Among the gaming community, Sony is often recognized and applauded for its top of the line list of first party exclusive games, available only to the PlayStation brand. Some of the biggest names in gaming are titles like God of War and Uncharted, but unfortunately, with so many heavy hitters year after year, some series begin to fall through the cracks as time goes on.
For new franchises such as Horizon Zero Dawn to reach critical acclaim, it seems that some room needs to be made on such a vast pantheon of interactive entertainment to help focus resources and development time. However, with series like MediEvil being revived in recent years and Sony stating it would never retire any PlayStation IP, there remains hope for some iconic titles to return to the spotlight.
Syphon Filter
Solid Snake wasn't the only top tier spy sneaking his way around during the PlayStation 1 era of gaming, as Gabe Logan from the Syphon Filter series was also at the top of the stealth action genre. While the PS1 trilogy was critically acclaimed at the time and the franchise later found further success on the PSP with Dark Mirror and Logan's Shadow, this secret agent seems to have completely vanished aside from Sony renewing the Syphon Filter trademark in 2017.
Recently, Syphon Filter developer Sony Bend have spent considerable effort on the PlayStation 4 exclusive Days Gone, a post-apocalyptic open world experience that is far more head on and frantic than Syphon Filter ever was. It remains a mystery whether Sony Bend will remain in the world of Days Gone or return back to its spy roots in the future; however, small references to Syphon Filter in Days Gone give fans of the franchise hope that Gabe Logan will jump back into action someday.
Jak and Daxter
Upon its launch, the PlayStation 2 was seen as a powerhouse gaming console, capable of vast open areas and detailed character models unlike anything seen before. One of the first games to truly showcase the capabilities of the console was the original Jak and Daxter, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Often regarded as the best of the action platformer genre in the height of the sixth generation of gaming, Jak and Daxter is long overdue for a proper comeback.
While Jak and Daxter creator Naughty Dog have since moved on to create both the Uncharted and The Last of Us series, this does not rule out the chance for a new Jak and Daxter game. Platformers are alive and well with modern blockbuster hits like Super Mario Odyssey and PlayStation's own continued support for the Ratchet and Clank series, indicating the interest for the genre is indeed alive in the gaming populace. It is unclear when or if these gaming mascots will jump back into action, but Sony lead designer Mark Cerny has expressed interest in reviving old franchises, so a surprise reveal may be just around the corner.
Motorstorm
First teased during the Sony 2005 E3 press conference, Motorstorm was hyped up to be a premier showcase for what the powerhouse console was graphically capable of. Upon release, the trailer was determined to be a tad exaggerated, but the game was still visually stunning in its own right and featured pulse pounding racing gameplay. After two more installments on the PS3 and one PSP title, the series developer Evolution Studios shifted gears to create Driveclub before being shut down in 2016.
While the brakes seem to have been hit hard for a series that seemed to just be hitting its stride, there is still a chance that Motorstorm can rev its engine once more. For example, other racing series that appeared to have fallen off the map have since returned with a reboot or lived on through a spiritual successor of some kind. Burnout seemed to have fallen off the map by the late 2000's but in recent years, Dangerous Driving has revitalized the arcade racing genre.
Resistance
Another highlight from the early days of the PlayStation 3, Insomniac Games was tasked with creating a killer app to help sell Sony's new machine and ended up spawning a new franchise in the process. Shortly after the release of Resistance 3, however, Insomniac announced it was moving on from Resistance to pursue other projects, dashing fan hopes for a follow-up on the PlayStation 4.
In the years that have passed, Insomniac have kept extremely busy as a video game developer, continuing its ever popular Ratchet and Clank franchise while simultaneously teaming up with Marvel to launch a brand new Spider-Man series. So while Insomniac may have its hands too full to take on another project, Sony have setup a secret San Diego studio to work on existing franchises, so perhaps the Resistance series will live to fight another day.
Sly Cooper
Leaping from one classic platforming franchise to another, the Sly Cooper series opted for more stealth based action as opposed to the run and gun thrills of Jak and Daxter but was just as beloved by fans and critics. The colorful and cartoony trilogy that also launched back on the PlayStation 2 was brought to life by the passion and creativity of Sucker Punch, who in recent years have focused production on the Ghost of Tsushima series.
The next best option for a Sly Cooper developer would be Sanzaru Games, which delivered the excellent PS3 outing Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, but Sanzaru was acquired by Facebook last year, dashing hopes for a potential revival. Still, the gaming scene is always in shift so whether a remaster of the older games is undertaken by a smaller team or Sony makes a deal for another studio to take a crack at this thieving raccoon remains to be seen.
Infamous
The aforementioned Sucker Punch created another critical darling in between Sly Cooper and Ghost of Tsushima during the PlayStation 3 era with the electrifying superhero series called Infamous. The PlayStation 4 era graced gamers with Infamous Second Son which was fantastic but didn't feel like a proper ending, giving all the more reason that an Infamous 3 needs to happen.
With the superhero gaming scene set ablaze with the recent success of Insomniac's Spider-Man series, now feels like a better time than ever for Infamous to make a huge return with a show stopping spectacle that takes full advantage of the PlayStation 5. In the past, Sucker Punch teased ideas for future Infamous Games. So the studio may have concepts and stories mapped out, but it is still a mystery when Cole MacGrath and company will return to the PlayStation frontline.