In 2009, gamers were introduced to the world of Infamous for the very first time. A gritty and original superhero story from Sucker Punch, the project proved to be a major change in tone and style for the Sly Cooper developers. Despite this, the game caught on with fans, as players grew attached to Cole MacGrath and his awesome set of lightning-based abilities. A sequel followed in 2011, telling another chapter of Cole’s story, while Infamous Second Son and First Light introduced new protagonists for players to control in 2014.
Despite several Infamous games being released, and each of these releases proving popular with fans, there has been complete silence regarding the IP since 2014. For over six years, no news of a new game has come, leaving fans nervous about the franchise’s future. With even a remaster being something that would excite players, the fact that nothing seems to be in the works is a bit disheartening. Still, with the space now more occupied than ever before, and Sucker Punch moving on to bigger things, it is a bit easier to understand.
The Success Of Infamous
The first two Infamous games found critical and commercial success, landing in the mid-80s on Metacritic. Offering fun combat, an interesting story, and a neat style that embraced the games’ comic book inspirations head-on, there was a lot to love about the series. While Infamous Second Son and First Light offered even better gameplay, their stories were lacking in comparison — though the games still performed well enough and remain examples of a great superhero game.
While the games did well for several reasons, one of the biggest was that they filled a void that gamers were looking to see filled. The Arkham series had not yet released when the first Infamous made its debut, leaving the superhero genre free for a game developer to explore. Outside of Spider-Man and occasional team-up titles like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, superhero games were extremely limited at the time. In turn, Sucker Punch was able to satisfy the audience looking for that kind of game, providing an open world playground for players to explore as they controlled a powerful protagonist.
Where Did Infamous Go?
However, things have changed since Infamous made its debut in 2009. When that first game launched, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in its infancy. The first Iron Man movie had released just one year prior, and while The Avengers had been teased, a team-up of that size seemed like a pipe dream. Since those movies released, though, superheroes are more popular than ever, though Marvel heroes in particular have taken the world by storm. As a result, a general audience would surely be far more interested in a game based on Daredevil or Doctor Strange than a fully original superhero.
Had Infamous released today, it may not do as well because of this, as someone like Cole MacGrath may be viewed as a Thor knockoff instead of a character worthy of adoration. Sony has seemingly realized this as well, doubling down on Insomniac’s Marvel's Spider-Man series. As such, running two PlayStation exclusive superhero franchises at the same time seems like a bad idea, as the two could easily cannibalize one another. Further, Marvel's Spider-Man would always outdo Infamous in terms of sales, as the brand recognition of the hero is unparalleled. Most superhero fans would always choose an established hero over someone they have never seen, ensuring that only one of the franchises can survive. Marvel’s popularity ensures that it will be Marvel's Spider-Man, with Infamous likely to be shelved until Insomniac’s time with the webslinger comes to an end.
While games like Life is Strange: True Colors prove that original characters with superpowers can catch on, the style of game that the Infamous series provides is already being covered by a PlayStation exclusive. With Marvel heroes being as popular as they are today, original heroes seem harder to pull off than ever before. Had Infamous started in 2021, it likely never would have been what it was. While it would be great to see the series return, it is easy to understand why a Ghost of Tsushima sequel is more likely. Infamous truly was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for Sucker Punch and Sony, as superhero games and stories were limited. Today, that is far from the case, ensuring that a new Infamous title would be more of a risk than a guaranteed success.
A new Infamous game is not known to be in development.