The Ratchet & Clank franchise debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2002 and quickly became a fan favorite. With each game in the series presenting a unique and memorable sci-fi setting, action-packed platforming gameplay, and a wild sense of humor, it's easy to see why fans love the Ratchet & Clank games so much.
Ever since then, the Ratchet & Clank franchise has continued to grow, becoming a solid staple of the PlayStation lineup with 10 main series titles and a handful of spinoffs, showing no signs of stopping in the near future. However, most of the franchise's older titles cannot be played at all on newer PlayStation consoles, leaving a huge chunk of the series inaccessible to newer fans -- but now is a better time than ever to bring those games back for modern audiences.
The Ratchet & Clank series recieved four major titles for the PS2, with another four called the Future saga releasing during the PS3 era. Along the way, a few spinoffs like Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One and the highly popular Secret Agent Clank, were related on the PSP, PS3, and mobile.
After the PS3 era, developer Insomniac Games decided to slow things down a bit with the franchise, and only one Ratchet & Clank game (a remake of the first game) was released for the PlayStation 4 in 2016. Finally, the franchise's most recent entry is the 2021 PlayStation 5-exclusive Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which had arguably one of the most powerful stories in the series.
Out of all these games, most PS4 owners will only be able to play the 2016 Ratchet & Clank remake, while most PS5 owners aren't much better off, only having access to the remake and Rift Apart. The new PS Plus Premium service does expand a player's options somewhat, but many fans believe it isn't enough.
None of the original four PS2 titles are currently available on PS Plus Premium, and the first game in PS3 Future saga is missing as well, despite the others from the era being available. This leaves a major gap in the story told across the Future saga's games. Currently, dusting off an old PS3 and booting up a copy The Ratchet & Clank Collection or Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is the only way to access those older games.
The lack of Ratchet & Clank games available for the PS4 and PS5 is a disservice to the beloved series. Making those older titles more accessible to modern players, from the original four to the Future saga and maybe even a handful of spinoffs, could be a huge selling point to old and new fans alike, and the time for that has never been better. The original game turns 20 in November, so Insomniac could mark the occasion with rereleases to celebrate.
Insomniac Games is currently hard at work on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Marvel's Wolverine, and a recently announced new multiplayer IP, so it seem unlikely fans will get much news regarding Ratchet & Clank any time soon. Still, the series is a huge piece of PlayStation history and went a long way in building up the console's reputation, so completely overlooking its 20th anniversary would be a mistake.
The best way to celebrate Ratchet & Clank in 2022 would be the release (or at least the announcement) of a port or ports of older, currently inaccessible, games. Whether that comes in the form of bundle, remaster, or launch on PS Plus, it's important to give fans new and old playing on modern hardware access to these incredible and influential games.