LittleBigPlanetfans recently had to deal with some bad news, something that has been unfortunately common for the game’s community as of late. After the servers were brought down months ago, and almost nothing was said about progress being made to restore them, an official update was released. WhiletheLittleBigPlanetserversforLBP 3were saved, every other game and platform has unfortunately been abandoned.
With this being such a low point for theLitteBigPlanetseries, Sony should strive to restoreLBP’s positive reputation via a PS5 release. Whether it be through bringing back original developer Media Molecule, Tarsier Studios, or Sumo Digital, there should be a studio working on a properLittleBigPlanetgame. There is nothing like theLBPfranchise, as its focus on playing, creating, and sharing knows no limits. With the PS3 and Vita games losing their community levels forever, and onlyLittleBigPlanet 3maintaining that history, a new game is a necessity.
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Why The Server Shutdown Is Such A Big Blow To The LittleBigPlanet Community
The most devastating thing aboutLittleBigPlanet’s server shutdownis that so many creators lost access to their hard work. Those who only played on the PS3 can no longer log online to access the levels that they made or play those from fellow creators. While they can still make levels offline, they can never share them with the world, as the game’s online functionality has been shut down completely. The same can be said forLittleBigPlanet Vita, as just likeLBP 1and2it has been forced to go offline.
ThePlayStation Vitashutdown is particularly troublesome, as all the published levels are gone forever. While the game’s community was undoubtedly smaller due to the platform that housed it, that community still made some spectacular things. Unlike the first twoLitteBigPlanetgames, though, those levels are kept separate and were not brought over toLittleBigPlanet 3. For those that spent time making exciting things to share with the world, all that hard work crafting props and gameplay mechanics is gone for good.
Levels can take a tremendous amount of time to create, with some players spending days of their lives building a mini-game, puzzles, movies, or even their own series. The forced shutdown removes the “share” element from games that rely heavily upon it, and that is truly disappointing. While keeping players safe from the hackers that broke into the servers is understandably important, and the server shutdown was the right thing to do on the part of Sony andPlayStation, it is hard not to be sad about what transpired.
This is one of many reasons why a new entry intheLittleBigPlanetseriesis important. As it stands,LittleBigPlanet 3is now the last bastion for the game’s community and all the hard work that has been done over the years. It houses the 10,000,000 levels that have been created by players, but if something similar happens toLBP 3, all that work will be gone for good. A new game could further preserve that history, with improvements also made to justify its release.
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What A Proper LittleBigPlanet 4 Could Accomplish
WhileSackboy: A Big Adventurereviewed well, confirming that the adorable character can succeed beyond theLBPseries, that does not mean that the franchise where he got his start should be left behind. In fact,LittleBigPlanet 4should be Sackboy’s next adventure, with a new era of playing, creating, and sharing being ushered in. With the launch of the PS5 comes a new generation of gamers that deserves to experience aLittleBigPlanetgame in its prime, with a busy community and DLC additions constantly being made.
Everything that players loved aboutLBPcould return, with customizable Pods, deep level creation, and co-op play coming back. The other characters fromLittleBigPlanet 3, like OddSock, could also return, with more added to provide some fresh gameplay opportunities. The different cameraperspective fromSackboy: A Big Adventurecould also be given to players, allowing them to make proper platformers more easily than they could in the original games. More camera options could make FPS projects simpler, as they were even harder to pull off in the older titles.
While Media Molecule might not return for this hypothetical project, inspiration should be taken from the developer’s hard work withDreams. That game truly gives creators the freedom to make anything that they want, with some of the things that players have made being beautiful and though-provoking. Whether it is a brief video, a fan-made game, ora tribute toRatchet and Clank, there is a lot to see inDreams. A newLBPgame would see the community more active than it has been in a long time, with creators new and old hopping on to test out all the tools that a next-generationLittleBigPlanetwould have to offer.
A newLittleBigPlanetgame could take full advantage of the PS5’s features, with ray-tracing allowing environments, props, and Sackboy to look more detailed than ever before. Having some kind of technology in place that updates all the old materials used in the 10,000,000 LBP levels that currently exist would also be great, as it would give players a reason to check out their old favorites once again.DualSense featurescould even be included, with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers able to add a new level of immersion to levels made by theLBPplayer base.
Over the years, players have done a stellar job of making everything from sidescrollers to hide-and-seek levels. Long before anofficialDead Spaceremakewas announced, players were able to enjoy a 2D version of Isaac’s first encounter with a necromorph. Fans remade music fromFinal Fantasy, while official DLC allowed players to build their own Marvel andMetal Gear Solidadaptations.LittleBigPlanet’s legacy is deserving of respect, as the series holds a special place in the hearts of many. AnLBP 4can honor that legacy, giving all the old levels a fresh coat of paint and a new home that is not at risk of being taken away. More importantly, it would inspire a whole new era of creators to leave their mark on theLittleBigPlanetuniverse.
