Gamers tend to get frustrated and annoyed when publishers release sequels too soon after the release of their predecessors.   It happened with Super Street Fighter IV, Left 4 Dead 2, an even Tomb Raider: Underworld.  Somehow, though, I have a feeling that no one will complain about Hothead Studio’s announcement that a sequel to its downloadable game, Deathspank, is already on the way.  Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue will launch on September 21 for the PS3, and on September 22 for the Xbox 360.

Billed as being longer and funnier than the original, Thongs of Virtue will maintain the unique brand of comedic hack-and-slash action that the original game started, though this time with “more adventure and puzzle questing.”  Hothead confirmed that the sequel, while not announced until today, was actually being developed alongside the original game.

Thongs of Virtue will serve as a sequel to Deathspank in terms of plot, but players should be able to enjoy the second chapter without experiencing the first.  Of course, this is a Ron Gilbert game, so the storyline isn’t exactly traditional.  This excerpt from the press release says it better than I ever could;

"A long time ago, nine mystical thongs were planned to bring balance and harmony to the universe, but when marketing got in the way, only six thongs were produced, and the result was disastrous. Granting great power to those who wear them, the thongs corrupted all those they touched—except DeathSpank. DeathSpank must find all six thongs and destroy them once and for all."

As a $15 (or 1200) downloadable game, a quick sequel turnaround for Deathspank is a lot easier to swallow than a $60 game in the same situation.  The fact that it's a Ron Gilbert game means that it comes with a built-in audience who will almost certainly buy the sequel.  Developing a game and its sequel simultaneously is a risky proposition, but Deathspank sold reasonably well, so I'd imagine that its sequel should see similar sales numbers.