Sony Comments on Return of Classic PS2 Series That Has Been Dormant for Over 10 Years

Sony, or more specifically a Sony studio, has commented on the return of a fan-favorite PS2 series that has been dormant for over a decade and not seen since the PS3. As video game development is suffocated by costs, more and more companies are opting not to create new IP and avoid taking risks where possible. One of the best ways to circumvent risk is to stick with an established product with clear expectations. Meanwhile, more and more companies are also pairing this with a strategy that consists of tapping into more nostalgic IP. To this end, it would make sense for Sony to tap more into its back catalog, yet so far, it’s largely resisted this temptation. That may be changing with one IP that many assumed was going to stay dormant forever.

This month, Sucker Punch Productions, a Sony studio, released Ghost of Yotei for PS5. And the reception has been decent, but the game also hasn’t lit the world on fire. In fact, it looks like it’s not going to replicate the commercial success of Ghost of Tsushima, its predecessor. To this end, we would not be surprised if this is the end of the road for it. If this happens, what will Sucker Punch Productions do next? Well, it could always make a new IP, but this is very costly and very risky. However, the developer also doesn’t have much of its own IP to revive, with one exception. That exception is Sly Cooper.

“Going Back to Sly”

Sucker Punch Productions co-founder and studio head Brian Fleming was recently asked about what’s next for the studio following another successful release. And in the big 2025, Fleming name dropped Sly Cooper.

“The truth is that whatever we do next, whether it’s continuing Ghost or going back to Sly, the decision is really more limited by, again, our cherishing of focus and time to iterate, which means that we really can only do one thing at a time,” said Fleming to VGC.

Name dropping Sly Cooper here is like the head of Naughty Dog name dropping Jax and Daxter. It’s pretty weird and pretty random unless there have at least been conversations and considerations over the last several years to bring back the series, which has not been seen since 2013.

Read Next

One of the Best PS1 Games Returns Next Week With New Release on PS5 and PS4

Don’t Get Too Hopeful

As you would expect, nostalgic PlayStation fans have been given hope for a new Sly Cooper following this quote. That said, the same reason we don’t expect Sucker Punch Productions to pivot to a new IP is the same reason we do not expect a new Sly Cooper because Sly Cooper never sold well. Sucker Punch Productions is not a cheap operation. There have been a handful of Sly Cooper games, yet the series has only sold a few million copies. It’s hard to justify putting Sucker Punch Productions on a new Sly Cooper unless the developer and Sony believe they have an idea and a product that could provide a commercial outbreak. Again, this is risky. Why even take that risk when you can make another Ghost game or stick the studio on another more established, and not dormant, IP?

More than this, while Fleming has thrown a bone here to Sly Cooper fans, in the past, leadership at the studio has suggested the team has little interest in returning to the IP, largely because the team at the studio today had no involvement in the development of the Sly Cooper games.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.