PlayStation Hasn’t Touched One of Its Best Series in Nearly Two Decades

There is a particular type of sadness and disappointment when a beloved series disappears. The early years of gaming, especially the 2000s, are notorious for this. Despite multiple strong games, many series simply fade into history, and publishers like Sony go silent. PlayStation’s history is filled with franchises that defined entire console generations, games that shaped childhoods and friendships. Some of them still receive sequels, remasters, and reimaginings. Others have been left behind, remembered fondly but rarely discussed by the people who control their future.

For many longtime fans, that absence feels especially strange when it comes to Jak and Daxter. The series once stood shoulder to shoulder with PlayStation’s biggest names, dominating magazine covers and gaming discussions. Yet it has now been nearly two decades since a truly new entry arrived. The last original release came in 2009, and as PlayStation evolves, the question grows louder. Why has one of its best series been left untouched for so long?

Jak and Daxter Were Once Titans of PlayStation’s Lineup

When Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy launched on PlayStation 2, it felt like magic. The seamless open world with no loading screens was a technical marvel at the time, and the colorful characters instantly connected with players. Naughty Dog delivered a platformer that felt playful and ambitious, balancing humor, exploration, and tight controls. One that could stand toe-to-toe with giants like Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, and more. It would be this release that launched one of PlayStation’s best series.

The sequels pushed the series in bold directions. Jak II shocked fans by shifting to a darker tone inspired by open-world action games, while Jak 3 refined that formula with more freedom and polish. Even Jak X: Combat Racing showed how flexible the universe could be. Each release was met with a strong critical reception and commercial success, helping define the PlayStation 2 era alongside giants like Ratchet and Clank and Sly Cooper, the other iconic platformers in Sony’s library.

By the time the series moved to PlayStation Portable and later PlayStation 3, its identity was already cemented. These were not niche games. They were system sellers. For many players, Jak and Daxter were as synonymous with PlayStation as the logo itself. But this wouldn’t last forever. Naughty Dog moved on, passing the torch to other studios. Jak and Daxter continued to receive new games, but fans were moving away as the platforming era faded and other genres, like RPGs and shooters, were exploding in popularity.

Naughty Dog Doesn’t Have to Take the Lead

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the future of Jak and Daxter is that Naughty Dog must be the studio to revive it. While Naughty Dog created the series, it did not exclusively manage it forever. Other developers have already worked within the franchise, including High Impact Games, which handled later entries and adaptations. Today, Naughty Dog is deeply focused on its next major project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. That reality should not be a roadblock. PlayStation has a long history of entrusting its legacy franchises to talented internal or partner studios. LittleBigPlanet, God of War, and Horizon have all evolved through collaboration and careful stewardship.

Studios like Team Asobi, Sumo Digital, or even a newly formed internal team could handle a new Jak and Daxter with care. The foundation is already there. The characters, world, and tone are beloved. What the series needs is respect for its roots and confidence in modern design, not necessarily the direct involvement of its original creators. These original creators have already moved on to other projects themselves, so it makes sense to pass the future of Jak and Daxter to new creative minds, ones that understand what made the series so special in the 2000s.

Allowing another studio to lead would also free Naughty Dog to continue pushing boundaries elsewhere. Revivals do not have to come from the same hands to feel authentic. Naughty Dog hardly feels like the studio it was when it released the original trilogy and Jak and Daxter: Combat Racing. It has moved on from palpable platformers to incredible cinematic and emotional experiences like Uncharted and The Last of Us. Now it is focused on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which could be its most ambitious game yet.

The Increasing Rise of 3D Platformers Is Perfect for Jak and Daxter

The timing for a Jak and Daxter revival could not be better. 3D platformers are enjoying a resurgence, driven by nostalgia and renewed appreciation for tight, joyful gameplay. The success of Astro Bot has proven that audiences still crave colorful worlds, expressive characters, and movement-focused design. Team Asobi in particular demonstrated that modern players are eager for platformers that celebrate PlayStation’s legacy while feeling fresh. Its success helped bring 3D platformers back into mainstream conversation, reminding publishers that these games can still thrive alongside cinematic action titles.

Jak and Daxter fits perfectly into this prospect. Its blend of platforming, light combat, and exploration would resonate strongly today, especially with modern hardware enhancing world design and animation. A new entry could honor the original trilogy while embracing accessibility and polish expected from current PlayStation exclusives. It could build on the series’ foundation while implementing new ideas to take Jak and Daxter to the next level. A 3D platformer with responsive movement and bombastic combat feels like something the industry needs now to solidify the genre forever.

It has been nearly two decades since the series last saw a new game. That absence feels less like a creative decision and more like a missed opportunity. With the genre resurging and PlayStation’s catalog leaning heavily toward darker, more grounded experiences, Jak and Daxter could provide balance. It could reconnect longtime fans with a piece of their past while welcoming a new generation into one of PlayStation’s most important worlds. But most importantly, it is a way for Sony to honor one of its greatest series and share the joys it brought to players decades ago with players today.

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