In brief: A live-action Twisted Metal series apparently isn't the only thing Sony has in mind for the long-running vehicular combat franchise. Sources familiar with the matter told Video Games Chronicle (VGC) that PlayStation has handed over the Twisted Metal series to Lucid Games, adding that the Liverpool-based studio has already started working on the franchise's revival.
One source told the publication the game would utilize a free-to-play model, in part because the studio's most recent project - Destruction All-Stars - made the switch from a premium game to a PlayStation Plus title in the 11th hour. The game launched this past February yet despite being available to PS Plus members for the first few months, failed to make much of a splash.
Of course, one failed game doesn't necessarily break a studio, and Lucid has a solid track record in the industry and the racing genre specifically. The firm has previously worked on the Need for Speed franchise, and one of its vets helped with the Project Gotham Racing series before that.
The game's launch is reportedly planned to coincide with the release of the live-action TV series in 2023. Twisted Metal, the series, is being executive produced by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. Anthony Mackie will reportedly play the role of John Doe, the show's lead character. At least one of the game's beloved characters, Sweet Tooth, is said to be along for the ride.
The last game in the mainline Twisted Metal franchise was a 2012 reboot of the 1995 original, featuring three main story arch and a heavy focus on multiplayer gameplay.