Can the reboot of Ratchet and Clank prompt developers to revitalise old characters?

Ratchet and Clank is just a few short days away if you live in the UK, and I for one cannot wait. I’ve played every iteration of their adventures and the reboot promises to be truly fantastic. If it is to be as successful as I and every at Insomniac Games wants it to be, can we expect more reboots of gaming’s greatest heroes in the future?

Don’t get me wrong, I love original titles (No Man’s Sky looks incredible and I love Destiny and The Division) but I know I’m not alone when I say that seeing iconic characters’ grace Playstation and Xbox once again would be the pinnacle of nostalgic bliss. The main question is; could developers be persuaded to undertake the task?

Naughty Dog is responsible for arguably the most recognisable video game character (Nintendo characters notwithstanding), Crash Bandicoot. Very few people who are old enough have never played one of the marsupial’s brilliant adventures, and with good reason. They defined the Playstation One for the most part and set the stage for platforming games. But Naughty Dog has said they are too busy with Uncharted 4 and a Last of Us sequel to produce a reboot for Crash and Co which unfortunately means a Playstation 2 duo will also fall by the wayside. Jak and Daxter have been a part of three mammoth games (and the odd smaller title), but a PS4 overhaul looks increasingly unlikely thanks to Naughty Dog’s commitments.

 
I’m not saying that all the gaming studios that have had a successful series drop everything they’re currently doing and work on revitalising their most fabled characters, but could the release of Ratchet and Clank be the catalyst for at least a few of them? Insomniac are proving that it’s possible for developers to overhaul a series and create new titles, with Edge of Nowhere coming out later this year. Ideally, this will give studios the boost needed to start with the resurgence.

Ratchet and Clank is an unproven commodity, however early reviews from North America are promising. A proven winner in the reboot camp is Tomb Raider ( check out our love and hates piece ). Admittedly the first in the new series came out shortly prior to the release of Xbox One and PS4, but it was nonetheless a successful enterprise. The Definitive Edition release on the new consoles went down a treat, and Rise of the Tomb Raider has done very well, and I’m excited to play it when it finally releases on PS4. Whilst it’s not a direct reincarnation of the original games, Lara Croft is by no means an original character.

 
With all of these factors combining, I hope that soon enough we will see Crash, Jak and Daxter, Spyro, and many more turning up for our gaming pleasure. You never know, if it starts to happen, maybe Valve will develop Half-Life 3…