Ecco the Dolphin is ready to save the world (and ocean) from extraterrestrial beings once again. On Monday (May 5th), Ed Annunziata, Ecco's original creator, spoke with Xbox Wire to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The conversation covered a variety of topics such as movies and games that would be perfect to watch and or play to commemorate the cultural occasion.

Talks eventually led to one of Ecco the Dolphin's main themes of ocean and nature conservation, to which Annunziata revealed that he was planning on bringing back the bottle-nosed dolphin in a "third" installment of the long-dormant retro franchise.

Ecco the Dolphin will return in a "third" game

Ed Annunziata detailed that the original team behind the first two games for the Sega Genesis is hard at work on the next installment in the eco-friendly franchise. That's not all; the squad is also remastering the first two Ecco games for modern consoles and in a way to perserve gaming history.

"Me and the entire original team are going to remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time games. Then we will make a new, third game with contemporary play and [graphics] sensibilities. Stay tuned."

Ed didn't provide any other details surrounding the "third" game. Interestingly enough, a timer began counting down on the official Ecco the Dolphin website shortly after the interview's publication. The only thing that remains on the site is a large timer, in an ocean blue font reminiscent of Ecco, with 8386:46 remaining, which equates to about a year from now.

Ecco 3 previous rumors and information

Annunziata previously spoke of a possible third game way back in 2013. In a 2013 interview with Polygon, the game developer spoke about his struggles to obtain the Ecco license from Sega to keep the franchise going. Ed Annunziata detailed how the "nice guys" at Sega were giving him the runaround, but somehow he felt "he needed" to continue working towards obtaining the IP and bring forth a new Ecco the Dolphin. However, he did assert that if he was to fail, he would simply make something new.

"I have to do it. I'm kind of obligated to the character. I got really lucky that Ecco was really successful, and that it kind of put me on a trajectory where I get to make my own weird games. I'll always have an emotional connection. It's just huge in my heart...If I can't nail Ecco, I'm just going to do something completely original and bring it to the next level of maturity, next level of display technology, next level of gameplay and just go for it. Come up with a new property. The next Ecco the Dolphin. And we'll see what happens."

That same year, Annunziata detailed what a third Ecco could have been like. In a response to a fan, Annunziata explained that he had an idea to make Ecco 3 revolve around a particular underwater war. "Ecco 3 was going to be about the Atlantans' war with the Vortex. At the end of Tides of Time, Ecco goes back to help them," he said in an old X/Twitter post from July 2013.

Ecco the Dolphin was released in 1992 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. The game was followed up with a sequel, Ecco: The Tides of Time, in 1994. There have been other Ecco properties such as Ecco Jr., Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt, and, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future. However, none of these titles was a true third game for the long-forgotten franchise.

Ecco the Dolphin

Action
Adventure
Side-scroller
Systems
Released
July 29, 1992
ESRB
E For Everyone // Animated Blood
Developer(s)
Novotrade International
Publisher(s)
Sega
Franchise
Ecco the Dolphin
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure, Side-scroller