Like multiple series before it, Ape Escape is an incredibly beloved franchise that has seen an extended absence over the course of several years. However, some images posted to Twitter have been circulating around the internet that suggest the series may be making some sort of comeback in celebration of its anniversary.

Spanning the course of just over a decade, the Ape Escape series' most recent game, PlayStation Move Ape Escape, was released in 2010 in Japan and the next year in North America, Europe, and Australia. For the past eight years, the Ape Escape series has been notably dormant.

This state of inactivity changed on June 22 when Twitter user piposaru20th posted an Ape Escape-related image. The picture depicts one of the titular apes in a vibrant green forest, hiding behind a tree. The image appears to have a decent degree of detail, with a well-defined environment and a less jagged-looking ape, comparing to its counterparts from previous generations.

[embed]https://twitter.com/piposaru20th/status/1142622320495747073[/embed]

The text in the above tweet is in Japanese, but the translation reads: "Piposar (20 years since then. I've been running around, but I wonder if there's anyone chasing me anymore. . . ?)." Essentially, this refers to the fact that this year is the 20th anniversary of Ape Escape and rhetorically asks if people still have an interest in the series, or a continuation of the series.

By the time of this tweet's posting, there hadn't been much to substantiate the idea of an Ape Escape comeback. In terms of the series' presence on modern consoles, some of Ape Escape's PS2 games are on PS4 via emulation. However, several Ape Escape related retweets from Sony's Japan Studio add credibility to the original image and tweet.

[embed]https://twitter.com/piposaru20th/status/1142984706473938944[/embed]

The above tweet is just a sample of what other images have been retweeted from Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Studio and like the previous image, it also comes from piposaru20th. Although the images are coming from the same source, the retweets by Sony's Japan Studio mean either the company is showing sincere gratitude to fans who dedicated their artwork to these franchises or there will be some reveal coming about at a future date. As mentioned previously, the most accessible way to play these retro titles is via PS2 emulation.

If the success of titles like Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy is any indication, then people do have a desire for returns of these classic franchises. While not quite in the same territory as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro in terms of notoriety and fan nostalgia, Ape Escape would nonetheless be welcomed by fans yearning for a resurgence of some kind. As of right now, there has been no announcement for an Ape Escape title in the works.

Source: Twitter, Twitter - SIE JAPAN Studio JP (via PlayStation LifeStyle)