Sony revamped the Knack brand, leading to speculation of a new game in the series, or at least continued interest in the franchise.
As Gematsu noted on Twitter, the trademark was filed in Japan on March 17 and finally went public today. There's not much going on here after that, leaving plenty of room for speculation.
Sony Interactive Entertainment filed a trademark for "Knack" on March 17 in Japan. Bandai Namco Entertainment filed a trademark for "Stacky Basket". Both were made public today.
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The immediate thought is that this could be a precursor to Knack 3. The first game, a PS4 launch title, has long been used for memes in the gaming community as the core platformer is out of what the most beloved PlayStation exclusives wear. I like. to love. It was considered a lackluster title and never seemed to find an audience like so many of Sony's best efforts.
Knack 2 was an unexpected, but much improved, addition to the franchise, though Knack 3 would be a truly surprising addition to the PlayStation library. Also, Sony's Astro series seems to have replaced the fun and light-hearted 3D platforming space that Knack would occupy.
Analysis: But does that really mean Knack 3 is coming?
While this could lead to the development of Knack 3, it's hard to believe we'd see it, though stranger things have happened.
Renewal brands alone are hard to judge in a vacuum. In the absence of information to support why Sony registered the trademark, it is impossible to know the commercial reason. It is not uncommon for a company to register IP trademarks for which it has no immediate plans.
This may be done to keep the intellectual property legally sound and up-to-date in case it is used in the future. While that might suggest another game in the franchise, it's more likely the equivalent of a Sony IP interview.
With that being the case, it's clear that Sony isn't ready to let Knack completely fade into obscurity. If nothing else, the company is keeping its options open with Knack, and that should give true fans a sliver of hope that the transforming hero may ever return.
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