From the earliest days of the original PlayStation, first-party IP has played a pivotal role in the company’s business strategy. First-party franchises have only grown more integral to PlayStation’s strategy as time has gone on, becoming a key distinguishing factor between PlayStation and its competition. But not all first-party PlayStation IP is equal.
While the likes of God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last of Us, and Horizon are all household names, there are countless PlayStation franchises that have been lost to the mists of time. But that could be about to change. In a recent episode of VGC’s The Video Game Podcast, Andy Robinson claimed that he’s aware of “at least a couple” of “deep cut, old IP” projects that PlayStation has in the works. It might be some long-forgotten PlayStation franchise’s lucky day soon enough, and there are plenty of series that are deserving of a revival.
The phrase “deep cut” usually refers to something that isn’t known or remembered by most fans. So, while series like Killzone, Sly Cooper, and Resistance haven’t been seen for a while, they might not qualify due to them still being relatively well-known.
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‘Deep Cut’ Franchises That PlayStation Should Bring Back
Ape Escape
Debuting in 1999 as the first game to ever require the DualShock’s analog sticks, the Ape Escape series had just three mainline entries, with the third and final mainline entry releasing in 2005. While Ape Escape had a handful of party games, kart racers, and even an RPG spinoff, the series is primarily known for its mainline entries and the twin-stick ape-catching gameplay within them.
Though an Ape Escape game hasn’t been seen in 15 years, the series did recently get a bit of a resurgence in the mainstream by appearing in last year’s award-winning Astro Bot, where it received an entire level based on its gameplay. With this newfound intrigue, there’s never been a better time for an Ape Escape revival.
MotorStorm
While it never managed to earn the critical acclaim of Nintendo’s Mario Kart series, PlayStation’s MotorStorm was a solid competitor for a while there in the 2000s and early 2010s. MotorStorm made its debut in 2006, and released a total of five entries before it entered dormancy in 2012 with the release of the PS Vita and PS3 title, MotorStorm: RC. Aside from Gran Turismo, PlayStation doesn’t have a racing series on the go, and an arcade-y series like MotorStorm could do well.
SOCOM
A third-person tactical shooter series, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs lived for just under a decade, but the series’ output was immense. A total of 10 SOCOM games were released between 2002 and 2011, some for the PS2, some for the PSP, and two entries for the PS3. Though the series saw a steady decline in critical reviews over the years, some fans still long to see the return of SOCOM, and it might be worth another shot given how well Rainbow Six Siege continues to perform.
Buzz!
Even more prolific than SOCOM, Buzz! was a multiplayer quiz game that took the world by storm in the 2000s. A total of 14 mainline Buzz! games were released between 2005 and 2010, along with five Buzz! Junior games aimed at younger audiences. In the modern live-service landscape, a free-to-play, ever-evolving Buzz! revival could work surprisingly well.
Syphon Filter
Still widely regarded as one of the best games on the original PlayStation, Syphon Filter made a fairly large impact on the third-person stealth shooter world upon its 1999 debut. A handful of sequels soon followed it, along with two PSP entries. Despite the vast majority of Syphon Filter entries earning good reviews, the franchise came to an abrupt end in 2007, with developer Bend Studio moving on to create Uncharted: The Golden Abyss and eventually Days Gone. The modern stealth genre is still a little lacking when it comes to big AAA franchises, and a Syphon Filter revival could fill that gap.
Sony
- Date Founded
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May 7, 1946
- Headquarters
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Minato City, Tokyo, Japan