Summary
- Overall, PlayStation's recent focus on live service titles has not delivered, signaling a potential need to pivot back to single-player narrative games.
- The InFamous: Festival of Blood DLC showcased a bold and fun alternate universe scenario that could inspire expansions in other PlayStation franchises.
- By using DLC to explore outlandish scenarios with popular characters, Sony can honor the legacy of its biggest properties while reigniting excitement for exclusive titles.
PlayStation has clearly staked its claim as one of the juggernauts of gaming, but the company and console seem to be going through a rough patch. The company has been aiming at embracing a live service approach, and although this landed incredibly well with Helldivers 2, its big expectations for Concord did not pan out as expected. In the past, single-player narrative games have been the bread and butter of PlayStation, and there will hopefully be a pivot back to this formula.
Sony boasts some of the biggest exclusives in the industry. From God of War to The Last of Us, PlayStation franchises tend to offer stellar stories. Now that Astro Bot offers a wonderful ode to PlayStation franchises, the platformer has made many fans feel nostalgic about some of Sony's best exclusives. One of these many cameos in the platformer is Cole MacGrath from InFamous. Astro Bot featuring a nod to this franchise is exciting enough, but it also makes one think about the series as a whole. When looking at InFamous, one underrated DLC could actually be the key to making PlayStation franchises set themselves apart.
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A Bold InFamous DLC Should Inspire Future Franchise Expansions
InFamous: Festival of Blood Brings a Fun "What If" Scenario to Life
The mainline stories of the InFamous franchise focus around protagonists who are given superhero-like powers. In the first two games, Cole MacGrath must choose to use his powers for good or evil. The beginning of the InFamous franchise may seem far away at this point, but InFamous 2's Festival of Blood DLC needs to inform other PlayStation games. In Festival of Blood, Cole is bitten by a vampire and has only one night to find and kill the head vampire. It's a completely standalone story that simply presents a fun alternate reality scenario for the franchise.
This DLC was not only bold, it was incredibly fun. An alternate universe version of Cole MacGrath's world brought beloved characters into a shockingly different scenario. Using this method for other major Sony titles, like God of War, The Last of Us, and the Horizon franchise would likely work wonders for each series. This would allow the games' developers the chance to explore fun story ideas without having to commit them to a mainline narrative. Throwing popular characters into outlandish scenarios offers a treasure trove of post-launch content possibilities.
The most recent game in the InFamous franchise is 2014's InFamous: First Light.
A scenario where The Last of Us takes place in an alien invasion or a God of War side story is presented from the perspective of one of Kratos' many enemies could be the perfect way to see games in a new light. PlayStation has an incredible roster of titles, and flipping their narratives on their heads may be just crazy enough to pay off in spades.
Allowing InFamous' Legacy to Live On in a Unique Way
It has been a full decade since a new InFamous game has seen the light of day. Developer Sucker Punch has made a name for itself in the industry with great franchises. Now that Ghost of Tsushima is likely the studio's main focus, continuing the InFamous IP seems unlikely at this moment. However, using this DLC method for other PlayStation titles could serve as a subtle way to honor the underrated legacy InFamous has made.
As PlayStation and Sony possibly reconsider how to move forward after the launch and shutdown of Concord, there will hopefully be a newfound emphasis on single-player narratives. Returning to an experimental and fun approach with expansions could reignite excitement for these exclusive titles. InFamous may feel long gone at this point, but the bold risk-taking of Festival of Blood is something to be admired.
- Date Founded
- May 7, 1946
- Headquarters
- Minato City, Tokyo, Japan
- Subsidiaries
- Sony Pictures, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Imagesoft, Sony Online Entertainment
- Consoles
- PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PSP
- Known For
- PlayStation