The video game industry has been around long enough that revivals of nostalgic IPs can become widespread. Microsoft increasingly showcases its interest in returning to old franchises, for instance. Studios are working on new Fable and Perfect Dark games, both of which haven't been in the public eye for a long time. As revivals like these get more common, some fans wonder if their favorite dormant game franchises will make a comeback too. One franchise with optimistic fans is Sly Cooper, a stealth platforming franchise once central to the PlayStation game library that's nowhere to be found these days.
Fans of Sly Cooper have even more reason to be optimistic, as a reputable leaker claims that Sly Cooper 5 is in development. A new Sly Cooper game is long overdue - there hasn't been a new entry in the series since 2013. Although it's not certain that the Sly Cooper 5 leaks are real, there's plenty of reasons that Sony should go back to this franchise. From positive receptions to franchise reboots to the advent of the PS5, Sly Cooper would be welcome to rejoin the PlayStation library and reclaim its previous place of fame among Sony IPs.
Sly Cooper's Big Opportunity
Sly Cooper has a significant market available partially because of its nature as a 3D platformer. In the early 2000s, Sly Cooper formed a trio of acclaimed 3D platformers with Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank. Jax and Daxter has also fallen away, but Ratchet and Clank is doing better than ever thanks to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on the PS5. Rift Apart helps establish the presence of classic Sony 3D platformers on Sony's current console thanks to its positive reception. Rift Apart has proven there's a market for its genre among PS5 users, so Sly Cooper 5 could capitalize on the same fanbase.
The PS5 could use Sly Cooper in a broader sense. Sony has some big exclusive games, with fans looking forward to Horizon Forbidden West, God of War: Ragnarok, and future Spider-Man games, but console developers never stop competing to assemble the best library of exclusive titles. So long as Sony has exclusive access to Sly Cooper, it has a major selling point for the PS5. Sly Cooper 5 exclusively on PS5 would be one more title that makes Sony's next-gen console worth buying.
Sly Cooper Deserves a Second Wind
The context and reputation of the Sly Cooper franchise also begs for a fifth game in the series. The last game, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, ends on a cliffhanger, meaning there's a perfect opportunity for a developer to pick the story back up. Sly Cooper also needs to redeem itself a little due to Sony's failed attempts to make other related media. Sony once indicated plans for both a Sly Cooper TV show and a Sly Cooper movie, but they've disappeared rather than making it out of production. After so many years of the Sly Cooper IP hanging in limbo, Sly Cooper 5 would be a show of confidence from Sony, as well as something for fans to celebrate.
Sly Cooper 5 would offer a great alternative to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart because Sly Cooper is more stealth focused. It still has a lot to offer to both Sony and its loyal fans. The Sly Cooper 5 rumors suggest the game might not be made by its original developers, but a fresh set of eyes could be perfect for a Sly Cooper revival. Fable and Perfect Dark also have new developers, which means there's more opportunity for new takes on the IP. Sly Cooper 5 isn't confirmed by Sony yet, but there's clearly a lot of room for it in the market right now. Hopefully Sony addresses the rumored game soon.
Sly Cooper 5 is rumored to be in development.