It's strange to think that the PlayStation 3 is now two generations old, and just contemplating that fact is sure to make many a gamer feel old. The PS3 had so many great releases during its reign, and there were many franchises that launched their first title on the console.
Some of those franchises are still around to this day, while others have gone rather quiet. However, when it comes to game franchises, you never know when they will reboot and start afresh. Check out these ten franchises that you forgot began their life on the PS3.
10 Motorstorm
Motorstorm released in 2006 for the PS3, giving players the perfect opportunity to try out offroad racing in style. Its positive response and great sales ensured that the franchise would thrive, and there have been numerous sequels since.
However, the latest release was Motorstorm: RC, a spin-off title that features remote-control car racing. This released for the PS3 and PSVita in 2012 and we haven't seen anything since. Evolution Studios, the developer of the series, was closed in 2016, but the IP is still owned by Sony.
9 Infamous
Created by Sucker Punch Productions, Infamous released for the PS3 in 2009, allowing players to take control of a bike messenger named Cole MacGrath who suddenly finds himself with superpowers.
The game was well-received and had multiple sequels, the most recent of which was Infamous First Light for PS4, though it didn't rate as highly with fans or critics. This would be a great franchise to bring back for the newly released PS5. Furthermore, rumors did spread earlier this year that a new Infamous title was in development due to a new domain listing.
8 Little Big Planet
Little Big Planet hit the shelves and snuck into our hearts in 2008. It was well-received by fans and critics alike, with many applauding it for the physics and graphics, as well as for the dedication to user-created content.
The series has had a few sequels since, including a spin-off title in the form of LittleBigPlanet Karting. The series recently shook things up by losing the Little Big Planet name and the 2.5D platforming aspect with the release of Sackboy: A Big Adventure, which released for PS4 and PS5.
7 PixelJunk
Developed by Q-Games, the first PixelJunk title was PixelJunk Racers, which launched on the PS3 in 2007. This first title didn't do badly exactly, but it wasn't anything special either. The series found its feet and a lot more popularity with its later releases, such as PixelJunk Monsters and PixelJunk Eden.
These later titles had much more positive reviews and many fans of the later games might struggle to believe that the franchise started out on such a bland note. The most recent addition to the franchise is PixelJunk Eden 2, which released in December of this year for the Nintendo Switch.
6 Resistance
Resistance: Fall of Man was a PS3 launch title in 2006, offering players a glimpse into an alternate history in 1951 that is afflicted with an alien invasion. The game received positive reviews on release and went on to have a further two mainline titles on the PS3, as well as two spin-offs, one for the PSP and one for the PSVita.
The last fans heard about the franchise is that there are no current plans to produce the fourth game for the series, but we can all hope that this will change in the future. Never say never!
5 Uncharted
It feels like a lifetime ago that we were first introduced to Nathan Drake when Uncharted: Drake's Fortune released for PS3 in 2007. Created by Naughty Dog, the Uncharted series has had multiple titles to its name, including spin-offs, and has been listed as one of the contributing factors of the PlayStation's continuing success.
The last main title to release was Uncharted: A Thief's End, which released for PS4 in 2016. It marked the end of Drake's journey, though it's worth remembering that Lara Croft's story once came to a close but then later rebooted, so you never know.
4 Nier
This franchise is a bit of an odd one really as firstly, it is technically a spin-off of the Drakenguard series, and secondly, it released exclusively for two different consoles. In Japan, it released one exclusive version for PS3 (Nier Replicant) and one exclusive version for Xbox 360 (Nier Gestalt), so both formats equally kick-started this franchise. However, it's worth mentioning as overseas we only ever received the Gestalt version (to us it was simply titled "Nier").
However, next year the remake of Nier Replicant is due to release, and western audiences will finally be able to experience the Replicant version of the story. Additionally, a sequel titled Nier: Automata released for the PS4 in 2017 that was critically acclaimed and won many awards.
3 White Knight Chronicles
A franchise that was underappreciated but was still very awesome was White Knight Chronicles. It was a pretty cool RPG, though it was not without its flaws, namely the online side of it.
The game did well enough to prompt a sequel, White Knight Chronicles II, which released for the PS3 in 2010, though unfortunately, it didn't receive the same praise as the first title. Additionally, a prequel titled White Knight Chronicles: Origins was released for the PSP, but regrettably it was only available in Japan, Australia, and Europe.
2 Ni No Kuni
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch released for the PS3 in 2013, though Japan had previously had a previous version of the game called Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn for the DS, this never released overseas.
The game was created by Level-5 and featured a stunning blend of brilliant RPG meets Studio Ghibli, with the animated scenes being created by the famed animation studio. A sequel titled Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom released in 2018 for PS4, though Studio Ghibli did not contribute to this. A remastered version of the first title released in 2019 for PS4 and PC, while the original version was ported to Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the franchise also released an animated film in 2019.
1 Demon's Souls
A lot of people used to forget all about Demon's Souls, which is the very first title in what later became known as the Dark Souls or simply "Souls" franchise. Because of the name change, many didn't know about this original title, additionally, it was a PS3 exclusive so it had less of an audience.
However, with the recent release of the Demon's Souls remake for the PS5, most of the gaming community have been reminded of the origins of this franchise and just how amazing the very first title in the series is.