Insomniac Games has been on a hot streak lately, with Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart launching only seven months apart from each other. With both games being well received amongst critics and fans, Insomniac is quickly becoming Sony’s premier studio. It is not slowing down, either, as just yesterday the developer confirmed that it is getting to work on a multiplayer project.
While details on Insomniac’s multiplayer game are scarce, as the studio is still hiring for some important positions, fans are curious about what it could be. Though a new IP is certainly a possibility, a lot of Insomniac’s existing franchises could work well in a co-op or multiplayer setting. Some would benefit more than others, though, so it will be interesting to see which (if any) are used. Regardless, here are the most intriguing possibilities for Insomniac’s multiplayer title.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
While it would be a big change given that the first two entries were singleplayer focused, the next Marvel’s Spider-Man game featuring co-op would make sense. After all, Insomniac now has two playable Spider-Men, with both Miles Morales and Peter Parker having fleshed out movesets. As such, each player would have an equally entertaining Spider-Man to play as, complete with their own skills and costumes to wear. Teaming up during big fights could be a lot of fun, especially if two players could come together through combo finishers. Combining different gadgets could be enjoyable, too.
While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 would need to make sure that a co-op focus does not have a negative impact on the story, it is hard not to be interested in the possibilities. Being able to complete the open world’s side activities with a friend could make them feel a lot less repetitive, and just being able to swing with a partner would be exciting. While the series certainly does not need multiplayer, and would benefit the least from a co-op game, it could still be a lot of fun. With Insomniac able to double down on its two Spider-Men, and even introduce some other playable characters, there is potential for a multiplayer game in the future.
Ratchet and Clank
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’s ending perfectly sets up a co-op game, as it has the exact same potential as Marvel’s Spider-Man. With Ratchet and Rivet, there are now two playable Lombaxes for gamers to control, and both will be working together in the next game. With each having a robotic companion as well as shared weapon inventories, the setup is there for a proper co-op adventure. Blasting through enemies and exploring a Lombax planet with a friend seems like a great setup for a game, and it makes sense given the series’ past co-op games.
The Ratchet and Clank series has dabbled with co-op on two separate occasions. While Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One was a decent outing, Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault was lacking overall. Regardless, it is clear that the series can be built around multiplayer, and Insomniac can finally nail the concept with a new game. A co-op Ratchet and Clank sequel would also allow players to see Ratchet and Rivet interact more. The same can be said for Clank and Kit, as the two share very few moments together in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. As such, Insomniac giving Ratchet and Clank co-op a third try could be beneficial.
Sunset Overdrive
With Sunset Overdrive trademarked by Sony recently, and the social media account becoming active for the first time in years, the series making a comeback would make sense. While the original featured co-op play, a new entry could double down on the feature, making it the entire focus of the game. Being able to team up with a friend through all the story missions could be a lot of fun, and having the ability to combine attacks would be great. Leaning into the ridiculous weaponry of the original, Insomniac Games could add some team-up moves for each of the guns.
A co-op focused sequel works well with the Sunset Overdrive universe, as the game does not take itself too seriously. While there is a chance that a game like Marvel’s Spider-Man could suffer from co-op, as it could distract from its narrative, a Sunset Overdrive sequel could thrive because of it. More references, jokes, and silly moments could come from having an additional player, all of which were important to the first game’s success. With the first game being all about over-the-top fun, grinding rails and fighting the OD alongside another player certainly fits with its tone.
Resistance
Finally, there is the possibility that this new game is a revival of the Resistance series. Dormant since 2011, it has been nearly a decade since players were fighting against the Chimera. With PlayStation currently lacking first person shooters, bringing back Resistance could help fill the void. A multiplayer focus makes sense too, as the franchise has already featured multiplayer in the original trilogy. Doubling down on this feature makes sense given the close association between shooters and multiplayer, and it would hardly be a surprising direction for a new game.
Obviously, Resistance would benefit most from a multiplayer game, as anything happening with the franchise at all would be welcome. It could also make the series more appealing to Sony, as the company reportedly shot down a Resistance 4 pitch already. Supposedly denied due to PlayStation having too many post-apocalyptic singleplayer games, moving towards online play could allow Resistance to live on. If it were to have a campaign, it could be entirely co-op, helping the new Resistance to further differentiate itself from other first party titles. If a new, online-only Resistance game turned out to be a success, it could continue to get support for years to come.
Other possible improvements including some deeper melee combat and the use of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart mechanics like rifts and weapon firing modes. Assuming that the multiplayer is a hit, incorporating some competitive modes and a Seasonal format for free content could see Resistance performing better than ever before. Still, Resistance is just one of many possibilities, as a lot of Insomniac’s most beloved franchises could work as multiplayer titles. With the game still early in development, it will likely be a while before fans learn what it actually is. For now, though, Insomniac Games fans have a lot to be excited about.