It's not exactly science, but Pierre-Alexandre Garneau has posted over at Gamasutra a handy little "test" developers can take to see whether their games are going to make them filthy stinkin' rich or...get their asses fired. The basic rules are the more questions you can answer "yes" to, the better your game will sell.

Is the Game Distinctive?

Does it stand out viscerally?

Does the gameplay stand out?

Does it involve the player socially in a unique way?

Can the Game Reach a Large Market?

Is the idea behind the game easy to communicate?

Is the game based on something the market already knows and loves?

Is the target market large?

It looks alright (Psychonauts & Okami FAIL), but probably works better for original IP or new game ideas than licenses. Madden fails the first four questions (ie, half of them), but I'm led to believe it sells a copy or two. Luke Plunkett

The 10 Minutes Game Sales Potential Test [Gamasutra]

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