Much to the chagrin of the aging audience that grew up on the video game Ratchet and Clank, the series is now an elder statesman of gaming franchises. While it might not have the same footprint as Mario, Sonic, and other legends of the medium, the family-friendly adventure series has a rich history going back several generations of consoles. With a new game on the way, many fans wonder how they’ll handle the possibilities of a video game multiverse. 

What is ‘Ratchet and Clank’?

According to Fandom, Ratchet and Clank takes place in a science-fiction universe filled to the brim with memorably planets that aren’t earth but also aren’t all that different. While the series has since introduced several iconic characters into the mold, it focuses on the titular characters. Ratchet, the lombax mechanic who discovers Clank, a factory-made robot who experiences agency for the first time. 

The pair has gone all over the universe, shooting, racing, puzzle-solving, and fighting any enemy that gets in their way. The series began with the PlayStation 2 and has gone strong through every iteration since. Now, with the PlayStation 5 on the market, fans are looking back at the history of their favorite intergalactic duo. 

Coming off the success of Spyro the Dragon and its sequels, Insomniac games wanted to expand their roster while keeping that sense of family-friendly fun while drawing inspiration from Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, and other popular titles from the time. The results worked, and to this day, Ratchet and Clank remains one of the most popular kid-friendly series on this side of Nintendo. 

Going from the PS2 to the PS5 is a significant leap from the pixelated models of the early 21st-century to the Pixar-quality graphics of today. However, that doesn’t mean that people want to abandon everything from the bygone eras before us. 

‘Rift Apart’

According to PlayStation, Ratchet and Clank, which is due on June 11, will bring the same arsenal of gameplay that’s been going strong for nearly two decades while adding to the power of the brand-new PS5. The results are one of the most heavily-anticipated game events of 2021. When an evil robotic emperor tries to conquer not only their universe but all the other dimensions around it, the pair has to stop it from happening. 

With bust pistols, topiary sprinklers, and an armory of similar weapons, fans can go right into the action as they hop through universes and try to stop the evil deed from happening. However, while the interdimensional aspects of the series are intriguing on their own, many are looking forward to another possibility that it opens. 

Since the beginning, Ratchet and Clank has not shied away from paying homage to other franchises. However, with inter-dimensional gameplay and a slate of possible friends along the way, many wonder if the new concept means some cameos from non-canonical players in the Ratchet universe. 

Who can appear?

While GameRant notes that cameos are not confirmed, interdimensional travel often breeds the types of crossover events that make the Marvel universe so intriguing. As such, Insomniac and Sony have a chance to build their video game universe in new and exciting ways. From giving Sly Cooper the ending he deserves. 

Theoretically, Ratchet and Clank could bring in God of War’s Kratos, Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Jak and/or Daxter, and a wide array of Sony exclusive characters other Insomniac inventions, or utter curveballs. Knowing the way the series operates, nothing is off the table when giving the fans a little bit of fun. 

Ratchet and Clank remains popular thanks in large part to its devotion to fans. By drawing those fans in and, perhaps, expanding it to fans of other franchises, Insomniac, Sony, and everyone else involved could be on the verge of their most incredible creation yet. 

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