With PlayStation 5 right around the corner fans are starting to dream of what can happen when the next-generation console arrives. With every new generation, there's a seed of hope that blossoms as fans dream about the abandoned franchises that could possibly return.
Despite PlayStation's strong lineup of exclusives on the PlayStation 4, there are a number of properties they could return to when next-gen comes along. Let's now look at 10 franchises that could return in a major way with the upcoming release of the PlayStation 5.
10 PlayStation All-Stars
It was recently announced by PlayStation that they're no longer interested in making a dedicated handheld device, which wouldn't be the first time they bowed out of competition with Nintendo. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale was Sony's attempt at crafting their own version of Super Smash Bros. for the PlayStation platform, and despite its mixed success, it was never heard from again after 2012. Could PlayStation and company try their hand at it again after they've seen the success of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Time will tell.
9 Dark Cloud
PlayStation has a long line of Japanese franchises that people relate to the platform that abruptly disappeared despite seeing pretty good success. Dark Cloud is one of these said series and after the release of Dark Cloud 2 in 2003, it has disappeared off of the face of the Earth. The director, Akihiro Hino is still an active developer overseeing both the Professor Layton and Yo-kai Watch series as recently as 2019. Here's hoping he returns to a forgotten world and gives fans Dark Cloud 3.
8 Jak & Daxter
With Naughty Dog, the developers of the Jak and Daxter series now focused on delivering some of the best narrative experiences in video games it's hard to imagine they'd ever go back to this silly but heartfelt franchise. That being said, that doesn't mean that PlayStation would be opposed to handed the keys to a new hungry development team full of new ideas. Outside of the collections, there hasn't been a new mainline entry in over 15 years. Don't be surprised if it's given another chance to succeed.
7 Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal, like God of War, is a series that was created in part by David Jaffe and one that quickly became stale among gamers. The 2018 release of God of War showed that a franchise could take a lot of the core elements people loved and place them in a new experience that reshapes the franchise into an almost perfect AAA game. Twisted Metal hasn't been seen since 2012 and the series needs a modernized overhaul to grab the attention of gamers today. Don't be surprised if it's back in some form before 2025.
6 Infamous
With the popularity of superheroes at what seems to be at an all-time high, it's unfortunate to not have another Infamous game set to release. The series has a very strong and loyal fanbase of people who just want to live in the world Sucker Punch Productions created.
That studio is currently focused on finishing Ghosts of Tsushima, their third-person samurai action/adventure game so it may be a while before the Infamous series returns. Or maybe a second team is hard at work in the early stages of the next Infamous title.
5 Sly Cooper
Sly Cooper falls into a weird space where almost all of the entries in the series were well-received, but the sales numbers never really matched the quality of the games. The studio that took over in 2010, Sanzaru Games has worked on a variety of things since shipping the last Sly Cooper title in 2013. Fans are worried that it is now shelved next to the Jak and Daxter series never to be heard from again. A new Sly Cooper title could be a perfect launch lineup title, so don't be surprised if it shows up during the PlayStation 5 reveal event.
4 Bioshock
Thanks to the reporting by Kotaku it seems that the notion of a new game in the Bioshock franchise is more of a question of when rather than if. According to Kotaku's report in 2018, it seems that a fourth game in the series is in development by a secret studio publisher 2K put together and is currently under the working project name, Parkside. The series itself has seen many twists and turns, so the unveiling of a new game is exciting because fans may not know it's a new Bioshock title until halfway through a reveal trailer.
3 Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank, like PlayStation's other kid-friendly franchises, is currently in a weird place. The series saw a reimagining of the first game and a feature-length animated film both release in 2016.
While the film didn't make much at the box office despite being received mixed to well by critics, the game got people excited for a reboot of sorts for the series. Now that PlayStation owns Insomniac Games it seems only right that a new Ratch & Clank title could come to fruition between the studios Spider-Man series releases.
2 Bloodborne
Bloodborne isn't only considered one of FromSoftware's best games as a developer, there's a large contingent of gamers who consider it the best PlayStation 4 exclusive to date. That belief is the reason why fans find it so puzzling that there hasn't been a whisper of a sequel. PlayStation owns the IP so it's up to them to greenlight a sequel, which should have been an easy call considering the sales and critical success of Bloodborne. The best-case scenario is that PlayStation 5 will see the release of Bloodborne 2 in its first couple of years.
1 Resistance
Alternate history, especially when it's mixed with sci-fi elements, is a genre that isn't tackled too often in the world of AAA console exclusives. With PlayStation's acquisition of Insomniac Games, fans are hoping Resistance returns as the franchise they work on between Spider-Man releases. The CEO of Insomniac Games, Ted Price, stated that Resistance 3 was the last game in the series they would work on, so unless he's a liar a new game in the series will be crafted by new hands.