PlayStation 'Deep Cut' Franchise Revival Wish List

From the earliest days of the original PlayStationfirst-party IP has played a critical role in the company's business strategy. First-party franchising has only become more integral to PlayStation's strategy as time has gone on, becoming a key differentiator between PlayStation and its competitors. But not all first-party PlayStation IPs are created equal.

While such as God of war, Marvel's Spider-Man, The last of usand Horizon are all household names, there are countless PlayStation series that have been lost in the mists of time. But that may be about to change. In a new episode of VGC's The Video Game Podcastclaimed Andy Robinson that he is aware of “at least a couple” of “deep cut, old IP” projects that PlayStation has in the works. It could soon be a lucky day for a forgotten PlayStation series, and there are plenty of series that deserve a revival.

The phrase “deep cut” usually refers to something not known or remembered by most fans. So, while comics like Kill zone, Sly Cooperand Resistance haven't been seen for a while, they might not qualify since they're still relatively well known.

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Kratos from God of War 2 turned temple surrounded by Kratos from Ragnarok and God of War

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“Deep Cut” franchises that PlayStation should bring back

Ape Escape

Debuting in 1999 as the first game to ever require the DualShock's analog sticks, Ape Escape the series only had three mainline entries, with the third and final mainline entry being released in 2005. While Ape Escape had a handful of party games, kart racers, and even an RPG spinoff, the series is primarily known for its mainline entries and the gripping two-stick gameplay within them.

Even if one Ape Escape game hasn't been seen in 15 years, the series recently got a bit of a boost in the mainstream by appearing in last year's award-winning Astro Botwhere it gained an entire level based on the gameplay. With this newfound intrigue, there's never been a better time for one Ape Escape revival.

MotorStorm

Although it never managed to win Nintendo critical acclaim Mario Kart series, PlayStations MotorStorm was a stable competitor for a while there in the 2000s and early 2010s. MotorStorm made its debut in 2006 and released a total of five entries before going into hibernation in 2012 with the release of the PS Vita and PS3 title, MotorStorm: RC. Apart from Gran TurismoPlayStation doesn't have a racing series on the go, and an arcade series like that MotorStorm could do well.

SOCOM

A third-person tactical shooter series, SOCOM US Navy SEALs lived for barely a decade, but the series' output was enormous. A total of 10 pieces SOCOM Games were released between 2002 and 2011, some for the PS2, some for the PSP, and two entries for the PS3. Although the series saw a steady decline in critical reviews over the years, some fans still yearn to see the return of SOCOMand it might be worth another try given how good it is Rainbow Six Siege continues to perform.

Buzz!

Even more productive than SOCOM, Buzz! was a multiplayer quiz game that took the world by storm in the 2000s. A total of 14 main lines Buzz! games were released between 2005 and 2010, along with five Buzz! Junior games aimed at younger audiences. In the modern live service landscape, a free-to-play, constantly evolving Buzz! revival could work surprisingly well.

Siphon filter

Still widely regarded as one of the best games on the original PlayStation, Siphon filter made quite an impact on the third-person stealth shooter world upon its debut in 1999. A handful of sequels soon followed, along with two PSP entries. Despite the vast majority Siphon filter entry that received good reviews, the franchise came to an abrupt end in 2007, with developer Bend Studio continuing to create Uncharted: The Golden Abyss and eventually Days gone. The modern stealth genre is still a bit lacking when it comes to major AAA franchises, and one Siphon filter revival can fill that gap.