Sly Coopersits comfortably among the most iconic PlayStation franchises ever, even if it hasn’t seen a major release in several years. Although Sucker Punchprobably has its sights set onGhost of Tsushima 2right now,Sly Cooperought to come back into the mainstream, and the PlayStation 6 might be the perfect venue for it to do just that.
Released roughly six months after the PlayStation 5’s initial launch,Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apartwas touted as a showcase for the new console’s hardware capabilities. Whether it truly stands out as an impressive, groundbreaking exposition of gaming tech is somewhat debated, butRift Apartcertainly garnered a lot of attention, and it’s generally seen as a success for Sony. Stunning visuals, mechanically interesting dimension-shifting abilities, and solid combat all helpedRift Apartgain good publicity, but the game’s family-friendly story and presentation went a long way as well. WithSly Cooperbeing counted as one of Sony’s more all-ages IPs, it could be an equally effective marketing tool and hardware showcase for the PS6.
Sly Cooper Should Make a Comeback on the PS6
Sly Cooper Has the Pedigree to Thrive in the Next Generation
Sly Cooper’s ongoing successshows that audiences haven’t quite forgotten the stealthy raccoon’s antics, and that the franchise’s older games still hold up today. Still, looking back on these classic titles, they are definitely a bit quaint by modern standards. For instance, the linear design of each level pales in comparison to more ambitious stealth-action titles likeMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which is far more open-ended and mechanically layered.
TheSly Coopergames may not be winning any awards for graphics in 2024, but the art design of the franchise has an undeniable charm and personality to it, which shouldn’t be overlooked.
A revamped and revised version ofSly Cooper, leveraging the advancements in modern hardware, could be a boon for PlayStation. As previously stated,Sly Cooperis a family-friendly franchise, just likeRatchet and Clank, which gives it broad appeal and marketability. It also helps that Sly Cooper himself is something of a PlayStation mascot, making a new entry in the series an easy pick for a flagship release. Launching the next PlayStation console with a newGod of WarorHorizongame would be obvious, but also a bit boring; it would be far more exciting for Sony to go back to its roots with something likeSly Cooperwhen launching the PS6. This would be especially true if this theoretical revival could make full use of new hardware, just likeRift Apartdid.
PlayStation 6’s Hardware: The Elephant in the Room
Sony is likely already ramping up for a PS6 release, and while this prospect should be tantalizing for players, it has met a more tepid reception. This is because, while the PS5 is certainly a step up from its predecessor in terms of processing power and fidelity, the leap has not been generational in the eyes of many players. Even the most graphically impressive games, likeHorizon Forbidden West, seem more like incremental improvements over their PS4 counterparts.
This goes back to the issue ofRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart’s technological prowess. Visually spectacular and interesting though it may be, its rift-hopping mechanics aren’t as mind-blowing as the marketing led players to believe. IfSly Cooperwere to serve as a similar tech showcase, it would need to make the most of the PS6’s new technology in interesting or genuinely impressive ways, perhaps through simultaneous implementation of 4K, 60FPS or higher, and ray-tracing, which many console games still struggle with. A strong and meaningful use of new hardware, coupled with brand recognition, could spell success for the next chapter ofSly Cooper.
Sly Cooper
Sony’s Sly Cooper franchise began in 2002 with Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus and hasn’t had a new release since 2013’s Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. The series uniquely combines the platform and stealth genres.The original PlayStation 2 trilogy was developed by Sucker Punch Productions, while Thieves in Time on PlayStation 3 was developed by Sanzaru Games.
