Sega’s series of adventure games about the underwater adventures of the intelligent dolphin Ecco hasn’t seen a new release in almost 25 years, but it’s finally getting ready to return, franchise creator Ed Annunziata announced.
Image source: SEGA
Speaking to the official Xbox Wire blog, Annunziata announced remasters of the first two games in the series, the original Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, which were released in the early 1990s.
Once the reissues are ready, a full-fledged third game in the franchise will be launched into production. The threequel will have modern gameplay and graphics. Annunziata and “the entire original team” are responsible for the development.
Image source: Ecco the Dolphin
Annunziata did not specify the release dates of the remasters and the third part, but urged people to follow the official website. There is a countdown on it, which will end on April 25, 2026 at 19:00 Moscow time.
It’s unclear what exactly awaits once the timer runs out. Apparently, we’re talking about a full-fledged announcement of Ecco’s return. As a rule, however, such teasers are opened a week or two before the official announcement, and not a year.
A screenshot from the original Ecco the Dolphin (Image source: Sega)
Experienced gamers remember Ecco the Dolphin not only for its underwater views, pacifist gameplay, environmental theme and graphics that were pleasant for those times, but also for its high difficulty.
The latest release in the franchise remains Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future. The game was released in 2000 on PS2 and was a 3D reboot of the series. Unlike all previous installments, Annunziata was not involved in the development.