MotorStorm Revival Rumors Emerge

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Summary

  • Sony might have licensed a MotorStorm revival to support studio Stellar Entertainment, as hinted by the developer’s website.
  • MotorStorm is a beloved off-road arcade racing franchise from the PS3 era, and has been dormant for 13 years.
  • PlayStation has hinted at revitalization plans for legacy IPs, with franchises like Patapon, Freedom Wars, and Everybody’s Golf having made comebacks in recent months.

It’s being speculated that Sony might reintroduce one of its beloved arcade racing series from the PlayStation 3 era, following other classic PlayStation franchises that have returned in recent times. If this comes to fruition, it would mark a long-awaited return for an IP that’s been missing for over 13 years.

Over the last several months, Sony has been focusing more on revitalizing its classic PlayStation game franchises for the current era. In December 2024, the CEO of PlayStation Studio Group, Hermen Hulst, announced that they were actively seeking ways to utilize their iconic intellectual properties in today’s gaming landscape. This announcement followed closely after the launch of Helldivers 2‘s collaboration with Killzone 2, which was met with positive feedback from fans of both series. In January 2025, PlayStation and Bandai Namco joined forces to release an updated version of Freedom Wars: Remastered, a refreshed take on the 2014 first-party action RPG for PS Vita.

Following the unveiling of both Patapon 1+2 Replay and Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots during the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, it was made obvious that Sony had granted more PlayStation IPs to Bandai Namco for use. Now, hints suggest that another well-known Sony brand may be due for a comeback. Recently, a PlayStation XDEV employee has been spotted posting job listings for Stellar Entertainment, a Dutch studio that collaborated on the 2024 Horizon: Zero Dawn Remastered. Stellar Entertainment’s own website reveals they are currently developing a AAA arcade racing game using Unreal Engine 5, leading some PlayStation enthusiasts to surmise that this could potentially be a MotorStorm remake.

Sony May Have Greenlit a MotorStorm Revival

Originating from the defunct first-party team at PlayStation, Evolution Studios, MotorStorm was Sony’s flagship arcade racing game series during the PS3 era. This high-octane franchise primarily revolved around off-road racing, where players raced in various events simulating the fictional MotorStorm festival. They navigated cross-country tracks using buggies, ATVs, bikes, rally cars, racing trucks, and more. The initial MotorStorm game debuted in March 2007 in the US, ultimately selling over three million copies throughout its lifespan. Subsequent games followed, with the last one released in 2012 for both PS3 and PS Vita. Ever since then, the MotorStorm intellectual property has remained dormant, often discussed by PlayStation enthusiasts as a series that Sony might consider reviving, especially considering the scarcity of off-road arcade racing games in today’s market.

Driveclub Was Another PlayStation Arcade Racer, Albeit Not as Fondly Remembered

It’s worth noting that MotorStorm isn’t the only arcade racing game developed by Evolution Studios for PlayStation. They also released Driveclub as a launch title for PS4 in 2014. Despite receiving high praise for its stunning visuals and audio, Driveclub’s reception was mixed, with critics commenting that the single-player mode lacked excitement and the physics and AI weren’t as polished as other arcade racers. However, there is still a strong fanbase who would like to see Sony revive the Driveclub intellectual property, possibly in an open-world format to challenge the Forza Horizon series.

Time will reveal if Stellar Entertainment is planning a comeback for either MotorStorm or Driveclub, or perhaps something entirely fresh. As a support studio, it’s less likely that they’re working on an entirely new intellectual property.

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2025-05-09 20:18