Trending Now - Imagining a Heartbreaking Jak & Daxter PS5 Remake
WHO:
Travis Howe, Animator at Sanzaru Games (2018-2026)
Sanzaru Games, a video game development studio
Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHAT:
Travis Howe stated, "Although the remaster wasn't to be, I'm really proud of how it came together," regarding the animated cutscene he created for the pitch.
The pitch for the remaster was made to Sony in 2019, similar to the initial pitch for "Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time," which was later approved by Sony for release in 2013.
A pitch for a remaster of "Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy" was created but ultimately turned down by Sony.
The pitch included a shot-for-shot animated cutscene to demonstrate the vision for the remaster.
Howe stated, "A while back, a team was assembled to pitch a remaster of Jak & Daxter. I was asked to animate an IGC shot-for-shot, to show what this updated version would look like."
The last new Jak & Daxter game was "Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier," released in 2009.
WHERE:
The pitch was made to Sony, a company based in San Mateo, California.
WHEN:
Sanzaru Games was shut down in January 2026.
The pitch for the remaster was made in 2019.
Sanzaru Games was acquired by Meta in 2020 and was shut down in January 2026.
WHY:
The pitch was a fan initiative to gain permission for a remaster, not commissioned by Sony.
HOW:
The remaster pitch involved creating a proof of concept through animation to showcase the potential updated version of the game.
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 17:24 UTC)
Travis Howe expressed pride in the animated cutscene he created for a remaster pitch that was made to Sony back in 2019, similar to the initial pitch for "Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time," which was approved for release in 2013. Unfortunately, Sanzaru Games, the studio behind the project, was shut down in January 2026. Howe's comments came at 17:24 UTC, reflecting on the project's journey despite its ultimate outcome.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 11:19 UTC)
Travis Howe, an animator at Sanzaru Games, revealed that a pitch for a remaster of "Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy" was created in 2019 but ultimately turned down by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The pitch included a shot-for-shot animated cutscene to illustrate the vision for the remaster, which Howe described as a fan initiative rather than a commissioned project. Sanzaru Games, which was acquired by Meta in 2020 and shut down in January 2026, had not released a new Jak & Daxter game since "Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier" in 2009.