Insomniac Games’ creative director says that he would like to make another Sunset Overdrive game for PlayStation, and there's "nothing stopping" the studio from doing it following the return of Sunset Overdrive's director. The rail-grinding shooter was released as an Xbox One exclusive title in 2014. Insomniac Games traditionally made exclusive PlayStation games, so creating an Xbox title was a ground-breaking maneuver for the developer. Sunset Overdrive was one of the most unique Xbox One exclusives, but a sequel never materialized as Insomniac Games shifted its production toward other projects.
In 2019, Sony bought Insomniac Games, further bolstering its first-party studio lineup with a years-long partner. After making PlayStation-exclusive games like Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, and Marvel’s Spider-Man for years, Insomniac Games is officially a Sony-owned developer. Since the acquisition, public attention has focused on the studio’s future with Ratchet & Clank and Marvel’s Spider-Man, franchises that have comprised two of PS5's only exclusives. Recently, Sony registered for the Sunset Overdrive trademark, giving hope that the acclaimed game could receive a sequel on PlayStation. As of now, it looks like that possibility is by no means out of the question.
In an interview with GQ, Insomniac Games Creative Director Marcus Smith confirmed that he would like to make a sequel to Sunset Overdrive. He reiterated that although the 2014 game was exclusive to Xbox, Insomniac Games owns the rights to the Sunset Overdrive IP. Smith noted that there is nothing preventing the studio from making a sequel aside from "a lot of really exciting" future projects that the studio wants to pursue. When asked if the Sunset Overdrive franchise was still viable and if he'd be interested in making another game, Smith said:
“I mean, never say never is my approach. Obviously, we’re part of Sony now, but we own the IP and so there’s nothing really stopping us other than we have a lot of really exciting things in our future.
I would [like to make a sequel]. I think there are a lot of stories that can be told in that universe and I would love to return to it. I had a lot of fun making that game.”
The majority of the interview centered around Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the upcoming PlayStation 5-exclusive title. Smith talked about how the game is set to be a graphics powerhouse for the PlayStation 5, which hasn’t seen too many exclusive games yet.
With Ratchet & Clank’s status as a staple PlayStation series and the undeniable likelihood of a sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales on the way, Sunset Overdrive probably seemed like a pie-in-the-sky dream for fans of the original game. Smith’s comments, however, suggest that the franchise’s future is still being actively considered at Insomniac Games and Sony. While Ratchet & Clank and Marvel’s Spider-Man probably take priority, Sunset Overdrive clearly has room for growth given that the series is limited to one game.
Around the time of Sony’s acquisition of Insomniac Games, then-President of SIE Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida expressed his interest in future titles in the Sunset Overdrive franchise. With two prominent voices showing support for the future of the series, Sunset Overdrive may continue as a Sony first-party series sooner or later.
Source: GQ Magazine