Insomniac Games recently made a nostalgic social media post to announce that Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was launched 18 years ago on October 23, 2007, for the PS3. The post marking the game’s anniversary has been a significant reason behind the demand for a remaster or port of the game.
So yes, the game Tools of Destruction can now vote and, as one player noted, it can even drink in the UK. That was a tough realization for many in the replies. MartialDL, one user, asked “18 years ago? Does this game is considered as part of the retro gaming era? Are we that old now…” and to be honest, same. It’s a weird feeling when a game you remember buying new suddenly becomes a historical artifact.
The community’s reaction was spontaneous and mostly about one thing: the demand for this game and the whole Future series to be available for current-gen consoles. The comment section almost turned into a petition. User Roy9637 directly asked, “Why can’t we get a port of this and all the other Ratchet and clank PS3 games to the current gen consoles???” with all the crying emojis and everything. The sentiment has been echoed many times over. _TruRowe complained “Where’s the PS5 remaster?” and Fxrny begged “need a remaster of the future trilogy badly” with hands raised in prayer. It’s a total vibe.
There are also some very original requests from the players. Meyerpark suggested that Insomniac should “make Steam and Xbox ports with @Nixxessoftware,” which is the company that does all the great PC ports. That idea is quite fascinating, as it is directed to giving Ratchet a completely new audience. But then STGshmups came up with an Xbox player workaround, suggesting that “you can play the PS2 ones through dev mode, good performance too.” So it’s like the commitment is very real, people are finding ways to play these old games still.
Players are not just asking for a simple port. They want the entire experience. User cayo0663 said in response to another comment: “this! or patch the ps3 version. i was really sad when i found out this game does not have trophy support.” Trophy support is very important for a contemporary gamer; it is a must-have for any re-release. Jsc31994 had the same opinion, simply putting it as “Tbh, just patch the PS3 game and add trophy support there.” Like, how tough could it be, right?
Even with all the requests, there were still some players who expressed their appreciation for the game. TCMF2 wrote “Oh man I really enjoyed TOD and that the whole future saga. A crack in time was amazing.” And femtosonic was actually playing it, saying “Nice. I was playing the game last night, my favorite one decided to play again from the beginning.” That’s the cool thing about these anniversary posts, they bring out the real fans who are still actively enjoying the classics.
Moreover, there is a clear expectation of the franchise’s future beyond remastering. Paultbone4 shared his wish, “I really hope you are planning more on Ratchet & Clank after Marvel’s Wolverine’s release.” KAI_HORIZON could not stop asking for a new game, posting “Insomniac Games, we need a new Ratchet & Clank game. Please!!! We’re waiting!!!” Thescifiguy83 even said “Or a solo Rivet game!” which, after Rift Apart, seems like a totally valid and an amazing idea.
But not every comment was fully optimistic. A couple of gamers expressed their frustration over the slow pace of things. TitanX94 wrote, “Cant believe how slow you guys are to remastering retro Ratchet and Clank games, jheez man.” LazyGobbo said, “And then never ever again… seriously what do we gotta do for a remaster for crying out loud!?” The heat is there, but so is the impatience, which can be a downside when the beloved series is stuck with outdated equipment.
Besides, console war arguments managed to creep in. Alguien58606351 remarked, “If only PlayStation didn’t force you to become a Marvel slop machine…..” which is quite a bold assertion indicating that the focus on Marvel games has sidelined the Insomniac’s original IPs. It’s a debate that has been happening for a while and this anniversary just brought it back to the surface.
This whole controversy illustrates the ongoing popularity of the Ratchet & Clank series very well. Tools of Destruction was one of the top PS3 games that showcased the console’s capabilities, and it is still the first gaming memory for a lot of people. Players are still talking about it, still playing it, and still longing to play it on their PS5s, which is a testament to Insomniac’s talent. The ball is entirely in their court. Now, with the success of Rift Apart, it would seem logical to apply the same affection to the older games. The community has spoken, and they are not going to be quiet. Whether it is just a port, a full remaster, or just throwing in trophies to the old version, players want to be able to relive this classic without having to dust off their PS3. Here’s hoping Insomniac is all ears.
