Square Enix has sold all of its western IPs and studios to Embracer Group, including The Legacy Of Kain, and Soul Reaver, which may open up opportunities for multiple beloved titles to make a comeback. This could come in the form of sequels or ground-up remakes - something that the underappreciated Legacy of Kain series desperately needs. What form new entries could take is open-ended, but the opportunity for Embracer Group to capitalize on the series' rich potential shouldn't be wasted.
Legacy of Kain and its sister series Soul Reaver follows a society of immortal vampires, led by the eponymous Kain. While the former follows Kain and his rise to power, Soul Reaver follows his son, Raziel, who is betrayed by his father for the crime of growing stronger than him. The series is beloved by fans for its rich, gothic aesthetic and atmosphere, as well as for the philosophical undercurrent of its story.
Square recently sold Soul Reaver alongside Tomb Raider and other IPs for a mere $300 million, to better invest in the blockchain. Barring the controversial mindset behind this choice, this offers an opportunity for all of the IPs sold to Embracer Group to have a second chance at fame. There might just be a continuation of Legacy of Kain and Soul Reaver coming down the pipeline soon.
New Legacy Of Kain Game Could Give The Series The Fame It Deserves
While received well both critically and financially when they were first released, the Legacy of Kain series has long since fallen by the wayside in terms of the mainstream gaming public. Once one of Crystal Dynamics' most acclaimed franchises, it was largely forgotten decades ago on the PlayStation 2. However, a remake of the original game - or better still, a full sequel - could change all of that.
Square Enix's 2022 NFT obsession pushing it to sell so many of its properties might just be a blessing in disguise, in that case. The original games would benefit from a remake, being riddled with the imperfections that came with early 3D platforming and current ports on PC not being properly optimized anyway. While the last game in the series, Legacy of Kain: Defiance, ended the franchise on a conclusive note, a new game starting a new story in Kain's rich universe would definitely be welcome.
As of the time of writing, no announcements have been made about plans for a sequel. Rumors of Legacy of Kain getting a remake have been circling for years without confirmation. However, Legacy of Kain and Soul Reaver absolutely deserve more attention, either in the form of remake compilations or actual sequels. Hopefully, Embracer Group takes full advantage of the opportunity presented here.