This is a common fan fallacy. Companies want their product to reach a wider audience, so they need to make something different. It's a risk, but when it pays off, it pays off greatly (e.g. Fire Emblem Awakening). Now, a more 'fan-oriented' game can certainly be successful, but I've seen games criticized for being too similar to predecessors. Nostalgia has a way of keeping the fans attached to the older games anyway.
In this industry it's easier to get new fans than to please the old ones, esp. if your property is very old.
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