Psychonauts 2 in development?

by Scott Jon Siegel { Oct 23rd 2007 at 8:00AM }

Hot off the heels of Double Fine's announcement of Brütal Legend, we get this tasty little morsel of potential excellence. On Double Fine's projects page, beneath the link for Brütal Legend, we have the teaser image pictured above. No great mystery regarding its contents -- that's clearly Raz, and the logo for the first Psychonauts.

Is Tim Schafer trying to not-so-subtly tell us that a sequel is in the works? Or is this some sort of twisted joke? (Schafer does, after all, have a "twisted mind," as many a press release have said). Not much else to speculate here. We'll keep our eyes peeled for any further announcements or information.

[Update: Sadly, it seems that the "coming soon" image was merely intended to indicate an eventual info page for the original Psychonauts. Double Fine has recognized the confusion, and quietly un-darkened the image to make it more apparent. So no Psychonauts 2 after all. Color us disappointed.]

[Via Rock Paper Shotgun]

Tags: double-fine, doublefine, psychonauts, tim-schafer, timschafer

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

flameofdoom666 @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:10AM

Sequel... pleaseeeee!

pete @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:54PM

I'm with you - oh PLEASE let this be true!

Marzz @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:16AM

OH JESUS.. This had BETTER be truth...

Cutty @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:15AM

I hope so! I just hope it's not a placeholder image for a different project.

danny. (fdf.) @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:52AM

I was thinking it was at least a wii port, but I think you might be right on the placeholder image. That Psychonauts image is on everything on that site.

I won't get my hopes up, but Phsychonauts was my favorite game last generation, so even a disappointing sequel would be great.

FOXHOUND @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:17AM

I'm glad he sells the game(including signed copies)on the website, because I can't find them locally. :\

JodyAnthony @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:19AM

i will make sweet love to everyone on the internet if a sequel for psychonauts gets made

FOXHOUND @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:22AM

Can I trade my 'sweet lovin' for a bottle of Jack or cash prizes? :d

Psaakyrn @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:24AM

Even the goat.se guy?

Allosteric @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:24AM

Looking at the image it seems very similar to the previous one. Could it simply be an update of the original game for the Wii? Got knows worse games have been ported to the system, and financially it could make sense.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:31AM

mhm. I can see that happening. Psychonauts was an amazing game, sadly it flopped pretty hard in sales so I doubt a sequel is being made. Most likely, it'll be an enhanced port for the Wii. Hopefully it'll get more attention there.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:23AM

I'll buy it on the wii.

I had it for PC, but then I lost interest in PC Gaming.

Neon Jebus @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:33AM

Well this was great news to read this morning. Let's hope it's true.

Now if Midway would make Psi-Ops 2 I would be a very happy boy.

Ibere @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:40AM

I bet it is an updated version for the Wii or a port for the DS.

boulderhorn @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:47AM

here is a great review of the original...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/1368-Zero-Punctuation-Psychonauts

check it out.

Ocho @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:54AM

Sadly, I'm pretty sure this just refers to the under-construction Psychonauts' project page on the website. The site's relatively new, so perhaps they haven't gotten everything together yet, particularly with the big Brutal Legend announcement.

Pasha @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:25AM

One of the best games for the XBOX, too bad it didn't receive enough advertising, and that's why it didn't sell well. It's on every critic's "The best games you haven't played" list. A sequel would be awesome.

Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:27AM

The original left off in such a good place for a sequel... A Psychonauts sequel would be a day one purchase for me, no questions asked.

oftenk @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:47AM

Yeah, I'm positive it just refers to Psychonaut's project page.

samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!) @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:56AM

Blah. I thought Psychonauts was the most over rated game I ever played, to be honest.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:25AM

Only because you're the devil Incarnate.

Nah, but really its a great game.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:52PM

agreed. What the fuck is wrong with you? Psychonauts is an amazing game.

NATO_Duke @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:56AM

Whether a new game or a port of the last one to a current console, its a great idea to get this ip on the shelves again.

breachless @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:59AM

A sequel WOULD be fantastic... Though I think it would make more sense financially for them to get at least more than 100 people to play the original first by porting it to the Wii, or rebuilding it for the 360 or PS3.

And you know, that would be fine by me: if that's what it takes to break even and at least consider a sequel, so be it.

Also, for those of you that never played Psychonauts: YOU SUCK.

GamerG @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:10AM

Original on XBLA

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:26AM

How about "Original on Xbox" and "Psychonauts now BC on 360"

Probably a lot less work.

GamerG @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:28AM

Its already on BC

Chris @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:12AM

I did think Tim Schafer did sequels. He's like Bill Murry that way.

Monkey Island 2 = ghostbusters II, the exception that proves the rule. He wasn't in charge for Monkey Island, Gilbert was.

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring) @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:24AM

Psychonauts was a brilliant game and quite a lot of fun. However, while I eagerly await a sequel, I'm not sure what would motivate one. Like a civil war movie, it would have to be a labor of love without hope of commercial success.

How the hell do you make a pitch like that?

Gentlemen, I know you all wish to invest in the next Halo. But really, what is money worth? Wouldn't you rather invest knowing that you are making an artistic game? How are we to tell Ebert to suck it, if we actually attempt to make money on our work? I say no! I say we become artists and consume money rather than desire to make money. If our diet is not Ramen and scraps then we are not worth the money you are throwing away!

Carrie @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:09AM

Though I'm pretty sure the Coming Soon thing is just for their Psychonauts-themed page, Psychonauts 2 would be completely awesome, and despite what everyone says, if they MARKET the game, it would sell. Everyone that I know that has played the game loved it, that's a pretty good boost right there. The only reason it didn't sell was cause they didn't market it.

Luckily they're already on a good hype track with Brütal Legend. It's gonna be sweet.

Emperor Samoth @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:14AM

NOPE, it's Psychonauts for the Wii using the same material from the previous versions. Need to make that money back and truth be told, Wii owners DO need a good 3rd party game.

Ben @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:49AM

I bought Psychonauts at a used bookstore for $3 and loved it. When the next one comes out I will be there to buy it!

Shibathedog @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:48AM

Its probably either a sequel or just a re-done version of the first one for 360/PS3/Wii

Either one is fine for me because I never really got to play the first one all the way through, and I'm sure a bunch of other people missed out too.

Benny @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:17PM

I'm expecting it just to be a Wii version.

If it is, then wow, talk about irony. The industry's crux of innovation is ending up having last-gen games pumped out for it. Seems that gaming is far more stagnated than we thought.

Don't get me wrong, when I purchase a Wii I'll happily buy Resident Evil 4, Bully, Okami and (potentially) Psychonauts. In part because for most of the last gen I was without a PS2, and in part because these games deserve to sell. But still, is it not telling when the most exciting games for a system are last-gen ports? It's quite alarming to see the lack of new ideas within development houses.

Meh, if this trend is going to continue how about some love for Beyond Good & Evil please Ubi?

Benny @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:20PM

Of course, when I say "most exciting games", I should have written "some of the most exciting games". Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. look fantastic.

CowboyBeboper @ Oct 23rd 2007 1:17PM

It's probably a Wii port.
I mean, Psychonauts already has an official website... And as incredible as the game was and how desperately I want a sequel, would a publisher go for it (considering it is a cult hit and didn't sell to well when it was initially released)?