Summary
- Ready at Dawn wanted to redeem The Order: 1886 with an improved sequel, but Sony declined the pitch.
- Plans for the sequel involved significant quality improvements and fixing gameplay elements criticized in the original game.
- Fans believe The Order: 1886 could excel as a live-action series, similar to other successful game adaptations like The Last of Us and Castlevania.
Ready at Dawn co-founder, Andrea Pessino, has recently discussed The Order: 1886 sequel that never came to fruition, despite the developer’s intention to right the wrongs of the predecessor and rescue the franchise within the improved successor. Ready at Dawn is an American-based studio populated by former Naughty Dog and Blizzard Entertainment members. After developing titles in the God of War and Lone Echo series, the developer was acquired by Reality Labs, previously known as Oculus Studios, after The Order: 1886‘s release.
The 2015 action-adventure game was released as a PlayStation exclusive, following the Knights of the Round Table battling against werewolves and vampires set within an alternate history in 1886 London. The Order: 1886 is one of the best games set during the 19th century, joining the likes of Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, even though the game was widely criticized for its replay value, short length, and gameplay elements.
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During an interview with MinnMax on YouTube, Pessino discussed the sequel pitch for The Order: 1886 at length, noting that the studio “wanted a chance to redeem the franchise.” The co-founder explained that the studio pitched a sequel to Sony regardless of the harsh critical reception, but admitted the team “would have signed our life away,” due to a “terrible budget” and little leverage when it came to creative control. Unfortunately, Ready at Dawn closed its doors in August 2024 after 21 years in the industry, shuttered by Meta after the company cut short-term funding by 20% alongside the goal to ensure Oculus Studios’ long-term impact on VR development.
Ready at Dawn Co-Founder Noted The Order: 1886 Sequel Aimed to Redeem the Franchise
Ready at Dawn shared some exciting plans for The Order: 1886’s sequel before it was scrapped, highlighting a significant jump in quality and focus on gameplay improvements, which was a major criticism against its predecessor, with comparisons to the transformation between Assassin’s Creed and its successor. Pessino added the sequel would have been “incredible,” and praised the first game’s groundwork. “There was so much there that just needed to be built on,” the co-founder continued, leaving fans on a sad note considering how the first game ended on a bold cliffhanger.
Following in the footsteps of HBO’s The Last of Us, Amazon’s Fallout, and Netflix’s Arcane and Castlevania shows, gamers noted other PlayStation franchises that also deserve the live-action treatment, including The Order: 1886. Fans believed a series could effectively expand Ready at Dawn’s groundwork and take advantage of the game’s atmospheric steampunk setting. Other franchises that could excel in the same medium include Returnal, Jak and Daxter, and Bloodborne.
- Released
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February 20, 2015
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language