When/why games stopped using roman numerals in their titles

[J1M]

Thread title.

I find myself doing this too, referring to a game as [title] 2 instead of [title] II, even when it was released with roman numerals originally.

Is this because the worldwide audience doesn't know roman numerals? Bad search engine optimization by outsourced engineers? The prevalence of san-serif fonts?

If we had to draw a line for when this norm flipped, where would that be?

[rusty_shackleford]

Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
II: The Knight of Diamonds
III: The Legacy of Llylgamyn
IV: The Return of Werdna
V: Heart of the Maelstrom
VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
8

[Oyster Sauce]

II = old timey
2 = new timey

[Tangerine]

II = old timey
2 = new timey

Whenever I see Roman numerals in newer titles, it's generally for a fantasy game. There are exceptions, like Witcher 3.

[jdcp]

Is this because the worldwide audience doesn't know roman numerals?

Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER knows roman numerals, it's education 101.

That said:



I guess @Tangerine has the answer, heavy fantasy inspired games like to follow that trend.

[Oyster Sauce]

II = old timey
2 = new timey

Whenever I see Roman numerals in newer titles, it's generally for a fantasy game. There are exceptions, like Witcher 3.

The Witcher Wild III Hunt uses romies everywhere relevant

[rusty_shackleford]

Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
II: The Knight of Diamonds
III: The Legacy of Llylgamyn
IV: The Return of Werdna
V: Heart of the Maelstrom
VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
8

Might and Magic IX is just "Might and Magic 9" on GOG
https://www.gog.com/en/game/might_and_magic_9

[Segata]

Black peepo can't understand roman numerals

[stormvermin]

II = old timey
2 = new timey

Whenever I see Roman numerals in newer titles, it's generally for a fantasy game. There are exceptions, like Witcher 3.

The Witcher Wild III Hunt uses romies everywhere relevant

It the earliest promo material, it used the 3. IIRC there was some minor pushback against some of the original designs and when the addressed those, they also changed the logo.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Roman Numerals become difficult to read over and over when you are typing something a lot. Ie, FFVII and FFVIII are a little difficult to discern between at a glance so it's easier to just type FF7 and FF8.

[Tangerine]

Roman Numerals become difficult to read over and over when you are typing something a lot. Ie, FFVII and FFVIII are a little difficult to discern between at a glance so it's easier to just type FF7 and FF8.

While true, I don't think that's in the spirit of the question, which is about titles/promo material.

[J1M]

Roman Numerals become difficult to read over and over when you are typing something a lot. Ie, FFVII and FFVIII are a little difficult to discern between at a glance so it's easier to just type FF7 and FF8.

I agree, but with serif fonts (newspapers and the like) it's less of a problem.

FFXVII FFXVIII FFXVII FFXVIII