Summary
A recent Sony job listing has confirmed thatLittleBigPlanetandDreamsdeveloperMedia Molecule’s next game will be a new IP. The project has been in production for around a year atMedia Molecule, as the studio shuttered development onDreamsin 2023.
Founded in 2006 and acquired by Sony in 2010, Media Molecule is best known for creating theLittleBigPlanetfranchise, which was very popular during the PS3 days, owing to its emphasis on user-generated content and delightful platformer gameplay. The series' protagonist, Sackboy, was even perceived as PlayStation’s mascot at the time. After sixLittleBigPlanettitles, Media Molecule moved on toDreamsin 2020, which leaned into user-generated content even harder, basically being a game engine anyone can use.Several brilliant creations came out ofDreams, but in September 2023, Media Molecule announced it would no longer be supported as the team transitioned to its next project.
Media Molecule announced in a blog post in April last year that its next game is not “Dreams2, or theDreamsIP,” lending credence to the notion thatDreamsmay have underperformed commercially. Some theorized it could be areturn to theLittleBigPlanetseries, but a recentjob listingconfirms that Media Molecule is working on a new IP. The opening requires a Principal Programmer for Art Technology in Guildford, United Kingdom, where the studio is located. The first key responsibility for the role states “Partner closely with the wider programming team to define and champion technical requirements and standards for Mm’s new IP.”
No Reboots or Sequels for Media Molecule’s Next Title
The excerpt is solid confirmation that the PlayStation first-party studio’s next game will be a wholly original title. This news may be a blow to the morale ofLittleBigPlanetbelievers, even more so after the confirmation ofSony shutting downLittleBigPlanet3’s servers indefinitely. However, it’s important to note that Media Molecule hasn’t worked onLittleBigPlanetsince the second entry in the franchise, so it was already unlikely that it would return to the series anyway.
Media Molecule has been through a bit of a rough patch lately. Not only did it sunsetDreamsdevelopment, but the team also went through an unfortunate round of layoffs in the past year, with 20% of the workforce being impacted. Moreover, it was reported thatMedia Molecule narrowly avoided outright closureduring PlayStation’s February 2024 layoffs. It was allegedly between the now-shuttered London Studio and Media Molecule, so whatever the latter has in development clearly must’ve looked more appealing to Sony. As for what the project could look like, it’s anyone’s guess, but Media Molecule’s history suggests creativity and light-hearted fun could be present and correct.
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet is an action-platforming adventure franchise that allows players to incorporate their own creativity by using a level creator to make their own stages. Although it has an underlying story, LittleBigPlanet is very much about community creation and it has even see some spin-off titles that include a Kart Racing game.
