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PlayStation-exclusive Infamous series originally began as an Animal Crossing-style game

Sucker Punch cofounder adds that one of the game's original pitches had players fighting a gang of purple gorillas who were stealing balloons.

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The origins of the PlayStation-exclusive Infamous series probably aren't what you expect. Sucker Punch Productions cofounder Chris Zimmerman told GameSpot that after moving on from the Sly Cooper games, the studio's idea for what would become Infamous had a lot in common with Nintendo's Animal Crossing series.

"The original idea for Infamous, believe it or not, was that it was kind of Animal Crossing, but you were a super hero," Zimmerman said. The Animal Crossing franchise is known for its deep social features, and similar elements were planned for the original vision of Infamous.

No Caption Provided

"All kinds of crazy stuff like that," Zimmerman said. "We worked on that for about a year in that direction. So much more stylized, much more cartoony than what you end up seeing. We worked hard to see if we could make that work."

Zimmerman explained that Sucker Punch did a lot of interesting experimentation with this version of Infamous and even created multiple prototypes.

One of the game's original pitches had players fighting a gang of purple gorillas who were stealing balloons. However, "it really wasn't coming together" and Sucker Punch instead shifted focus to the version Infamous as we know it today.

Unfortunately, we don't have any images of this very early version of Infamous to share.

The next installment in the Infamous series is this month's Infamous: Second Son, which launches March 21 exclusively for the PlayStation 4. For more on Infamous: Second Son, check out GameSpot's just-published coverage from our trip to their studio in Bellevue, Washington.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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Avatar image for Sora2314
Sora2314

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"I have an idea! Let's make a game where you fight purple gorillas who steal balloons!"


"...You're fired, Frank. You're fired."

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bpthomas85

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right now 8 of 9 stories on the front page are about infamous...


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Avatar image for eddieham13
eddieham13

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Did Sucker Punch forget they were working for Sony and not Nintendo.

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daikkenaurora12

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They should implant the original idea in the game somewhere. Like a poster or playable side game.

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EPaul

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Thank god they changed their mind

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blackothh

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truth is stranger then fiction

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Hurvl

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This is even more twisted than when you hear that some movies with iconic performances could have had other lead actors. From purple gorillas to this? I can only say that they made the right choice.

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19James89

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Copying Nintendo as per usual.

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Gelugon_baat

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

I am having the impression that you are one of those Ninty die-hards that attribute any feat to Nintendo first and foremost.

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meedokicky

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lol good, I don't think I would have liked it as much that way :P

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Redblaze27

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I want that early version, heck with Infamous as we know it.

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Sevenizz

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I heard Infamous tripped over a candy bar wrapper today. WHERE'S THAT IMPORTANT STORY, GAMESPOT!?!

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mr_nee

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Sorry no news on "xbox live titanfault" today

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iampenguin

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animal crossing. like why did Cole and the chicken cross the road?

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Gelugon_baat

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@warhawk-geeby

@cboye18

Both of you might want to know that Crackdown (2007) precedes both Prototype and inFamous when it comes to open-world games with super-powers.

There may even be earlier games, namely comic-book-related ones, such as Ultimate Spider-Man (2005).

Really, this argument of who comes first can go on and on. :P

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PixelAddict

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Makes sense. Sucker Punch were masters at animation. Sly 2 is my favorite game from the PS2 era.

The change was totally for the best. Out of their comfort zone, but for the best, given the genre.

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Mraou

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The PlayStation Nation are too mature for a kiddy, colourful game like that.

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eddieham13

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Mature is not age. It's also not losing the appreciation for "colourful" media.

Mature is stopping being an arsehole if you were one in school. Not being racist. Not being sexist. Not being Homophobic. These are things that you need to do to be mature. Not stop watching cartoons or something haha.

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HextupleyooDOT

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<< LINK REMOVED >>“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” ~C.S. Lewis

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PixelAddict

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Define 'mature'. Ratchet & Clank, Sly, Jak & Daxter were all MASSIVE hits in the PS2 era, and Sucker Punch was right in the middle of it.

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mr_nee

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<< LINK REMOVED >> and that was how many years ago? do you know what happens to humans when years pass?

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PixelAddict

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<< LINK REMOVED >> You realize there is still a market for such games, right?

You act like the gaming population is static, but there are always new gamers entering (and exiting).

We'd be smart not to assume.

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Yoshi-Egg

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> They make more cute and cuddly colorful mature games like Knack and LittleBigPlanet?

also this?

<< LINK REMOVED >>

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hystavito

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Yeah that's weird, and they worked on it for about a year! :)

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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Interesting read, I'm glad they change there minds and it's probably for the best. Enjoy the Infamous games on PS3 and looking forward to Second Son.

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chev9342

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In other words: "We were going to rip-off Nintendo, but seeing how Sony beat us to it multiple times, we had to change direction."

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Hurvl

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<< LINK REMOVED >> They couldn't ape after Nintendo using purple gorillas, so they finally took the hard decision of doing something original. Donkey Kong proves that monkey business is quite lucrative, but there are many other roads to success.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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And I'm glad they did. Infamous Second Son is my on March 21st.

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PosiTVEMinD355

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I would've liked to see that game.

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Hurvl

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<< LINK REMOVED >> If they'd only release it on PC and with mod tools, then it wouldn't be impossible.

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HowlPendragon

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"So much more stylized, much more cartoony than what you end up seeing."

Would have liked to have seen that.

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cboye18

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Sly Cooper was really a great game. I've only played the first one but I've enjoyed it alot. So few platformers are released on the PS3 these days, it's a good thing we still have Ratchet and Clank.

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PixelAddict

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Find a way to pick up the Sly Collection for your PS3. Sly 2 was brilliant and improved on the original in every way.

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bunchanumbers

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They should have done this. Problem is that 'mature' gamers wouldn't touch it.

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Celsius765

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Mature gamers are so childish

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Vinnvn

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Unlike Titanfall this game is 100% exclusive.

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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That's what I like to hear. Suck it Xbox fans.

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b74kd3th

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<< LINK REMOVED >> so

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mr_nee

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> So PS gamers can play titanfall on their PC's, but xbots can't

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hadlee73

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Hell that would've given me nightmares about that horrible BonziBuddy thing people kept putting on their PCs many years ago.

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daviz88

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glad that didn't happen

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Gamerno66666

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Lol. Sony always trying to copy nintendo. But glad that something new came out of the game.

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mattcake

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Those purple f****** bast**ds.

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