The Order: 1886 developer Ready at Dawn had pitched a sequel to Sony Interactive Entertainment, but it was rejected by the console maker.
During an interview on the MinnMax YouTube channel, Ready At Dawn co-founder Andrea Pessino talked about the challenges faced by the development team in working on The Order: 1886 for the PS4, and about the studio’s plans for a sequel that featured multiplayer.
According to Pessino, there was solid groundwork for a sequel to The Order: 1886. The team at Ready at Dawn had a well-developed pitch and was eager to expand on the first game. However, they lacked the leverage to negotiate a favorable contract. Despite this, they were willing to proceed, believing in the franchise’s potential redemption.
Pessino stated that critical reception of The Order: 1886 played a crucial role in Sony’s decision to reject the pitch for a sequel. Although sales were reportedly decent, the low Metacritic aggregate in the 60s sealed its fate. He believes a score in the mid-70s may have convinced Sony to greenlight the sequel. However, as that was not the case, the console maker deemed it too risky.
Development constraints had also impacted the development of The Order: 1886. Pessino recalled a playtesting moment where he discovered that players couldn’t return up a set of stairs due to missing ladder mechanics. Time limitations forced the team to cut many interactive elements, affecting the final product’s depth.
Despite internal mock reviews predicting a better reception, Sony opted to not to move forward with a sequel. Pessino expressed disappointment, noting that the franchise had the potential to grow. Ownership complications further diminish sequel prospects. Ready at Dawn owned the technology, but Sony retained the gameplay, assets, and IP. After the studio’s acquisition by Meta, a revival of the IP became even more difficult. Pessino hinted that a sequel would have been a major step forward, possibly including multiplayer. He also mentioned he would love to see the game on PC, but doesn’t believe it would be likely at this point.
Last year, upon Ready at Dawn’s closure, insider Shinobi602 had claimed that the studio had “awesome” plans in place for a sequel to The Order: 1886 before it was acquired by Meta.
