Sony reportedly declined a sequel to the PlayStation 4 game, *The Order: 1886*, due to its lukewarm critical reception, according to Andrea Pessino, co-founder of the game's developer, Ready at Dawn. In a candid discussion with MinnMax, Pessino revealed that despite the game's mixed reviews upon its 2015 release, the team was passionate about creating a follow-up. *The Order: 1886* captivated players with its stunning visuals and unique setting of werewolves in Victorian London, yet it failed to impress critics fully.
"It would have been an incredible sequel, I can tell you that for a fact," Pessino stated, though he was limited in what he could share due to not owning the franchise rights. Despite the initial game's reception, Ready at Dawn pitched a sequel to Sony, driven by a desire to deliver for the fans. Pessino admitted that the team was prepared to accept unfavorable terms just to bring the sequel to life, saying, "We pitched the sequel to Sony regardless of [the critical reception] and, in a way, it's better that they passed because if we thought we were going to be screwed before, man, with the sequel, we would have signed our life away."
The development of the original game was fraught with challenges, as Pessino described a strained relationship with Sony. The high graphical expectations set by early reveals led to withheld payments when Ready at Dawn couldn't maintain those standards due to other priorities. This situation, while common in the industry, created a tense dynamic between the developer and publisher.
Despite these hurdles, Pessino emphasized the team's willingness to proceed with a sequel under even tougher conditions. "We were going to do it just because we wanted to deliver it to the players but we would have been... Terrible budget, budget would be small, we would have been completely at the mercy of any decisions and things because we had no leverage whatsoever," he explained. The desire to redeem the franchise and build upon the solid groundwork laid in the first game was strong, but ultimately, the sequel never materialized.
*The Order: 1886* ended on a cliffhanger, leaving fans eager for more. However, with Ready at Dawn's closure by owner Meta in 2024, hopes for a sequel have been extinguished. In IGN's review, which scored the game a 6/10, it was noted that while the game boasted a stylish adventure, "The Order: 1886 emphasizes its cinematic polish at the crippling cost of gameplay freedom."
