can't insure another million-seller, but it can buy you a sizable chunk of exposure - something a brand manager can appreciate.

　　"Myst buyers indicated they wanted a sequel and didn't want many changes. What you have to do is reach out to these people," said Friedricks. "Nothing sells like success, so certainly there are high expectations for Riven."

　　So far the Broderbund marketing machine has accomplished much in the way of awareness. Riven-related stories have consumed all sorts of space in mainstream consumer media - from broadcast to print.

　　Leaving no stone unturned, Broderbund now turns to TV to entice gamers.

　　Said Kline: "It's very competitive and you've got a short window to make your mark. If not, you're history."

　　In related Riven news, Broderbund will begin selling Myst - which is already on retailers' shelves - from its web site beginning October 31.