In 2009, gamers were introduced to the world ofInfamousfor the very first time. A gritty and original superhero story from Sucker Punch, the project proved to be a major change in tone and style for theSly Cooperdevelopers. Despite this, the game caught on with fans, as playersgrew attached to Cole MacGrathand his awesome set of lightning-based abilities. A sequel followed in 2011, telling another chapter of Cole’s story, whileInfamous Second SonandFirst Lightintroduced new protagonists for players to control in 2014.
Despite severalInfamousgames being released, and each of these releases proving popular with fans, there has been complete silence regarding the IP since 2014. For over six years, no news of a new game has come, leaving fans nervous about the franchise’s future. With even a remaster being something that would excite players, the fact that nothing seems to be in the works is a bit disheartening. Still, with the space now more occupied than ever before, and Sucker Punch moving on to bigger things, it is a bit easier to understand.
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The Success Of Infamous
The first twoInfamousgames found critical and commercial success, landing in the mid-80s on Metacritic. Offering fun combat, an interesting story, and a neat style that embraced the games’ comic book inspirations head-on, there was a lot to love about the series. WhileInfamous Second SonandFirst Lightoffered even better gameplay, their stories were lacking in comparison — though the games still performed well enough and remainexamples of a great superhero game.
While the games did well for several reasons, one of the biggest was that they filled a void that gamers were looking to see filled. TheArkhamseries had not yet released when the first Infamous made its debut, leaving the superhero genre free for a game developer to explore.Outside of Spider-Manand occasional team-up titles likeMarvel: Ultimate Alliance, superhero games were extremely limited at the time. In turn, Sucker Punch was able to satisfy the audience looking for that kind of game, providing an open world playground for players to explore as they controlled a powerful protagonist.
Where Did Infamous Go?
However, things have changed sinceInfamousmade its debut in 2009. When that first game launched, theMarvel Cinematic Universewas in its infancy. The firstIron Manmovie had released just one year prior, and whileThe Avengershad been teased, a team-up of that size seemed like a pipe dream. Since those movies released, though, superheroes are more popular than ever, though Marvel heroes in particular have taken the world by storm. As a result, a general audience would surely be far more interested in agame based on Daredevilor Doctor Strange than a fully original superhero.
HadInfamousreleased today, it may not do as well because of this, as someone like Cole MacGrath may be viewed as a Thor knockoff instead of a character worthy of adoration. Sony has seemingly realized this as well, doubling down onInsomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Manseries. As such, running two PlayStation exclusive superhero franchises at the same time seems like a bad idea, as the two could easily cannibalize one another. Further,Marvel’s Spider-Manwould always outdoInfamousin terms of sales, as the brand recognition of the hero is unparalleled. Most superhero fans would always choose an established hero over someone they have never seen, ensuring that only one of the franchises can survive. Marvel’s popularity ensures that it will beMarvel’s Spider-Man, withInfamouslikely to be shelved until Insomniac’s time with the webslinger comes to an end.
While games likeLife is Strange: True Colorsprove that original characters with superpowers can catch on, the style of game that the Infamous series provides is already being covered by a PlayStation exclusive. With Marvel heroes being as popular as they are today, original heroes seem harder to pull off than ever before. HadInfamousstarted in 2021, it likely never would have been what it was. While it would be great to see the series return, it is easy to understand whyaGhost of Tsushimasequelis more likely.Infamoustruly was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for Sucker Punch and Sony, as superhero games and stories were limited. Today, that is far from the case, ensuring that a newInfamoustitle would be more of a risk than a guaranteed success.
