Forget Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, if any classic open-world crime game needs a new lick of a paint and a next-gen revival, it's The Getaway. The good news? That could finally be happening, if recent rumblings are to be believed.
Released for PlayStation 2 back in 2002 and developed by the Sony owned Team Soho, The Getaway is best described as a GTA clone with an open-world London to explore. Graphically speaking it was absolutely unbelievable at the time, pushing the PS2 to its limits with detailed London streets and exciting set pieces in the spirits of the all the best UK gangster films.
A sequel was released in 2004, but The Getaway: Black Monday was something a critical miss. As such, the series has been on ice for all this time. Fans still warmly remember the original game, however, and the hopes of a sequel or next-gen remake have been kept alive for the last decade or so.
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Over on Twitter, a fan account dedicated to The Getaway never gave up hope, and has been eagerly on the lookout for any new information that might point to a return for the franchise.
Last year they noticed that SIE London Studio - a division of the company that came about as the result of a merger between Team Soho and Psygnosis's Camden studio - was hiring for a new AAA title. A quick look on the studio's website shows that they're still hiring for a variety of roles to work on an as-yet unannounced next-gen game. Could it be?
They also spotted that games developer Mike Rouse, who runs YouTube channel Retro Gamer Boy and previously worked on The Getaway, commented that he'd heard something was brewing last year regarding a revival for the franchise. Beneath an original trailer for the game, Rouse responded to a fan pining for a remaster: 'I've heard from my contacts at Sony that something is in the works. What it is though I don't know.'
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Finally, it's been pointed out that The Getaway celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022. While it might not have been the biggest game Sony ever released, if a remake or brand-new game was to be announced, the 20th anniversary would be a killer time to do it. Watch this space.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: GAMING, News, PlayStation
