I was talking to duckroll and I think this is the problem with OGs:
Unlike Licensed SRW where every few entries you reboot the cast down to a small list of w/new sprites and build up through re-use, OG SRW is getting problematic because the cast list is only going to keep GROWING every game forever and ever.
To make OGs1&2 on PS2 they had to make X amount of sprites at PS2 low-resolution.
To make 2nd OGs on PS3 they have to make X amount of sprites + Y amount of new sprites for the new entries AND do all of this at PS3 high-resolution.
That's like 2-4x the amount of work required.
Now imagine if they have to make OG3 for another system because in 2015 PS3 isn't viable anymore. Then they have to do that work all over again. It's just not feasible AT ALL.
So my guess, is they are taking their time with 2nd OGs and doing 2-4x the amount of work that OGs was and they are FUTURE PROOFING these sprites and animations at such a resolution and sharpness that no matter what system or where OGs3, OGs4, OGs5 go, they can keep re-using these sprites for this cast and then only need to make sprites for the new entries each game and new moves for the old cast members. So this is taking extra time and 2nd OGs will probably come out fall 2012 or spring 2013.
It's also why I think 2nd OGs isn't going to have a lot of new cast. Right now it's just SRW D, SRW MX, the rest of SRW Alpha 2, and 1 character from SRW Alpha 3. I think that's going to be the final new cast list. It's such a huge effort to just remake ALL the OGs cast in new high-res sprites that they don't have a lot of time/budget to do a ton of new characters as well. So the new entry cast will be small. Then OGs3 will have a ton of new entry stuff because they can just re-use all these sprites and spend the dev time on the new entry series. So I think this will be a stopgap/transition OGs game that is mainly about just seeing old favorites in new sprites and animations and not really moving the story a ton (though it'll cover Alpha 2's plot at least which is major).
Anyhow, that's my theory. I think 2nd OGs will be fall/spring, Z3 will be 2014 or 2015 (2015 more likely), and they will announce a 3DS SRW licensed game soon, either for this x-mas or if 2nd OGs is 2012 than next spring/summer that will have slightly better than DS quality sprites/animations w/full voice by the team that did the DS games (and that's why it's taking them a few years; it'll be a "medium" budget SRW; not as high quality as the Z series, but not as LQ as the DS entries). And there will probably be a 3D one by the Neo team in the next year or two. Wouldn't be surprised if it was for 3DS as well.
