Among the gaming community, Sony is often recognized and applauded for its top of the line list of first party exclusive games,available only to the PlayStation brand. Some of the biggest names in gaming are titles likeGod of WarandUncharted,but unfortunately, with so many heavy hitters year after year, some series begin to fall through the cracks as time goes on.
For new franchises such asHorizon Zero Dawnto reach critical acclaim, it seems that some room needs to be made on such a vast pantheon of interactive entertainment to help focus resources and development time. However, with series likeMediEvilbeing revived in recent years andSony stating it would never retire any PlayStation IP, there remains hope for some iconic titles to return to the spotlight.
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Syphon Filter
Solid Snake wasn’t the only top tier spy sneaking his way around during the PlayStation 1 era of gaming, as Gabe Logan from theSyphon Filterseries was also at the top of the stealth action genre. While the PS1 trilogy was critically acclaimed at the time and the franchise later found further success on the PSP withDark MirrorandLogan’s Shadow, this secret agent seems to have completely vanished aside fromSony renewing theSyphon Filtertrademark in 2017.
Recently,Syphon Filterdeveloper Sony Bend have spent considerable effort on the PlayStation 4 exclusiveDays Gone, a post-apocalyptic open world experience that is far more head on and frantic thanSyphon Filterever was. It remains a mystery whether Sony Bend will remain in the world ofDays Goneor return back to its spy roots in the future; however, smallreferences toSyphon FilterinDays Gonegive fans of the franchise hope that Gabe Logan will jump back into action someday.
Jak and Daxter
Upon its launch, the PlayStation 2 was seen as a powerhouse gaming console, capable of vast open areas and detailed character models unlike anything seen before. One of the first games to truly showcase the capabilities of the console was the originalJak and Daxter, which celebrates its 20th anniversarythis year. Often regarded as the best of the action platformer genre in the height of the sixth generation of gaming,Jak and Daxteris long overdue for a proper comeback.
WhileJak and Daxtercreator Naughty Dog have since moved on to create both theUnchartedandThe Last of Usseries, this does not rule out the chance for a newJak and Daxtergame. Platformers are alive and well with modern blockbuster hits likeSuper Mario Odysseyand PlayStation’s own continued support for theRatchet and Clankseries, indicating the interest for the genre is indeed alive in the gaming populace. It is unclear when or if these gaming mascots will jump back into action, but Sony lead designerMark Cerny has expressed interest in reviving old franchises, so a surprise reveal may be just around the corner.
Motorstorm
First teased during the Sony 2005 E3 press conference,Motorstormwas hyped up to be a premier showcase for what the powerhouse console was graphically capable of. Upon release, the trailer was determined to be a tad exaggerated, but the game was still visually stunning in its own right and featured pulse pounding racing gameplay. After two more installments on the PS3 and one PSP title, the series developer Evolution Studios shifted gears tocreateDriveclubbefore being shut down in 2016.
While the brakes seem to have been hit hard for a series that seemed to just be hitting its stride, there is still a chance thatMotorstormcan rev its engine once more. For example, other racing series that appeared to have fallen off the map have since returned with a reboot or lived on through a spiritual successor of some kind.Burnoutseemed to have fallen off the map by the late 2000’s but in recent years,Dangerous Drivinghas revitalized the arcade racing genre.
Resistance
Another highlight from the early days of the PlayStation 3, Insomniac Games was tasked with creating a killer app to help sell Sony’s new machine and ended up spawning a new franchise in the process. Shortly after the release ofResistance 3,however,Insomniac announced it was moving on fromResistanceto pursue other projects, dashing fan hopes for a follow-up on the PlayStation 4.
In the years that have passed, Insomniac have kept extremely busy as a video game developer, continuing its ever popularRatchet and Clankfranchise while simultaneously teaming up with Marvel to launch a brand newSpider-Manseries. So while Insomniac may have its hands too full to take on another project, Sony have setup a secretSan Diego studio to work on existing franchises, so perhaps theResistanceseries will live to fight another day.
Sly Cooper
Leaping from one classic platforming franchise to another, theSly Cooperseries opted for more stealth based action as opposed to the run and gun thrills ofJak and Daxterbut was just as beloved by fans and critics. The colorful and cartoony trilogy that also launched back on the PlayStation 2 was brought to life by the passion and creativity of Sucker Punch, who in recent years have focused production on theGhost of Tsushimaseries.
The next best option for aSly Cooperdeveloper would be Sanzaru Games, which delivered the excellent PS3 outingSly Cooper: Thieves in Time, butSanzaru was acquired by Facebooklast year, dashing hopes for a potential revival. Still, the gaming scene is always in shift so whether a remaster of the older games is undertaken by a smaller team or Sony makes a deal for another studio to take a crack at this thieving raccoon remains to be seen.
Infamous
The aforementioned Sucker Punch created another critical darling in betweenSly CooperandGhost of Tsushimaduring the PlayStation 3 era with the electrifying superhero series calledInfamous. The PlayStation 4 era graced gamers withInfamous Second Sonwhich was fantastic but didn’t feel like a proper ending, giving all the more reason that anInfamous 3needs to happen.
With the superhero gaming scene set ablaze with the recent success of Insomniac’sSpider-Manseries, now feels like a better time than ever forInfamousto make a huge return with a show stopping spectacle that takes full advantage of the PlayStation 5. In the past,Sucker Punch teased ideas for futureInfamousGames. so the studio may have concepts and stories mapped out, but it is still a mystery when Cole MacGrath and company will return to the PlayStation frontline.
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