With the release of the PS5, new remasters will surely come to the console. In an age when development times on new AAA titles can last a decade, remasters are a great way for companies to earn a profit while reintroducing classics to a new generation of gamers. Of all the PlayStation series, Sly Cooper is perhaps the one most overlooked lately. Fans have been asking for a new game in the Sly Cooper franchise for years, and the PS5 seems like a great new home for the master thief. But will the next Sly Cooper game be a new mainline entry, a remaster collection, or something else entirely?
Spanning four games, Sly Cooper is a platformer series with stealth mechanics. The title character is an anthropomorphic raccoon and the youngest family member in a long line of master thieves. The games were quite popular when they were new, with a widely-praised art style and an intriguing world and characters. It's still a beloved franchise, with a Sly Cooper outfit recently appearing in Ghost of Tsushima, a game from original Sly Cooper developer Sucker Punch. However, there hasn't be a new installment in the franchise since Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time released in 2013 for PS3.
Despite multiple fan petitions and social media campaigns, a Sly Cooper Remaster collection never made it to PS4, let alone a new fifth entry. With Sony's PS5 nearing its launch, rumors have begun to surface again that a new Sly Cooper game is headed to the console. Sony's other big platformer IP, Ratchet and Clank, is already getting a new game as a launch-window title on PS5, so Sly's time may be coming soon.
How Sly Cooper Could Appear On The PS5 (Or In Other Ways)
A fourth entry and a remastered collection of Sly Cooper games appeared on the PS3, but the raccoon thief skipped the PS4, and chances of a new game on PS5 might appear slim at first. The biggest concern is that the newest Sly Cooper developer, Sanzaru Games, was recently acquired by Facebook. This could perhaps mean Facebook is looking to use a new Sly Cooper to sell more of its Oculus VR systems, in the same way it is using nostalgia to bring back the Medal of Honor series. However, even if Sly Cooper reappears in VR, it doesn't mean the series won't return on the PS5 as well.
Developers at Sanzaru Games have expressed interest in returning to Sly Cooper, although it looks like the ball is in Sony's court. A new, fifth entry on PS5 may be a long shot right now, but a remastered collection is a reasonable expectation. Remasters tend to sell well, and they can be released much faster than completely new games. At this point, a new Sly Cooper Remastered collection seems the surest bet, and if it performs well it could open the door for a brand-new title on PS5 at a later date.
The PS5 events have already shown players that Sony is emphasizing exclusives. As one of the more popular exclusive franchises, Sly Cooper deserves a revival on the PS5. Even if Facebook decides to make the IP a VR property, one thing is clear: players probably haven't seen the last of the master thief. It's just a matter of time before he appears again.