Sleeping Dogs is screaming out for a sequel, fans agree

Fans of Sleeping Dogs are in agreement that the game is crying out for a sequel. The question is, will it ever happen?

Developed by United Front Games and published by Square Enix, Sleeping Dogs was released all the way back in 2012. Set in Hong Kong, the game followed martial artist and undercover police officer Wei Shen as he attempted to infiltrate the Sun On Yee triad. The game garnered a very respectable score of 80 on Metacritic, with reviewers particularly praising the game’s combat system although the repetitive nature of missions came under fire. It was compared to a wide variety of games from the Grand Theft Auto franchise to Batman: Arkham City. A sequel was actually planned in 2013 but was later shelved due to disappointing sales. Over 10 years on though, fans still want to see it made.

Take a look at the game in action below.

It’s true that Sleeping Dogs failed to meet Square Enix’s sales expectations, shifting around 1.75 million copies in the space of a year. Was it a little rough around the edges? Yes, but Sleeping Dogs has always felt like an incredibly exciting new IP with untapped potential for growth. Fans gathered on social media to discuss the franchise including its cancelled future and their desire for the IP to make a comeback.

“It’s so fun. I wish they’d made more,” said one user, while another added, “The combat in this game is what made it so fire to me. Sad to see that they didn’t continue with this series.” One comment read, “Still [annoys] me that a sequel won't get made. This game one of my favourite games. Loved the combat and story - shame we won't get a sequel.”

It’s funny how the reception to such games ages like a fine wine. We seem to grow fonder as games become more distant in our memory. Is it nostalgia at play? Is it that when we revisit an old title we look at it with less scrutiny than we do upon release? Who knows, but it certainly would be nice to see Sleeping Dogs return.