A revival of the Infamous series has been on a lot of gamers’ wish lists, and for good reason. Developer Sucker Punch’s superhero franchise introduced a fresh spin to the genre, allowing players to choose whether protagonist Cole MacGrath would use his powers for good or evil. It was a compelling take on the superhero formula, which spawned a direct sequel and follow-up entries with new protagonists, Delsin and Fetch. Despite its success, though, Infamous has been dormant for over a decade now.
However, there is still potential for the Infamous franchise to come back in the future. At the moment, Sucker Punch has kept busy with Ghost of Tushsima and Ghost of Yotei, but a return to Infamous isn’t completely off the table. If that day ever comes, and Sucker Punch decides to revive its superhero series, waiting for this current influx of Marvel and DC games to blow over may be the best decision.
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An Infamous Reboot is Possible, But the Timing Has to Be Right
Marvel and DC Are Gearing Up For a Wave of Releases
Not only are Marvel’s Spider-Man series and Marvel Rivals already big hits, but the Marvel brand has an extensive list of projects currently in development. Since Disney bought Marvel back in 2009, the brand has bled over into nearly every corner of pop culture, and its presence in gaming only seems to be increasing with the projects it currently has in the pipeline.
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Marvel’s Blade
- EA’s Iron Man project
- EA’s Black Panther project
When it comes to DC, the company’s recent round of games may have not proven as successful as Marvel yet, but there is still time to bounce back from Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Monolith is currently working on its Wonder Woman game, and the beginning of James Gunn’s cinematic universe may ignite a new wave of DC game adaptations. Even if Marvel is the only prevalent comic book brand in gaming in the next few years, there is bound to be saturation in the genre. The heavy presence of Marvel and DC superheroes in film and television already makes it difficult for superhero stories outside those brands to gain traction, and a similar landscape in gaming could hinder Infamous from reaching its potential.
Infamous First Light, doesn’t feature a Karma system and serves as a prequel to Infamous Second Son.
Infamous is Better Off Waiting in the Wings
Once Marvel and DC’s planned games have launched and have had a while to entertain audiences, only then will Sucker Punch have the perfect opening to rise from the grave. Allowing this upcoming wave of superhero hype to die down is likely the best path forward, because once superhero fans have finished these various games, there will be a niche to fill. Of course, there is also the risk of gamers becoming fatigued by superheroes, but Infamous has the benefit of being its own unique IP.
While the heart of Infamous is based around super-powered humans, the franchise isn’t exactly a superhero story, at least in the traditional sense. The series explores what happens when normal people are given extraordinary abilities, and that is potentially compelling enough of a concept to grab the attention of gamers, even after an onslaught of Marvel and DC offerings.
A spin-off for Infamous 2, titled Infamous: Festival of Blood, shows an alternate reality where Cole becomes a vampire.
The Wait For More Infamous Continues
As of now, it seems as though Sucker Punch doesn’t have plans to continue the Infamous series, but that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Yes, it could be wishful thinking, but after Ghost of Yotei, there’s no telling what the developer has in store next. Only time will tell, but if an Infamous reboot ever did happen, it may be best left years down the line.
