Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is among Sony’s most intriguing upcoming first-party games. It’s intriguing because it’s a big-budget, ambitious science-fiction adventure, yes, but also because it will be the first new IP from Naughty Dog in well over a decade. Moreover, it’s a seemingly radical departure from the studio’s previous work which, while often leveraging sci-fi and fantasy tropes through concepts like the cordyceps virus, is mostly steeped in reality.
At least, that’s how one could describe the studio’s post-Uncharted output. There was once a time when Naughty Dog was known for far more outlandish and fantastical games, not the least of which being those in the Jak and Daxter franchise. Indeed, gamers who grew up with this series often lament its absence in the games industry of today, especially since it arguably has much more potential for fruitful world-building and inventive gameplay than something like Uncharted or The Last of Us. Sadly, any chance of Jak and Daxter returning may have been dashed by the reveal of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
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Regardless of what one thinks about Intergalactic‘s prospects, it’s clear that it will be Naughty Dog’s primary focus for the foreseeable future. Given the ever-widening gaps between the studio’s major releases, it can be assumed that it’ll be quite some time before Intergalactic sees the light of day. Once it does, Naughty Dog will most likely pivot to The Last of Us 3, a project that will occupy another extensive period.
All of this is to say that, while many fans may be foaming at the mouth for a new Jak and Daxter, it’s seemingly very low on Naughty Dog’s list of priorities at the moment. And, of course, Intergalactic and Jak and Daxter share the same sci-fi DNA despite their obvious tonal and gameplay differences: if Naughty Dog and Sony are looking to make Intergalactic a big franchise, it would make sense to avoid a concurrent sci-fi series from the same studio for fear of one cannibalizing the other. Whether this is reasonable from an audience perspective is somewhat irrelevant; it’s a logical business move, as the influence and profitability of Jak and Daxter probably pales in comparison to the combined force of Intergalactic and The Last of Us.
Jack and Daxter Might Be Dead, but That’s Okay
In the world of gaming, and mainstream entertainment in general, there’s an apparent assumption that every IP will live forever and be milked for all it’s worth. One can hardly blame gamers for this interpretation, as publishers and developers often do attempt to keep franchises alive for as long as possible, constantly releasing new entries or else cashing in on nostalgia by rebooting older IP. But there are countless examples of popular properties that get laid to rest, and that’s fine.
Unlike something like Half-Life 2, which ends on a cliffhanger and therefore implies a follow-up that hasn’t materialized, the Jak and Daxter series is episodic and doesn’t exactly need to continue. In other words, there’s not a strong justification for keeping the series alive aside from capitalizing on brand recognition, which is hardly a good enough reason from a creative standpoint. Jak and Daxter is a wonderful franchise, but it doesn’t need to be more than a memory, at least for now.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Propher follows Jordan A. Mun, a dangerous bounty hunter who ends up stranded on Sempiria – a distant planet whose communication with the outside universe went dark hundreds of years ago. In fact, anyone who’s flown to it hoping to unravel its mysterious past was never heard from again. Jordan will have to use all her skills and wits if she hopes to be the first person in over 600 years to leave its orbit.
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment