THE CRUNCH
Classic PlayStation franchise Ape Escape is reportedly set to return, with development handled by Evening Star, the studio behind Sonic Mania and Penny's Big Breakaway. The claim comes from veteran journalist Jeff Gerstmann on his podcast, and matches what Video Games Chronicle says it has heard from its own sources. Gerstmann cautioned that the report is not heavily corroborated and suggested the game is not close to release, saying that when he first heard of it around February it sounded like it had only just been greenlit.
Gerstmann addressed speculation that Team Asobi, the studio behind Astro Bot, might be involved, saying his understanding is that an external team has been working on the game. He pointed to Evening Star, which was formed by developers who worked on Sonic Mania before making Penny's Big Breakaway.
The reported revival fits a broader pattern. VGC has heard from multiple sources that Ape Escape is not the only dormant PlayStation franchise Sony is looking to revive by licensing it to smaller third-party studios. Sony has tried this before, licensing Everybody's Golf to Bandai Namco for 2025's Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots, and is also reportedly planning a Killzone revival, with a remaster or remake in early development. Separately, an Uncharted revival has been reported, though that game is said to be handled in-house at Naughty Dog. VGC has contacted Sony for comment.