The real news here is someone thinks another Kane & Lynch is a good idea.
The first Kane & Lynch game was marred by the whole Jeff Gerstman–GameSpot controversy, but the sequel wasn’t much better. I liked the idea of a found-footage game, but the execution was a bit muddied. And why did we have to see middle-aged ass in an extended cutscene? Still, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days must have had enough of an audience to warrant another game. That is, if the internet sleuths who found a trademark request from Square-Enix for a game called “Sleeping Dogs” are correct in assuming it is for Kane & Lynch 3.
Square-Enix owns Eidos, who in turn owns the Danish studio IO Interactive, makers of the Hitman and Kane & Lynch franchises. Square handled publishing duties for the last Kane & Lynch, so it would make sense if that company was the one registering the trademark.
Also, Ian Livingstone of Eidos said the team wasn’t done making Kane & Lynch games last year. “We haven’t made any announcements about Kane & Lynch going forward, but we all know that Kane and Lynch are two amazing characters who have a lot of brand equity,” he told Eurogamer. “People like those guys, so they’re not going to disappear.”
So that’s about all we know. Despite its lukewarm reception, the Kane & Lynch franchise isn’t dead. Square filed a trademark for “Sleeping Dogs” and IO Interactive is about to ship Hitman: Absolution this year. Has the team started work on a new Kane & Lynch? Will those lovable kooks team up again for more gritty shootouts? Will I get a chance to see more pixelated man-ass?
Only time will tell.
