If The Game Awards 2024 proved anything, it's that gamers are in for a golden age of classic IP revivals in the coming years. Naturally, the unveiling of several new games in long-dormant franchises coming down the pecking order has prompted many developers and publishers to re-examine the prospect of reviving classic IP, including Sony. PlayStation CEO Herman Hulst recently commented in an interview with Famitsu that the company is “continually exploring” opportunities to revive older IP, perhaps indicating that Sony Interactive Entertainment is planning some new titles in languishing franchises. New rumors related to the idea have only added fuel to the speculative fire, but fans should keep their expectations in check.
Reliable insider Andy Robinson recently shared on VGC: The Video Game Podcast that Sony currently has “at least a few” projects in development that will allow the studio to revive older IPs, but it's important to note that these are just the latest rumors in a long line of leaks indicating similar initiatives. To coincide with the launch Twisted Metal A live-action adaptation, Sony reportedly planned to revive this classic vehicular combat franchise (a staple of the early PS1 line), but those plans never came to fruition. Sony may be reviving IPs, but they may not be the ones fans have in mind.
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Astro Bot's success seems to be the basis for many classic PlayStation IPs to revive the series
It's no surprise that Sony is reportedly looking to the past as it maps out the company's future Astro Botsuccess and winning the game of the year. Astro Bot it harkened back to the golden age of 3D platformers during the 5th and 6th generation of consoles, reminding players that a good, standalone solo experience could make them a lot of money. Similarly, Astro Bot it's also a love letter to the history and legacy of the PlayStation brand, featuring plenty of notable first- and third-party portraits from throughout the hardware's history.
But while Astro BotWhile Sony's success is a strong case for it to consider reviving a dormant IP, it's by no means a guarantee that it will. The connection can be misleading Astro BotUniversal acclaim and fond nostalgia for PlayStation's past with a real push from Sony to revive the dormant franchises featured in its award-winning platformer. So while new Monkey Run game would be a welcome surprise from Sony, an Monkey Run– thematic level in Astro Bot does not mean that this reality is more likely now than it was before Astro Botedition.
Which franchises will and probably won't be revived by PlayStation
The love that fans have for the older, dormant franchises in Sony's vast IP catalog is understandable, as these are the games that helped form the foundation of the PlayStation brand and carry the hardware from generation to generation. However, that same success paved the way for developers of the same games to move on to bigger (and in most cases, better) things. So while Sony could very well be trying to revive a dormant IP, certain franchises are off the table given what gamers know about their developers' current projects.
Naughty Dog is unlikely to deliver a Jak and Daxter revival soon as the company is hard at work on the recently revealed Intergalactic: The Heretical Prophet. Likewise, any hope of a Killzone or Resistance the revival would depend on Guerrilla Games or Insomniac Games being available to manage the project, but Horizon and Miracle games each studio is working on take precedence. As for which franchises are more likely for a revival, the following may have a better chance:
- Monkey Run
- Twisted Metal
- The Legend of Dragoon
- Fat princess
- Everyone is golf
Of course, this isn't an exhaustive list of all first-party Sony franchises, but rather IPs that haven't seen a major release in several console generations and whose studios aren't currently working on other titles.
