Of all the console generations that Sony has taken part in since its arrival in the industry during the 90s, the PS3 era was a notable time when the publisher released experimental software. Faced with the uphill battle of pushing its flagship system after a sluggish launch while simultaneously competing against a rejuvenated Nintendo and Microsoft, Sony turned heavily to its first-party studios and partners for support. Following the success that the PlayStation ecosystem has reaped during the life of the PS4 and PS5, the investment that Sony made in the creation of so many franchises during its rough patch has paid off massively.
Franchises that were brought to life during the PS3 era like Naughty Dog’s Uncharted have helped breathe new life into Sony’s fortunes while shaping the direction of PlayStation’s first-party output. Even though Sony’s ecosystem has continued to remain a hotbed for creativity and experimentation since that time period, taking a moment to look back at the past for inspiration is never a bad idea. Amidst continued rumors that suggest historic franchises like Twisted Metal and Sly Cooper could be making a comeback soon, there are plenty of other beloved games from Sony’s past that are worthy of a revival in the modern era as well.
Resistance
Before Insomniac Games was brought into the PlayStation first-party family officially, the studio had been playing a significant role in shaping Sony’s gaming endeavors as an independent partner. Having created three iconic PlayStation mascots in the shape of Spyro, Ratchet, and Clank, the studio was called on once again to create a PS3 launch exclusive. Resistance: Fall of Man, a first-person shooter set on an alternate 1950s Earth overrun by aliens, was created to fulfill the assignment. Players quickly welcomed the series into their hearts to the point that two popular sequels and two handheld spinoffs quickly followed in its wake before the end of PS3’s life cycle.
Unlike Guerrilla Games’ Killzone series, which arguably deserves a new game of its own, Resistance has so far been denied a chance to stretch its legs with a new console installment beyond the confines of the PS3. That’s a crying shame considering the world that Insomniac created is full of potential, from both a narrative and gameplay perspective. Resistance 3 and its foreboding examination of humanity’s impending extinction demonstrated how alluring the setting and threat of the Chimera could be today. Its blend of horror and sci-fi themes, a concoction not too dissimilar to Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us which followed two years after its release, would no doubt go down well now in a time dominated by haptic feedback and 3D audio.
What makes the possibility of a new Resistance so tantalizing is the fact that Sony has seemingly been pitched a new installment fairly recently, indicating that the franchise is still thought of highly within the PlayStation first-party family. Resistance 3’s ending teased answers regarding the overarching mystery of the alien force behind the Chimera as well, further suggesting there’s unfinished business involved regarding the franchise in general. This also points to Insomniac Games having a few ideas up its sleeve.
Motorstorm
Over the last few console generations, the racing game genre has steadily retracted since its crowded PS2 and PS3-era glory days. Back before the subsection of gaming declined to a handful of prominent franchises, Sony was well-known for championing a broad spectrum of racing games. Titles like Wipeout, Modnation Racers, and the publisher's tenure with the F1 license were all prominent and beloved parts of its lineup. However, following the failed attempt to push Driveclub to success on the PS4, Polyphony Digital's pioneering Gran Turismo stands mostly alone within Sony’s gaming portfolio.
Microsoft's promotion of Forza Motorsport and Horizon suggests that there's enough space for Sony to revive one of its other IPs. Evolution studios’ Motorstorm, which launched alongside the PS3, would fit the bill especially well. While there have been recurring rumors that suggest Firesprite could be about to revive Wipeout, the mud and dirt of the offroading series would look just as good with a modern coat of metaphorical 4K paint. An over-the-top racer focused on destruction and chaos would also make a potential Motorstorm reboot the ideal companion to the more straight-laced upcoming Gran Turismo 7.
Infamous
Before Insomniac Games’ slate of Marvel titles was revealed to the public over the summer, the internet was abuzz with reports that suggested Sucker Punch's Infamous series could be about to make a return. Despite the prevalence of two iconic heroes within Sony's roster, there's still reason to believe that an Infamous revival would work well amongst all the publisher’s other comic-book titles. For starters, being an original property ensures that the sky's the limit when it comes to the types of powers and locations that could all be explored within a theoretical new game.
By comparison, as brilliant as Insomniac’s Spider-Man games are, there’s an understandable expectation of what fans are in for when they buy into any Marvel-themed game. For example, it’s highly unlikely that Wolverine is going to be able to fly when he arrives on the PS5. There’s also a sense of unfinished business when it comes to the Infamous franchise. At the end of Infamous 2, the futures of both the good and evil versions of Cole MacGrath were left open-ended and ripe for exploration in a sequel. Having crafted a gorgeous version of Japan in Ghost of Tsushima, the prospect of what the studio could create on modern hardware if it was given the freedom of a comic-book license again is also a mouthwatering prospect to imagine.
PlayStation All-Stars
One of the themes that helped to shape the latter stages of the PS3’s life, was the resurgence of Nintendo within the console space. Between the creation of technology like its own motion controllers, and games like the Mario Kart-inspired Modnation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, it was clear at times just how determined Sony was to capture some of the magic that its Japanese rival had created. What arguably demonstrated this phenomenon the best though was Sony’s own take on Super Smash Bros, PlayStation Al-Stars Battle Royale. While the game had its own dedicated and passionate community, the crossover fighter and its unique mechanics failed to truly live up to the allure of its rival.
In many ways, PlayStation All-Stars, more importantly, failed to represent Sony’s own gaming heritage as well. Popular third-party PlayStation icons like Crash, Spyro, Lara Croft, and Solid Snake, were all notably absent for example. This unfinished business and failure to adequately live up to Sony’s legacy is the biggest reason why the publisher should look into rebooting its fighting game. There’s an argument to be made that instead of chasing the same mechanics of Smash Bros though, a 3D incarnation more akin to Sega’s Power Stone might be a more appropriate endeavor worth exploring. With Sony having recently bought the Evo fighting game tournament, it’s also slightly suspicious that the publisher doesn’t currently have its own exclusive game to champion during the event.