A release date has been announced forUltimate Sackboy, the next mobile spin-off of theLittleBigPlanetfranchise. After over eight years since the last mainline entry, theLittleBigPlanetseries has been carried by its multiple spin-offs.
The originalLittleBigPlanetwas released in 2008 and started the series as one of the PS3’s best first-party titles. Subsequent games were positively received, but the series has been relatively quiet since the last mainline entry,LittleBigPlanet 3, released in 2014. Media Molecule, the series' original developer, shifted focus away from it afterLittleBigPlanet 2to prioritize development on the gameDreamswhich released in 2020 and, likeLittleBigPlanet, had a strong emphasis on game creation.Dreamshas been used in some truly impressive ways by players, a strong example being aplayer who recreatedHalo InfiniteinDreams.
RELATED:Sackboy: A Big Adventure is Adding Costumes Based on God of War Ragnarok
A new mainlineLittleBigPlanetgame has been a long request from fans, but the series has been far from silent thanks to a number of spin-off titles. The player character of Sackboy has had plenty of time in the spotlight with one of the launch titles for the PS5 beingSackboy: A Big Adventurewhich itself contained easter eggs toLittleBigPlanetfor longtime fans to pick up on. Fans will thankfully not have to wait much longer for the nextLittleBigPlanetspin-off. This next entry isUltimate Sackboy, a free-to-play runner game that releases for mobile on February 21.
Developer and publisher Exient announced the release date ofUltimate Sackboyin a blog post on January 18. Players can now pre-register the game on the Google Play Store. It is similar in style to an older mobile spinoff ofLittleBigPlanettitledRun Sackboy! Run!Ultimate Sackboyseems to be part of the efforts to broaden the PlayStation mobile games division as was seen previously with theSony acquisition of mobile developer Savage Game Studios.
Unlike companies like Nintendo, Sony has historically not supported its franchises long-term. Many PlayStation series, no matter how successful, will only have a handful of titles before either ending or fading into obscurity. Some franchises likeKillzonehave been dormant for nearly a decade, and other games likeBloodborneandThe Order: 1886have never gotten sequelsor any kind of follow-up after over seven years. With the latest efforts by Sony to branch out into the mobile market, there is hope that more PlayStation franchises can come back from the dead for a new generation.
