Something I was curious about because this comes up quite a bit in some of my conversations about games, but what does everyone think about the trend of creating expanded universes in video games, by which I mean not simply the linear progression of sequels but when the story expands into side games, novels, short films, and other forms of medium to explain the story and world? Do you feel it enriches the experience, has issues, or something that is absolutely terrible?

Series like .hack, Kingdom Hearts, Xenosaga, Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, and more are starting to become a conglomerate of mediums to tell their huge and complicated worlds. Is it worth it? or do you feel it alienates too much? Is a rich story worth all the trouble or do you think its just a cash grab?