Sony is reportedly planning a wave of revivals for its dormant PlayStation franchises, and the first title on that list appears to be a new Ape Escape being developed by Evening Star, the independent studio behind Sonic Mania. The disclosure surfaced this week during an episode of The Jeff Gerstmann podcast (LINK_0), where the veteran journalist revealed that Sony has been in talks with the developer for nearly a year and confirmed that the project is being handled by an external team rather than one of PlayStation’s first-party studios.
The announcement carries particular weight given Evening Star’s pedigree. The small, fan-beloved studio earned widespread acclaim for remastering and revitalizing Sonic Mania (LINK_1) before striking out on its own to create the critically praised Penny’s Big Breakaway (LINK_2). Their involvement lends immediate credibility to Sony’s plan, which is part of a broader strategy to breathe new life into legacy intellectual property through partnerships with nimble third-party developers.
An External Studio Behind the Return
In his podcast remarks, Gerstmann was candid about the uncertainty that had surrounded who would helm the project. He pushed back against immediate speculation that Team Asobi (LINK_4), the acclaimed studio behind Astro Bot, was developing the sequel.
“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,” Gerstmann said. “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 is making it.’ My understanding is that an external team has been working on that… Evening Star. I heard that they were working on it.”
Jeff Gerstmann
VGC corroborated the podcast’s claims (LINK_3), confirming both the involvement of Evening Star and the wider scope of Sony’s revival plans.
A Broader Revival Blueprint
According to VGC, PlayStation is not limiting its ambitions to Ape Escape. The console maker is reportedly keen to collaborate with a range of outside developers on additional legacy IP, following a model it already deployed for 2025’s Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots (LINK_5), which was handled by Bandai Namco rather than an in-house team.
The Ape Escape franchise itself enjoyed a devoted following during the PS1 and PS2 generations as a beloved series of 3D platformers, challenging players to chase down chaos-causing apes across colorful levels using an arsenal of special gadgets. The last mainline entry arrived in 2005 with Ape Escape 3, leaving fans to wonder what the series could become under Evening Star’s creative direction.
The franchise’s enduring appeal was recently reaffirmed through a playable tribute embedded within Astro Bot, which also served as a reminder of how many classic titles PlayStation continues to hold in its vault. That catalog has already fueled speculation about other potential comebacks, including persistent rumors of a new Killzone game from People Can Fly (LINK_7), the studio behind Outriders and Gears of War: Judgement.
Looking Ahead
For now, Gerstmann’s comments suggest that fans should temper their expectations regarding timing. His remark that the project is “not close to being out” indicates a title still in its early stages, even if development discussions have been underway for nearly a year.
The Evening Star connection remains the most encouraging signal for enthusiasts invested in the franchise’s future. Given the studio’s demonstrated talent for honoring beloved properties while injecting fresh energy into them, the combination of Sony’s backing and Evening Star’s craftsmanship could mark a promising new chapter for Ape Escape—assuming it materializes as planned.
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