One of the biggest questions we’ve gotten in the last few years is “When are you going to make a Ratchet & Clank movie?” The truth is, we’ve wanted to do a movie for a long time! Ratchet & Clank’s action, humor and galaxy-spanning adventures have really been the basis for a fantastic game series, and we think it’d translate perfectly to the big screen.

We’ve been looking for the right partner to help us bring a Ratchet & Clank movie to life, and we’re thrilled to announce that Blockade Entertainment and Rainmaker Entertainment are currently in production on Ratchet & Clank’s first cinematic adventure. Insomniac is honored to play a hands-on role with the film’s production, screenplay, character development, and animation consulting. Furthermore, our own Ratchet & Clank writer, T.J. Fixman, who has written all of the recent Ratchet & Clank games, is writing the script for the film as well.

But don’t take my word for it — check out our teaser above.

In additional celebration of the film’s announcement and to tide you over until the premiere, we’ll be offering a sale on all Ratchet & Clank games on PSN the week of April 30 – more details to come! Speaking of more details to come, we know you’re still patiently waiting for Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault and Ratchet: Deadlocked. While we don’t have any news to share today, stay tuned!

There will be much to come on the Ratchet & Clank movie as we get farther into production and closer to its release. Thanks for all your support of the franchise over the last 10 years, without you, there wouldn’t be a movie!

With November 4th marking the 10-year anniversary of Ratchet & Clank’s release on PS2, PlayStation.Blog caught up with Ted Price, Insomniac Games’ president and CEO, to learn more about how this impactful PlayStation powerhouse came to be. To learn more about the development of this classic series, be sure to check out our recent post that showcases 10 years of concept art.

PlayStation Blog: What was the original base concept for the game?

“He cited Marvin the Martian as inspiration.”

Ted Price, President and CEO, Insomniac Games: After deep-sixing the concept we called “Girl with a Stick,” we had to come up with something else, and we had to do it quickly. Brian Hastings, our chief creative officer, suggested we make a game about a spacefaring alien who has an outlandish arsenal of gadgets and weapons, citing Marvin the Martian as inspiration. That idea clicked with everyone and we all started digging in to flesh out the concept.

PSB: Did you know you were working on something special? What were your creative conditions as you worked on it – uncertainty, confidence, terror?

TP: I don’t think we ever know something is truly special until well after the initial inspiration. Sometimes we get that “Yes, this is working!” feeling early in prototype phase, sometime it hits during production. With Ratchet though, we knew we had something promising when we built a test for Metropolis – one of the first worlds you visit in the game. We had Ratchet running around on platforms looking out over this vast city with streams of airborne traffic whizzing by. You could switch between the “suck cannon,” “pyrocitor,” the wrench and (I think) the blaster. It was a lot of smoke and mirrors because we weren’t using our final engine. We didn’t build out the backs of buildings, you could only travel a few meters in the world, and Ratchet was in his “brown” state, and I don’t recall having any enemies. But it convinced us and Sony of the potential for the game.

PSB: Did you draw inspiration from anywhere in particular for the game’s look and feel?

“What you see is a result of our team having fun.”

TP: We drew from all sorts of sources. Cartoons, sci-fi movies, popular culture… There were certainly some direct playful references to other properties in both the initial concepts and in subsequent games. Captain Qwark was partially inspired by The Tick. Metropolis with its flying cars and city canyons is reminiscent of The Fifth Element. Courtney Gears from Up Your Arsenal was a riff on Britney Spears, who was popular at the time. But these are exceptions rather than the rule: Most of what you see in the games is a direct result of our team just having fun in a universe with very few constraints.

PSB: It was an ambitious title for its time. What were the biggest challenges in realizing your original vision?
TP: Controlling scope was (and still is) our biggest challenge. We were moving onto a new platform with a new IP and we had very little time to get it done. We knew we needed to be ambitious for the game to stand out. But we also knew that if we spread ourselves too thin with too many features, the game would be half-baked. Dealing with this conundrum hasn’t gotten any easier over the years because players’ expectations continue to skyrocket for all platforms.

PSB: How close to your original concept was the finished game?
TP: It depends. Some of us consider “Girl with a Stick” as an important part of the Ratchet genesis, and Ratchet & Clank does owe some its mechanics and ideas to that concept. With that in mind, both Ratchet and Resistance went through drastic changes on their way to their final incarnations. However, once we had Ratchet up and running on the PS2, the changes were less severe. Ratchet did change in appearance along the way. When I look back at the original model versus what ended up in the final game, I see a big difference. We also continued to add mechanics to the game as we figured out what worked and what didn’t.

“We were yearning to jump back into the realm of oversized, overpowered weapons.”

PSB: Which element of the game are you most proud of?
TP: The crazy weapons! Coming off of Spyro, a series where the main character couldn’t use weapons other than his breath and his horns. I think a lot of us were yearning to jump into back into the realm of oversized, overpowered projectile weapons. We spent some time in that world with Disruptor but took a four-year break while focusing on purple quadrupeds with Spyro. We also latched onto weapons as a way to separate Ratchet from other platformers, which seemed perennially tied to bonking, bouncing, and punching. Finally, in my opinion, creating weapons without any real-world rules gave us a chance to operate at max creativity –- which is ultimately the goal for a lot of us in this industry. It really didn’t matter WHAT the weapon was, as long as it was satisfying and fun to use we knew we’d be able to make it fit.

PSB: How would you like Ratchet & Clank to be remembered? What did it bring to the video game medium?
TP: Ratchet is still alive and well, with Full Frontal Assault coming out in a few weeks. A lot of us at Insomniac are very proud that Ratchet & Clank is one of the last platformers standing and still going strong. And we all like to think that Ratchet has contributed to the evolution of platformers and action games in general over the last decade and a half. As a minor example, seeing radial quick-select menus in other games is a compliment to us because I think Ratchet was the first to have one (though I could be wrong). And I’m still waiting to see a sheepinator in another game. To be fair though, I think Heretic (1994) and Hexen (1995) were the first games to have weapons which turned enemies into farm animals!

PSB: Which of the Ratchet & Clank characters is closest to your heart?
TP: Captain Qwark. I love him because he’s always larger than life, always 100% sure of himself, and usually wrong. My wife tells me she knows people like that. Still trying to figure out who she’s talking about.

More Behind the Classics

• Behind the Classics – Jak & Daxter
• Behind The Classics – Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
• Behind the Classics – MediEvil
• Behind the Classics – Soul Reaver
• Behind the Classics – Syphon Filter

Available today at retailers near you and September 25th on the PlayStation Store, the PlayStation Collection is packed to the, uh, packaging with extra digital content that guarantees you’ll be getting the most out of your purchase this fall. Whether for yourself or as a gift, these are going to be a great chance to check out some of our greatest exclusive franchises.

To quickly recap, here’s what your getting in each Collection:

God of War Saga ($39.99)

• God of War, remastered in HD
• God of War II, remastered in HD
• God of War III
• God of War: Origins Collection (which includes God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta)
• Full PlayStation Network Trophy Support
• Exclusive Bonus Content
• Voucher For 1 Trial Month of PlayStation Plus

inFAMOUS Collection ($39.99)

• inFAMOUS
• inFAMOUS 2
• inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood
• Extra missions
• Additional character costumes, power ups and weapon styles

Ratchet & Clank Collection ($29.99)

• Remastered versions of classic Ratchet & Clank games from PS2 in 1080p with 3D support (in 720p)
• Ratchet & Clank
• Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
• Online Multiplayer Support for Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
• Full PlayStation Network Trophy Support
• FREE 10th Anniversary Ratchet & Clank Avatar
• EARLY ACCESS to the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Demo

As an added treat for those of you wondering what the inside covers are going to look like – here they are in all their glory!

We’ve been really happy to see such a positive response from the community and thank you for your continued support of PlayStation. This is just the beginning. Keep an eye out as we announce even more additions to the PlayStation Collection in the coming months!

The Ratchet & Clank franchise turns 10 this year, and to celebrate their anniversary we will release the Ratchet & Clank Collection on PS3. Ever since the first Ratchet & Clank game launched, fans have written us wanting to see concept art. While concepts are just one of many pieces we use to put our games together, they are a fun way to show the history of the Ratchet & Clank universe. So I searched around the studio and pulled together a collection of images that go all the way back to 2002 when Insomniac started working on a new game…

In The Beginning

…well actually it was 2000. We were wrapping up Spyro: Year of the Dragon and looking ahead to the PlayStation 2. After spending a year developing a new game code-named “I5” and later known as “Girl with a Stick,” we canceled the project and decided to shift gears. (To find out more about Girl with a Stick and its ultimate demise, check out the Full Moon Show podcast #49). That left us with only a few months to present a new idea and we started working on a game set in an alien galaxy that featured lots of crazy gadgets. At this point, our entire studio (40 of us) focused on bringing this idea to life. We started to develop our tech, game mechanics, animation, story, design, sound… everything! On the concept art front, Insomniac character artist Dave Guertin created these early sketches of our heroes:

Left: Our first image of Ratchet. The idea was to create a spunky alien with a crazy gadget gauntlet and some bionic commando traversal abilities. While he barely resembles the final character, Ratchet 1.0 already has many of his characteristics in place – oversized hands and weapons, a gadget glove, three-toed feet, and pilot headgear. Eventually his reptilian body gave way to a more relatable cat form.

Dave’s first designs for Clank were also very different. In this sketch, Clank appears to be a mechanical lizard. Only his eyes and articulated legs carried through to the final design.

At the same time, our environment team was exploring a variety of directions for Ratchet’s universe. In these early sketches it’s easy to see that we were still moving away from Spyro’s fantasy worlds and into Ratchet & Clank’s sci-fi style. “Asteroid Observatory” by artist Chad Dezern (now our North Carolina studio director) shows many of the hallmarks of a Ratchet & Clank level – hoses, antennae, and clustered building composition. This image later became inspiration for Nebula G34 – Blarg Tactical Research Station, or as we called it during production, level 6:

This unfinished sketch (by me) displays further stylistic exploration that would eventually become part of our style. Exotic alien vegetation, craters, and retro-futuristic structures with rounded aerodynamic forms. Eventually this concept evolved into planet Novalis – Tobruk Crater, the first full campaign level in Ratchet & Clank:

And that’s just the beginning! For the full story of how the Ratchet & Clank characters and universe took shape, including even more vintage concept art, be sure to visit the Insomniac blog. To experience the evolution of Ratchet & Clank artwork over the years first-hand, check out the Ratchet & Clank Collection when it launches on August 28!

Hey everyone, I’m Shaun McCabe, production director at Insomniac Games’ North Carolina studio. Since this is my first PS.Blog post, I’ll briefly introduce myself. I joined the company in 2003 during the development of Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, but I’ve been an Insomniac fan going all the way back to Disruptor on the PlayStation.

As you may have heard, yesterday we announced that our dynamic duo’s latest adventure, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault, is coming to both PS3 and PS Vita! Working closely with our friends at Tin Giant, who are helping bring the game to PS Vita, we’re delivering full cross-play and cross-save support. So, the ever-popular, “Well, I’d love to be playing Ratchet & Clank right now, but am stuck at the bus stop/office/police station/etc.” can no longer apply. Not only will the game feature cross-play and cross-save, but it’s also part of a super-cool promotional offer where anyone who purchases Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault for PS3 via PlayStation Network will be able to download the PS Vita version of the game from PSN at no additional cost and vice versa.

And today, we have even more news to share. A few weeks ago, we revealed the first gameplay details about Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault. We even teased a new online mode, and now it’s time to expose it all right here.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is returning to the classic camera, weapons and third-person Ratchet gameplay that the series is known for, while adding a new base defense element that will have you building and defending a base against invasions using your ultimate Ratchet & Clank arsenal.

Well, the further we got into development, the more we felt like we just had to add a player vs. player mode. We’re big fans of the multiplayer modes in Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal and Ratchet: Deadlocked and got excited about the opportunity to bring back competitive play to the franchise. The result of our efforts is an intense, strategic and “Ratchet-y” experience that combines classic Ratchet & Clank mechanics with MOBA-style head-to-head action.

The Full Frontal Assault competitive mode will support 2-4 players and feature ranked and custom games. A match will consist of rounds that are divided into phases. First, there’s a Recon phase where you’ll capture nodes in the battlefield. Then, in the Squad phase, you’ll build your base defenses and minion squads. Finally, it’s time to get nasty. In the Assault phase you’ll annihilate your opponent by attacking their base. The game ends when one side has destroyed all the generators in the opponent’s base.

The game has really taken on a life of its own, and we can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself when Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault launches this fall. Of course, if you really can’t wait, just remember that the Ratchet & Clank Collection hits the U.S. on August 28th.

Stick to this space for all the latest Ratchet & Clank news this summer and fall as we continue to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our favorite Lombax and his diminutive robotic pal. You can also like Insomniac Games on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault heads back to the classic camera, weapons and third-person Ratchet gameplay that the series is known for, while adding a new tower defense element that will have you building and defending a base against invasions using your ultimate Ratchet & Clank arsenal. This new twist, added to the classic Ratchet gameplay, brings a whole new level of strategy and decision-making to Full Frontal Assault. You’ll want to make sure your Hoverboots are laced up and ready as you race to defeat your enemy while keeping your base secure. Wait, Hoverboots don’t have laces…

In Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault, our heroes face a new nemesis – one who has a nasty surprise planned for Captain Qwark. You’ll be able to choose between playing as Ratchet, Clank, or Captain Qwark, and confront an alien army across five levels set on three different planets. The game allows you and a friend to play together with either split-screen or online cooperative gameplay.

Full Frontal Assault will give you a ton of reasons to keep playing, including an online mode we’ll reveal later, as well as loads of upgrades, extra character skins and unlockable content, but we’d like to show you first screenshots of the game here!

Everyone here is very excited to bring Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault to you this fall. In the meantime, for those of you hungering for a Ratchet & Clank fix, be sure to check out the Ratchet & Clank Collection when it launches in the U.S. on August 28th. You may have seen some of the great reviews from the European release.

There will be much more to come from Ratchet & Clank this summer and fall, as we celebrate their 10th Anniversary! To keep up with the latest news, be sure to like Insomniac Games on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

The Collection features 1080p HD remasters of three PS2 Ratchet & Clank classics: Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal. In addition, these three games have Trophy and 3D support (in 720p), and the fine folks over at Idol Minds have restored online play to Up Your Arsenal. At last, those who missed out on competitive R&C gameplay during the PS2 Network Adapter era can finally check it out!

We realize that the Ratchet & Clank Collection is arriving in North America a bit later than it did in Europe and Japan. To reward you for your patience, we’re giving you exclusive first access to the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo when you purchase the Collection. If you love Ratchet, you probably love Sly, and the Ratchet & Clank Collection will let you test drive Sly’s new time-traveling adventure starting on August 28th. As an added bonus, you’ll receive a special Ratchet & Clank 10th anniversary avatar!

We can’t wait to for you to get your hands on these three remastered Ratchet & Clank games, the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo and the 10th anniversary avatar on August 28th. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Twitter and Facebook pages for the latest on the Collection, as well as the newly announced Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault!

But we’ve also heard a lot of community requests to develop a new Ratchet & Clank game, one that returns to the classic third-person Ratchet & Clank camera. We listened to your requests, and this holiday season Insomniac will release our new Ratchet & Clank game as part of our 10th Anniversary Celebration.

I’d like to officially announce that Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault will be coming soon to a PS3 near you.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is a fun-sized Ratchet adventure which will be available for download exclusively on the PlayStation Store. We’ve returned to the series’ classic feel, camera, controls and weapons, while innovating and giving you a whole new way to play. Even better, the addition of online features means you can experience Full Frontal Assault with your friends, so stay tuned! We’re really excited about this game, and we hope even these small tidbits about it get you excited too.

We’ve been hard at work on Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault and now we’re giving you a sneak peek at this first piece of art to give you a taste of what we have in store for you when the game launches later this year. In the meantime, we hope you pick up the Ratchet & Clank Collection when it comes out this summer. We’ll have some more news on the Collection’s release date and a special surprise for North American fans coming in the next couple of weeks.

It’s amazing that it’s been almost 10 years since the release of the original Ratchet & Clank on PlayStation 2. A lot has changed since 2002, but your loyalty to our furry Lombax and his faithful robot companion has endured. As we reach the 10th Anniversary of Ratchet & Clank, we wanted to commemorate the achievements of the Ratchet & Clank saga.

Today, we’re delighted to announce the Ratchet & Clank 10th Anniversary Celebration, which also simultaneously addresses the biggest current request from our fans: The Ratchet & Clank Collection. This will contain Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal – all remastered by Idol Minds, working closely with our team at Insomniac Games. In addition to a full 1080p HD remaster (720p stereoscopic 3D support) of all three games and the inclusion of three Platinum Trophies, we’re happy to confirm that the online competitive multiplayer from Up Your Arsenal will be included. Now you can check out the acclaimed multiplayer mode that many of you didn’t get to experience the first time on PS2.

The collection will release this fall in North America. I know it’s a little bit later than the Spring European release, but it’s because we have something very special planned for our North American fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary, and we’ll share all the details very soon.

We’re so excited that PlayStation has worked to give our original Ratchet & Clank PS2 adventures the HD remaster treatment they deserve. Stay tuned in the coming months for more on the Ratchet & Clank 10th Anniversary Celebration, as well as more details, screenshots and footage as we near the release of the Ratchet & Clank Collection.