Gravity Rush is set to hit our screens sometime in the future, but not quite in the way some gaming fans expected. Sony previewed its upcoming Gravity Rush movie at CES 2024 with a five-second video that raised more questions than it answered (see video below at 2:15).
We know the movie uses motion capture. We know the animations aren’t like anything we’ve seen before. We don’t know the storyline, we don’t know who’s in it, or when it’s going to be released. The teaser has, however, got people talking, particularly those who loved the PS Vita hit.
Why Gravity Rush?
Gravity Rush might not have been a mainstream success compared to other popular PS Vita games, but it has earned cult status among action-adventure gamers. The game was praised by critics from GamesRadar, who gave it 4.5/5 for its innovative gameplay. However, other critics were less complimentary about the anti-gravity adventure from SCE Japan Studio.
Greg Miller from IGN described it as a “fun” game let down by “clunky combat” and a “flat finish.” One thing that virtually everyone agrees on is the artwork. The protagonist, Kat, and the various scenes where she manipulates gravity all look fantastic. Much of the praise comes down to the animations comic-book style, which was inspired by the work of late french cartoonist Jean Giraud.
For all of the praise and criticism Gravity Rush received, it got people talking, which is why we’re getting a movie. In fact, if you look back to a time before Gravity Rush 2, you’ll see that Sony’s finest have already dabbled in anime. It might not be anime on the same level as JJK 248, but Gravity Rush: The Animation – Overture bridged the gap between the original game and its successor (see video above).
This 20-minute anime offering certainly whetted the appetites of Gravity Rush fans ahead of the second game. Now, looking back, we can say it was a prelude to Sony’s movie ambitions. Those movie ambitions will be fulfilled at some point in the future. When exactly? We don’t know, but a Gravity Rush movie is in the works. The question is, why now? Sony Interactive Entertainment had a less-than-stellar year financially in 2023.
Why Release a Gravity Rush?
Sony’s operating profit for Q2 2023 was down 29%. Various reasons were cited for the slump, including issues within its chip division. However, entertainment sales were also down, so any new project that could stem the tide is welcome. A Gravity Rush movie won’t solve all of Sony’s problems, but it could be a way to reinvigorate the franchise. Even though the original game only sold 200,000 units, it was well-received by many players.
The follow-up didn’t do as well, but promotion outside of Japan was scant at best. Therefore, we can’t say it was a complete flop. Further evidence that a Gravity Rush revival may prove successful for Sony comes from YouTube views. The 20-minute anime prelude released in 2017 has almost 600,000 YouTube views. The recent CES 2024 video preview of the Gravity Rush movie has more than 30,000 views in a week. The movie’s preview has caused a groundswell within the gaming community so maybe, just maybe, Sony will parlay this into more Gravity Rush productions.
