- Sunset Overdrive was an early game from the last generation of Xbox.
- This title has earned a reputation for being underrated, but leaks suggest its sequel was canceled in favor of Spider-Man.
- While disappointing, Insomniac likely made the right choice since Spider-Man is a much bigger IP.
Sunset Overdrive, released in 2014, is one of the most beloved games from Insomniac. Even in 2023, the game’s parkour system and charming world offer a lot to new players despite the game going under the radar at launch.
Today, Sunset Overdrive is considered an underrated gem by many, with requests for a sequel from Xbox. However, the recent leaks from Insomniac confirm that this game never got a sequel because of Spider-Man.
Why it matters: Sunset Overdrive, while being beloved, did not sell too well. With just under 2 million copies sold, this game sold less than 10% of what Spider-Man managed on PlayStation and PC.
The game was abruptly canceled after Insomniac began focusing more on Spider-Man, which would eventually come out in 2018.
A Redditor has shared the sad news from the leaks. This post has been filled with Redditors expressing disappointment since many were quick to realize the untapped potential in Sunset Overdrive.
The image shared shows that both games were in development simultaneously at some point in 2014-2015. However, work on Sunset Overdrive was halted while Spider-Man continued to grow and became the studio’s main project.
In addition to the limited sales, the leaks reveal Insomniac did not have much to gain from this title. According to documents, the studio was paid royalties of less than $1000, making it a tiny fraction of what it made from Spider-Man.
Therefore, the studio made the right choice.
Still, Microsoft retained some rights to the IP after Insomniac was purchased by PlayStation. The leaks highlight that the next two games can be published by Microsoft.
Since Xbox has shown no such plans, a new Sunset Overdrive game may never see the light of day. However, in a hypothetical scenario where Xbox produces two games, PlayStation and Insomniac would then be free to continue the franchise in the future since the latter owns the IP.
This could also open the doors to a remaster or port for the original game on PlayStation.
Following this decision, Insomniac is positioned as the Marvel developer for PlayStation.
Having sold 2.5 million copies of Spider-Man 2 in one day, the company is dedicated to Marvel IPs. A Venom spin-off, Wolverine, and X-Men games are among the next major projects arriving from the studio.
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