Following the announcement thatWe Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reveriewould be coming to the Nintendo Switch later in 2023, the franchise’s sudden resurgence has spurred new hopes that an all-new game could release at some point in the future. Though it wasn’t an immediate success, ever since its initial beginnings back in 2004, theKatamari Damacyseries found a way to become a cult classic thanks in part to its unique style, fantastical premise, and surreal or even absurd humor. Still, over the years the series has struggled to sustain momentum, jumping between gaming platforms and recycling its games with ports and remasters.
WhileWe Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverieis not surprising, as itremasters the series' sequelWe Love Katamarifor modern platforms, the move has more significance considering the several years' hiatusKatamari Damacyseems to have taken. With its last release being yet another remaster of the originalKatamari Damacyback in 2018 and 2020, the recent announcement could be a sign that suggests the series could finally be pulled away from mobile devices and back to consoles. ShouldWe Love Katamari Rerolldo well following its launch later this year, then there could be hope yet for a proper revival.
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A Brand-New Katamari Damacy is Overdue
SinceKatamari Damacyhasn’t been tied down as a console exclusive, the series has spanned plenty of platforms starting from PS2 and branching out from there. But this has meant that much of the series has been dedicated to handheld and mobile games, something which would have limited their quality and scale. Consequently, the last “new” gameKatamari Foreverfrom 2009 slowed the series down, which was made worse since it mostly repackaged older levels into a new story. With no truly new console entries since then,other series have takenKatamari Damacy’smantleto fill the niche the franchise neglected.
After more than a decade without a brand-newKatamari Damacyfor consoles, a new entry is long overdue. As the recent spate of remasters is now introducingWe Love Katamari REROLLand its new features, this could mean that the series is priming itself for a comeback. This may be promising, asKatamari Foreverwas released on PS3 and nothing substantially new has been added to the remasters, meaning that a differentKatamari Damacygame could take advantage of the generational jump to significantly expand its design. Whether that’s through increased level design, improved multiplayer functionality, or beyond, the possibility is exciting.
More Katamari Damacy Remasters Could Come First
But whilefans might call for a newKatamari Damacygameafter a decade of waiting, there’s no guarantee that the likes ofKatamari Damacy RerollandWe Love KatamariRerollwill lead to anything other than more remasters. For instance, the fact that the series didn’t see a new console release for so long - with many of its other games tied to handheld and mobile platforms - the latest remasters could just beKatamari Damacyfollowing the recent trend of reviving fan-favorite games and banking on nostalgia. This means that there might be no immediate plans for the series' future beyond its posterity.
Since the most recent releases are both remastered versions of older games, it’s arguable that if a newKatamari Damacyhad been planned, then this would have come priorWe Love Katamari Reroll. For instance, most developers attempt to balance the release of new games with remasters, demonstrated by the likes ofPokemon,Resident Evil, andCall of Duty, butBandai Namco Entertainment appears dedicated to remasters. Therefore, the next release for the series could just as easily be another remaster, with a prime contender beingBeautiful Katamari, as opposed tothe newKatamari Damacygame that fans are hoping for. However, many would surely prefer if the latest remaster was setting the stage for a release that is truly brand-new.
We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverieis set to release on June 2 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
