New Ape Escape Game Reportedly in Development by Sonic Mania Studio

A new Ape Escape title is said to be in the works, with the project reportedly being handled by the team behind Sonic Mania. Evening Star, the developer in question, also created Penny’s Big Breakaway, which received mixed reviews in contrast to the near-universal acclaim for Sonic Mania.

The rumor comes from journalist Jeff Gerstmann, and VGC sources have backed it up. "So yeah, some other folks have said that they also heard that Ape Escape is being made," Gerstmann said on his podcast.

"I don’t think this game is close to being out or anything like that, but I guess it’s been almost a year since we started talking about Ape Escape. Who is making it? That’s a good question.

"My understanding is that it’s an external studio. People were immediately like, ‘Oh, Team Asobi (Astro Bot) is making it.’ My understanding is that an external team has been working on that. What do they make… Penny’s Big Breakaway. Evening Star. I heard that they were working on it."

According to the report, Sony is considering using third-party studios to revive dormant franchises across its entire portfolio. Last month, rumors circulated that PlayStation is looking to bring back Killzone, though the obvious choice for that one would likely be first-party original studio Guerrilla Games.

The last game in the Ape Escape series is PlayStation Move Ape Escape, released for PS3 in 2010. The last mainline game was Ape Escape 3, five years earlier, for PS2.

"At the time that I initially heard it, it sounded like it was a game that had been just barely greenlit and just getting underway," Gerstmann continued.

"You know, not necessarily the most corroborated, multiple-source thing, but that is what I heard about an Ape Escape Game. I was asking people questions at DICE this year about this Ape Escape game. So that was February. So there ya go."

IGN reached out to Sony for comment about its rumored third-party licensing strategy last week, but so far there’s been no response.