Rage 2 released this past week, and while it’s not necessarily taking the world by storm, it seems to be garnering some decent, if underwhelming reviews. It’s probably safe to say that it’s a solid enough open world game to waste a couple of hours in, nothing more nothing less.
That kind of a reaction is apparently enough for id Software to want to turn the Rage series into a full-blown trilogy. Despite the fact that Rage 2 has just barely hit store shelves, the developer is incredibly eager to get raging all over again.
This urge for more Rage comes directly from id Software Studio Director Tim Willits. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Willits declared that the company adored the world they had created and wanted to dive right back in. He stated that “it’s a crazy, fun, exciting franchise and I hope we can make a third one as soon as possible.”
The interview also covers some other interesting topics. He mentions that at one point, there was an idea for riding on top of giant cockroaches, which actually could have been a pretty unique feature. He also revealed that Mad Max was a big influence on the game, not just in terms of the world’s apocalyptic setting, but also because Avalanche Studios developed the 2015 Mad Max game. Avalanche, of course, helped to develop Rage 2 along with id, so some ideas obviously carried over.
Willits also seems to think that Mad Max: Fury Road may have stolen some ideas from the original Rage when it comes to how their bad guys looked, but assuming that director George Miller or anyone on the Fury Road team played Rage is a pretty big stretch.
The first Rage was mostly praised for its graphics at the time, but didn’t really blow anyone away beyond that. Meanwhile, Rage 2 is getting slightly more favorable reviews, although we don’t know for sure yet whether the sales are strong enough to warrant a third installment. That decision would probably have to come from Bethesda, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see another edition of this crazy, mutant shooting, multi-colored, dystopia simulator.
Willits has stated in other interviews that Rage 2 won’t remain stagnant and that players should expect the game to be an entirely different experience months from now. There was no confirmation on what exactly that means, but it does seem like id expects to make more Rage 2 content in the future. Considering how much they all seem to enjoy creating new material in the Rage universe, their desire for a third sequel seems genuine and passionate. Now, all they need to do is inspire that kind of passion in players, because currently, the Rage series is seen as just another drop in the vast ocean of shooter franchises.
Rage 2 is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.