Multiple Ecco the Dolphin games in development

[ThunderBoy]

"Several new Ecco the Dolphin products and games" are officially in development, developer A&R Atelier announced. A&R Atelier is a studio founded in Half Moon Bay, California by veteran game developers, including the original creators of Ecco the Dolphin.

Ecco the Dolphin series creator Ed Annunziata, the chief creative officer of A&R Atelier, previously announced plans to release remastered versions of the Genesis games Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, as well as develop a third Ecco the Dolphin game.

"It has been years in the making and we're honored to bring Ecco back," said Annunziata in a press release. "Ecco has always been more than a game about a dolphin—he's a bridge between worlds."

https://www.gematsu.com/2026/01/multiple-ecco-the-dolphin-games-officially-in-development

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

I feel… uneasy? I’m happy he’s back, or at least there’s an attempt, but Ecco is a game that’s very unique in design. To make a modern version, I’m very worried they’d mess it up somehow. I mean… actual Ecco messed it up when Defender of the Future came out, so…

Post automatically merged: Today at 7:40 PM

Still, I’m happy the dolphin is back. Here’s hoping the best of luck to the development team! Hope it turns out as good as Shinobi: Art of Vengeance!

 

[bjork]

"Ecco has always been more than a game about a dolphin—he's a bridge between worlds."

Explains a lot about existing ecco games

 

[DinoRexMax]

Doesn't Ecco have stars on his forehead?

Also, Boris Vallejo was eating mighty good when the Genesis came out.

 

[Don Patch]

"Products" suggests to me that we're getting the "Ecco Re-Splashed Collection" somthing-or-other collection of roms.
As for a new game.... really depends on who's involved.
Let's wait and see.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

Doesn't Ecco have stars on his forehead?

Also, Boris Vallejo was eating mighty good when the Genesis came out.

The stars are only in the art.

But, yeah, the game series an adventure series with some mild horror elements and strong sci-fi elements, where you play as a dolphin. And I mean REALLY play as a dolphin, in the sense that you’re at the mercy of dolphin rules. Which is part of what makes the game fun, because you have to start THINKING like a dolphin in order to solve its challenges. You think about places you can rev up to launch out of the water in order to clear a gap. You think about and take note of any pockets of air, since you have only so much time underwater without air. You use echolocation to get a map of your immediate surroundings. And combine that with those horror and sci-fi themes… and you get Ecco! It’s why everybody likes it, it’s a very unique little project. One of the more artsy Genesis titles to hit it big.

 

[bjork]

you have to start THINKING like a dolphin

This must be why I could never make too much progress. My dolphin thought process was "holy shit a weird space tornado thing, I should hide" rather than "let's use my sonar waves that all dolphins have, to move rocks and stuff"

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

This is certainly a surprise. Hopefully the new games retain the isolated, uneasy, and surreal mild horror of the originals. It wouldn't be Ecco without it.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

This must be why I could never make too much progress. My dolphin thought process was "holy shit a weird space tornado thing, I should hide" rather than "let's use my sonar waves that all dolphins have, to move rocks and stuff"

Me and my sick ass sonar waves are gonna protect me from when actual literal aliens arrive.

This exact video will be transmitted though my Dolphin sonar.

 

[diet_orange]

Hopefully the Sega CD soundtrack will be enhanced or even remixed/remastered

 

[Blueskunky]

And yet no new Space Channel 5 announcments anywhere :(

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

And yet no new Space Channel 5 announcments anywhere :(

I actually wouldn’t count that series out. Like, it’s a popular rhythm game, it has an aesthetic that has only grown more popular with time, people are familiar with it since SEGA keeps putting Ulala in with the “Sonic and SEGA All Stars”… it’s very possible for it to make a come back. The only issue is that they’re probably waiting for a sign that you can make a rhythm game cost full price and have people actually buy it, so you’ll probably have to wait until a while after Rhythm Heaven MegaMix to come out. SEGA management definitely loves Space Channel 5, they just need the go ahead to say “we won’t lose a bunch of money on this.”

I say all of this, but Project Diva DOES exist, which throws a wrench into things. But still, I think a lot of copies of those games sell thanks to Miku name recognition anyway. Those games are, yes, rhythm games and, yes, best sellers, but they’re playing a different ball game.

 

[bjork]

Like, it’s a popular rhythm game

This is a bit of a reach. I like SC5 and the sequel, I even owned the GBA one at one point, but I don't think the scope of this series goes beyond "a small but passionate fanbase." It's more like you said, Ulala is recognizable due to her appearances in other things, but that's also going to be limited to the people who play those titles. I doubt that VR version set the world on fire, and aside from that it's been a decade or more since an actual SC5 title got any release, which was a rerelease.

SEGA management definitely loves Space Channel 5, they just need the go ahead to say “we won’t lose a bunch of money on this.”

Do they love it? They wouldn't even do the legwork to port the first game to anything, and didn't publish the PS2 releases outside of Japan, iirc. That doesn't exactly scream affection.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

This is a bit of a reach. I like SC5 and the sequel, I even owned the GBA one at one point, but I don't think the scope of this series goes beyond "a small but passionate fanbase." It's more like you said, Ulala is recognizable due to her appearances in other things, but that's also going to be limited to the people who play those titles. I doubt that VR version set the world on fire, and aside from that it's been a decade or more since an actual SC5 title got any release, which was a rerelease.

Do they love it? They wouldn't even do the legwork to port the first game to anything, and didn't publish the PS2 releases outside of Japan, iirc. That doesn't exactly scream affection.

I guess all that is fair. Maybe it was “there was somebody high up on the chain who really loved and believed in it.” No clue if they’re still there.

Let’s call him Mr. Channel 5. This hypothetical SEGA employee… who’s only personality trait is loving Space Channel 5.

 

[bliss_freak]

I love Ecco but I don't think I'll ever actually beat the original without some QoL updates to make it less frustrating.