PlayStation isn't prioritising Sunset Overdrive 2 in wake of Insomniac acquisition

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Insomniac will focus on Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank as a first-party PlayStation studio

(Image credit: Insomniac)

In case you missed the news last night, Sony announced that it has acquired Insomniac Games as a first-party studio to develop titles exclusively for its PlayStation platform (which, if the bookies' bets are true, will very shortly become the PS5 within the next year or so).

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Interactive Entertainment Chairman Shawn Layden spoke about the decision to make the purchase, the company's shifting approach to cross-play and multi-platform gaming, and the kind of games that Insomniac will prioritise as a PlayStation studio. 

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(Image credit: Insomniac)

You can thank Sunset Overdrive for why swinging in Insomniac's Spider-Man feels so damn good

That last part will be of interest to any fans of Sunset Overdrive, Insomniac's 2013 Xbox One exclusive that - despite mediocre sales - has gone on to become something of a cult classic, praised for its novel traversal mechanics and buoyant stylistic flourishes. Sadly, it looks like Sunset Overdrive 2 isn't making its way to the top of Insomniac's list under PlayStation, as Layden explains in the interview. 

"That was a great experience for Insomniac and they learned a lot through that, as well", explained Layden. "As far as the IP itself, we really haven’t turned over the files on that one to see what that actually means, to be honest. We like what they’ve been doing in the Spider-Man franchise and things like Ratchet & Clank are certainly vital series in the present and future. That’s what we’re concentrating on."

It's believed that Xbox still owns the publishing rights to Sunset Overdrive regardless of Insomniac's acquisition, anyway, leaving the fate of the franchise even more up in the air than before. In short, it's looking very unlikely that we'll ever see a sequel to Sunset Overdrive for quite some time, if ever, but if that means more Spider-Man titles, then - frankly - it's a price I'm willing to pay. 

For more, check out the biggest new games of 2019 on the way, or watch our Release Radar below for a guide to everything else out this. 

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Alex Avard
Alex Avard

I'm GamesRadar's Features Writer, which makes me responsible for gracing the internet with as many of my words as possible, including reviews, previews, interviews, and more. Lucky internet! 

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