It has now been 12 years since the last installment in the beloved Sly Cooper franchise launched. Thieves in Time ended the Sly Cooper series on a massive cliffhanger that remains a controversial decision. Since then, many fans of the charming Sony exclusive have wondered if they will ever get to see the titular thieving raccoon and his friends ever again.
A fresh chapter in the Sly Cooper franchise would be incredibly exciting for longtime PlayStation fans, but there are also a lot of hurdles that developers would need to clear. From the notorious cliffhanger to a teased setting change, another potential Sly Cooper installment has a tricky road ahead.
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Twenty years after his debut, Sly Cooper is still a master of thieving and platforming.
Sly Cooper’s Cliffhanger Ending Deserves Answers, But a Full-Blown Reboot May Be for the Best
A Refresher on Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time’s Wild Ending
At the very end of Thieves in Time, Sly goes head-to-head with antagonist Le Paradox on a flying blimp. Le Paradox tricks Sly, stealing his parachute, and jumping off the blimp, stranding Sly, seemingly for dead. The game’s epilogue explains that there is still no sign of Sly’s whereabouts, leaving his friends distraught about his disappearance. Thankfully, Sly is alive, but with one major kicker. He has been time-warped back to Ancient Egypt. As of now, there are no confirmed plans for a new Sly Cooper, but picking up where Thieves in Time left off is easier said than done.
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is the first chapter in the series to not be developed by Sucker Punch; Sanzaru Games crafted the fourth mainline entry.
Sly Cooper’s Drastic Setting Change Could Prove Too Risky
If another mainline Sly Cooper game was a direct continuation of Thieves in Time, bringing the franchise to Ancient Egypt might not feel like Sly Cooper at all. Throughout the series, the tone and settings have been cohesive, and a major location departure may ultimately make a new chapter feel far too separated from its predecessors, especially after such a long hiatus between releases. With over a decade since its last installment, it’s possible that a reboot that quickly retcons the post-credits Ancient Egypt twist may be the most effective way forward.
However, there are still plenty of fans who want clear answers to Sly’s time in Ancient Egypt. Instead of a full-blown game set in this historical location, though, an opening sequence that explores some of Ancient Egypt but ultimately allows Sly to be time-warped back to his friends could serve as a good balance. The legacy of Sly Cooper has its fun cast of characters and stealth-focused gameplay to thank, and since Bentley, Murray, and Carmelita weren’t warped back in time with Sly, separating the cast all for the sake of an Ancient Egyptian setting could disrupt the camaraderie that makes the story so special.
A New Sly Cooper Game Hopefully Awaits Gamers in the Future
As far as it’s known, another Sly Cooper game is not in the works, and it’s unclear if there are any future plans to return to the series. Original developers Sucker Punch have had a busy schedule with Ghost of Tsushima and its upcoming sequel, Ghost of Yotei.
Ghost of Yotei is set to be released this year but has yet to confirm an official date.
If Sucker Punch was to return to the Sly Cooper series, the hypothetical team behind it could hopefully find a satisfying way to give answers to Thieves in Time‘s divisive ending while also pushing the story forward without lingering too long in Ancient Egypt. Despite the current dormant state of the franchise, there is still hope for Sly Cooper to return in the future. It may be a while until that day comes, but if it does, it will be intriguing to see what direction the story goes from here.
