Sony’s first-party studio, Media Molecule, is reportedly working on a brand-new game with open-world elements.
As reported by MP1st, information about the LittleBigPlanet and Dreams studio’s next project comes from the resume of a current Media Molecule employee. The resume notes that the studio is working on an unannounced project, which will feature “open-world content.”
Fans have longed for a return to LittleBigPlanet, but it doesn’t seem like this new project will be another Sackboy adventure. The resume specifically notes that this is a new IP, meaning fans may not want to expect a direct follow-up to the studio’s previous work. That doesn’t mean something like LittleBigPlanet will never return, but if the information presented in this resume is accurate, a new entry seems unlikely to arrive soon.
There isn’t too much else to latch on to in this resume, but it does indicate Media Molecule is going for a larger sense of scale. The studio is best known for LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, two games that empower the player to create their own experiences with in-game tools.
Dreams, a game IGN gave a 9/10, especially leaned on allowing players to create full-blown games with unique mechanics, art styles, and more. It was like a true game engine, and those who embraced Dreams made some extremely cool stuff with it, but Media Molecule ultimately ended support for the game three years after its release.
Sumo Digital developed LittleBigPlanet 3 and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, so it’s possible that the team could produce another entry in the series in the future. However, Sackboy was removed from PlayStation Productions branding, leading some to fear he won’t be coming back anytime soon.
Whatever this new game is, past statements from the company suggest it may have been in the works as early as 2023. Media Molecule noted in October of that year that it had spent that year transitioning to a new project. Outside of the highly ambitious Dreams, Media Molecule isn’t known for making the kind of AAA game that takes an absurd amount of money and half a decade to produce. Depending on the scope of the game, maybe we will hear about it at the upcoming State of Play in June.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but it sounds like whatever this next game is, it will be different from the studio’s past games. Meanwhile, Sony is still working on the PlayStation 6. The company said earlier this month that it is still trying to work out when the device will launch.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
