It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since Jak and Daxter found their way onto PlayStation 2 and into the gaming world. We are delighted at the place the franchise has found amongst the gaming community and the mark it has left on the platformer genre in particular. Given that we’re so close to the 10th anniversary, looking back at some of the work that went into making those awesome games seems to be in order. It’s amazing to recall just how the development of the Jak and Daxter franchise has progressed and just how far we’ve come.

With each outing in the Jak and Daxter series, we set out to create a game that offered the player a new experience that built on the previous game. As you go from Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy to Jak 3, the story will connect across the titles as the gameplay and technical aspects of the games and the tools used to create them evolved. From being on foot in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy to the hoverboard and morph gun in Jak II to the dune buggies in Jak 3, new gameplay ideas were always in play and being fleshed out and amped up. On the technical side, for instance, Jak 3 featured a new terrain renderer that included bump-mapping, which is now a commonplace element in rendering terrain. Cloth dynamics and rag-doll physics, also standard features in many modern games, were new developments by the time that Jak 3 was released in 2004.

All in all, the evolution of the franchise was a long, fun and winding road, and we are delighted to be able to share it with the current console generation. With the Jak and Daxter Collection, we’re bringing the first three installments of the original PS2 series to PS3 on one Blu-ray disc. Mass Media has been working closely with our team at Naughty Dog to remaster Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II and Jak 3 for the collection. Each title will now offer refined 720p High Definition visuals, smoother gameplay animation, full stereoscopic 3D functionality and trophy support.

Looking back at the old code and comparing it to this newly minted code is pretty amazing. Our beloved Jak and Daxter franchise and its colorful cast of characters looks, and still plays, truly awesome. The technology and the development work that went into making The Jak and Daxter Collection is remarkable. We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts and stories once you get your hands on the collection.

For those of you who are longtime fans, get ready to experience the Jak and Daxter you love in a fresh new light. If you’re new to the franchise, be ready to get hungry for more eco.