Highlights
- Shadow of the Colossus, a game known for its unique gameplay and captivating story, has received two successful touch-ups, so it's time for a sequel.
- Despite the story's conclusion and the absence of remaining colossi, the mysterious setting of the game leaves room for a new storyline featuring colossi in different parts of the world.
- The disbandment of Team Ico, the original studio behind the game, raises concerns about the possibility of a sequel. However, Fumito Ueda and his new team, GenDesign, have hinted at a game announcement, sparking speculation about a Shadow of the Colossus sequel or a new project altogether.
It's been eighteen years since Japan Studio and Team Ico published Shadow of the Colossus. From the second it hit store shelves, the game was a smash hit that redefined how games could be played. The legendary PlayStation 2 game is highly regarded for its unique gameplay, moody atmosphere, and esoteric story that enthrall players as they venture into its barren unnamed lands. Simply put, Shadow of the Colossus is a game that just has a certain something about it that makes it unlike any other.
Since its release, Shadow of the Colossus has been lucky enough to get two touch-ups. The first was back in 2011 as an HD remaster for the PlayStation 3. The second was in 2018, which was a full recreation of the original video game to modernize its graphics and controls. The 2018 Shadow of the Colossus remake was another success for the colossal series, thanks to Bluepoint Games' immaculate attention to detail. It's a wonder, then — considering the successes of both the 2011 remaster and the 2018 remake — that Team Ico hasn't made Shadow of the Colossus 2.
Shadow of the Colossus Needs Another Chapter
A Shadow of the Colossus sequel might seem off the table because of how the game's story ended. The story follows Wander, who brings his lost love, Mono, to the tomb of Dormin, where he strikes a deal to release Dormin in exchange for resurrecting Mono. To do this, Wander must locate and destroy the sixteen colossi and release the power of Dormin back into the world. In the end, Wander succeeds, but at the cost of his life. This of course means there are no colossi left to destroy, which could be a serious road bump for a Shadow of the Colossus sequel.
The setting of Shadow of the Colossus is shrouded in mystery, though. Players know virtually nothing of the world outside the enigmatic lands that they traverse and the few characters they meet along the way. This leaves plenty of opportunity to create another storyline featuring colossi elsewhere in the world. Even though Wander destroyed the existing colossi that were trapping Dormin, Wander himself was possessed, destroyed, and reborn as a horned infant in the end. Then, Mono and Wander's steed Agro leave the land with the born-again protagonist. It might be hard to appropriately loop these three back in for a sequel, but seeing how the game's story is cryptic in the first place, it's absolutely possible.
Another concern for a sequel of Shadow of the Colossus is that Team Ico, the original studio which developed the game, no longer exists. Team Ico was led by famed video game producer Fumito Ueda, who was the director of other legendary games like the aptly titled Ico. Though it was a failure upon its release, Ico influenced modern game design greatly and set the stage for other hits like Dark Souls. The disbandment of Team Ico began in 2011 during the development of The Last Guardian because the team felt it needed better resources to complete the game. That's when Ueda and his colleagues got together to create GenDesign to finish developing The Last Guardian.
Since The Last Guardian released in 2016, GenDesign has remained relatively quiet up until the last few years. Back in 2020, GenDesign announced a partnership with Epic Games to complete its next game. Then, this past January, Fumito Ueda and GenDesign teased a game announcement for 2023. This little teaser stirred up excitement that there may be a Shadow of the Colossus remake on the way. It could also mean that GenDesign is creating a sequel to The Last Guardian, or creating a new game altogether. It's nearing the end of the year now, and there still hasn't been a follow-up to the Ueda's message from January. Ueda said the potential announcement is dependent on a significant amount of work, so there's still time to see if the message will be finished.
Shadow of the Colossus is available now on PS4.