Summary
Ready at Dawn co-founder, Andrea Pessino, has recently discussedThe Order: 1886sequel that never came to fruition, despite the developer’s intention to right the wrongs of the predecessor and rescue the franchise within the improved successor. Ready at Dawn is an American-based studio populated by former Naughty Dog and Blizzard Entertainment members. After developing titles in theGod of WarandLone Echoseries, the developer was acquired by Reality Labs, previously known as Oculus Studios, afterThe Order: 1886’s release.
The 2015 action-adventure game was launched as a PlayStation exclusive, following the Knights of the Round Table battling against werewolves and vampires set within an alternate history in 1886 London.The Order: 1886is one ofthe best games set during the 19th century, joining the likes ofCastlevania: Order Of Ecclesia,Return of the Obra Dinn, andAssassin’s Creed: Syndicate, even though the game was widely criticized for its replay value, short length, and gameplay elements.
During an interview with MinnMax on YouTube, Pessino discussed the sequel pitch forThe Order: 1886at length, noting that the studio “wanted a chance to redeem the franchise.” The co-founder explained that the developer pitched a sequel to Sony regardless of the first game’s harsh critical reception, but admitted the team “would have signed our life away” for the sequel, due to a “terrible budget” and little leverage when it came to creative control. Unfortunately,Ready at Dawn closed its doors in August 2024after 21 years in the industry, shuttered by Meta after the company cut short-term funding by 20% alongside the goal to ensure Oculus Studios’ long-term impact on VR development.
Ready at Dawn Co-Founder Noted The Order: 1886 Sequel Aimed to Redeem the Franchise
Ready at Dawn shared some exciting plans forThe Order: 1886’s sequelbefore it was scrapped, highlighting a significant jump in quality and focus on gameplay improvements, which was a major criticism against its predecessor, with comparisons to the transformation betweenAssassin’s Creedand its successor. Pessino added the sequel would have been “incredible,” and praised the first game’s groundwork. “There was so much there that just needed to be built on,” the co-founder continued, leaving fans on a sad note considering how the first game ended on a bold cliffhanger.
Following in the footsteps of HBO’sThe Last of Us, Amazon’sFallout, and Netflix’sArcaneandCastlevaniashows, gamers noted otherPlayStation franchises that also deserved the live-action treatment, includingThe Order: 1886. Fans believed a series could effectively expand Ready at Dawn’s groundwork and take advantage of the game’s atmospheric steampunk setting. Other franchises that could excel in the same medium includeReturnal,Jak and Daxter, andBloodborne.
