Summary

  • Insomniac Games had plans to release a sequel to Sunset Overdrive, but the project was ultimately canceled.
  • Sunset Overdrive, although receiving positive reviews, did not sell well compared to other games, selling only 1.9 million units.
  • The studio is currently focused on upcoming Marvel-related games.

The recent leaks suffered by Insomniac Games show that the studio was once planning to release a sequel to Sunset Overdrive, but the project was eventually canceled. Sunset Overdrive is one of the most underrated games released by Insomniac Games, and it even inspired some mechanics in games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, so gamers will be sad to discover its development was abandoned.

The original Sunset Overdrive was released for Xbox One back in 2014, way before Insomniac Games was acquired by Sony in 2019. While Sunset Overdrive received positive reviews and an average of 81 on Metacritic, it failed to become a huge hit, selling only 1.9 million units. This number could be fine for a small studio, but it is dwarfed in comparison to the sales of the Spider-Man games, for example.

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Now, information from the Insomniac leaks shows that Sunset Overdrive 2 was in development once, but was canceled. In a screenshot that shows the codenames used to talk about different projects, the developers cite the sequel of Sunset Overdrive as “i19,” also known as Project Ivy. Unfortunately, there is no official information so far that explains why the game was canceled. However, it’s not very hard to speculate. The original game did not sell very well, and other parts of the leak also explain that Microsoft had the rights to publish two sequels for Sunset Overdrive, as well as DLC and ports. So, the project would not be feasible anymore since the studio was acquired by Sony.

sunset-overdrive

Canceled Insomniac Games List

  • Dark Eden
  • Kulture
  • Pinball
  • Resistance 4
  • Sandmen
  • Spider-Man: The Great Web
  • StockBots
  • Sunset Overdrive 2
  • Tap Samurai
  • Winning Hand

Another big sequel that was canceled by Insomniac Games was Resistance 4. Reportedly, Resistance 4 was pitched to Sony back in 2021, but the idea was rejected by the publisher. Other canceled games that appear in the documents include minor titles such as StockBots, Tap Samurai, Winning Hand, and a multiplayer Spider-Man game called Spider-Man: The Great Web.

According to the leaks, Insomniac Games has five games planned right now, including Venom, Wolverine, Spider-Man 3, a Ratchet and Clank game, and X-Men, which are all planned to be released between 2025 to 2030. Considering how successful both Spider-Man games have been, it’s natural that the company is focusing on the Marvel universe, but it’s still sad for long-time fans of Sunset Overdrive that there are not many chances they will play a sequel to the classic title anytime soon.

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Sunset Overdrive Tag Page Cover Art
8 /10

Sunset Overdrive
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Third-Person Shooter
Open-World
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
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Released
October 28, 2014
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Insomniac Games
Publisher(s)
Microsoft Game Studios
Engine
Insomniac Engine v. 4.0
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Don’t miss the single-player campaign from the game that IGN awarded Best Xbox One Game of 2014, the game that Polygon rated 9 out of 10, and the game that Eurogamer calls “a breath of fresh air.” In Sunset Overdrive, the year is 2027 and Sunset City is under siege. A contaminated energy drink has transformed most of the population into toxic mutants. For many it's the end of the world, but for you it’s a dream come true. Your old boss? Dead. Your boring job? Gone. Transform the open-world into your tactical playground by grinding, vaulting and wall-running across the city while using a devastating, unconventional arsenal. With hyper-agility, unique weapons, and customizable special abilities, Sunset Overdrive rewrites the rules of traditional shooters and delivers an explosive, irreverent, stylish, and totally unique adventure.

Embrace the chaos of Sunset City through a hyper-colorful, post-apocalyptic single-player campaign and two bonus expansions, Mystery of Mooil Rig and Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines. Outgun crazed mutants, homicidal robots, and villainous thugs on your journeys with the included Weapons Pack.

Platform(s)
Xbox One, PC
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Open-World