The creator of the cult Ecco the Dolphin series, Ed Annunziata, announced the release of the collection Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, which will unite all versions of the first two games and will be complemented by a completely new modern part. The project is being developed in collaboration with Sega and includes a team of original creators, xrust said.
- The collection will combine classic games and a new adventure class=»notranslate»>__GTAG8__ Ed Annunziata, author of the original Ecco the Dolphin, has confirmed the release of Ecco the Dolphin: Complete. It will include all versions of Ecco the Dolphin (1992) and Ecco: The Tides of Time (1994), as well as a new game created as a modern sequel to the classic series. The original Ecco the Dolphin was released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992 and was later ported to the Master System, Game Gear and Mega CD. A sequel, The Tides of Time, appeared in 1994 and also received versions for several platforms, including an exclusive Brazilian release on the Master System. Although the developers claim that the collection includes “all versions” of games, the wording about “ranging from 8-bit Master System to 16-bit Genesis/Mega Drive generation” may mean that Mega CD versions will not be included in the set. Developed by A&R Atelier studio class=»notranslate»>__GTAG7__ The project is being created by the Californian studio A&R Atelier, which is headed by Annunziata himself. The team includes composers, artists and programmers who worked on the original games of the 1990s. The official statement emphasizes that the new game is being created by “those who invented the Ecco universe” and not by a third-party studio. The developers note that Ecco the Dolphin: Complete is a “return to the roots”, created by the people who shaped the atmosphere, music and visual style of the series. New features and “meta-quests” The collection will receive a number of modern features: support for speed passage; achievements and leaderboards; “meta-quests” that combine classic and new games; tests covering the entire Ecco universe. According to the developers, the new game will be a “natural continuation” of the original duology and will be connected to the classic parts through common plot elements. Countdown and waiting for announcement In May 2025, Annunziata first announced the development of a new game and two remasters. Then he urged fans to follow the updates on the official website of the series, where a countdown timer until April 2026 appeared. According to current data, the timer will end on April 23 at 1:00 PT/4:00 ET/9:00 BST, which may coincide with the full release of the collection and the new game. History of the series: from Mega Drive to Dreamcast After the release of the first two games on Mega Drive/Genesis, the series received a spin-off, Ecco Jr., aimed at a younger audience. A long hiatus followed until Sega and Appaloosa Interactive released the 3D game Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future for the Dreamcast and later for the PlayStation 2. Annunziata was not involved in its creation. In 2013, he tried to launch a spiritual successor to the series called The Big Blue through crowdfunding, but the campaign failed to reach its goal. In 2016, the developer settled a legal dispute with Sega, paving the way for a possible revival of the franchise. Expert assessment Game analyst Mark Hampton notes that the return of Ecco is an important step for Sega: “The Ecco the Dolphin series remains one of the most unusual and atmospheric franchises of the 1990s. Bringing back the original team and creating a new game is a rare case of a classic being continued in an authentic form.” According to him, interest in retro series is growing, and Ecco could become one of the most notable releases among reissues. Background Ecco the Dolphin is a series of adventure games created by Ed Annunziata and published by Sega in the 1990s. The games are known for their atmosphere, unusual plot and difficulty. The last major part of the series came out more than 20 years ago, and the announcement of the Complete collection was the first step towards its full return. Through the pages of https://www.videogameschronicle.com Xrust Ecco the Dolphin returns: a Complete collection has been announced new game
- Developed by A&R Atelier studio
- New features and “meta-quests”
- Countdown and waiting for announcement
- History of the series: from Mega Drive to Dreamcast
- Expert assessment
- Background
The collection will combine classic games and a new adventure class=»notranslate»>__GTAG8__
Ed Annunziata, author of the original Ecco the Dolphin, has confirmed the release of Ecco the Dolphin: Complete. It will include all versions of Ecco the Dolphin (1992) and Ecco: The Tides of Time (1994), as well as a new game created as a modern sequel to the classic series.
The original Ecco the Dolphin was released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992 and was later ported to the Master System, Game Gear and Mega CD. A sequel, The Tides of Time, appeared in 1994 and also received versions for several platforms, including an exclusive Brazilian release on the Master System.
Although the developers claim that the collection includes “all versions” of games, the wording about “ranging from 8-bit Master System to 16-bit Genesis/Mega Drive generation” may mean that Mega CD versions will not be included in the set.
Developed by A&R Atelier studio
class=»notranslate»>__GTAG7__The project is being created by the Californian studio A&R Atelier, which is headed by Annunziata himself. The team includes composers, artists and programmers who worked on the original games of the 1990s. The official statement emphasizes that the new game is being created by “those who invented the Ecco universe” and not by a third-party studio.
The developers note that Ecco the Dolphin: Complete is a “return to the roots”, created by the people who shaped the atmosphere, music and visual style of the series.
New features and “meta-quests”
The collection will receive a number of modern features:
- support for speed passage;
- achievements and leaderboards;
- “meta-quests” that combine classic and new games;
- tests covering the entire Ecco universe.
According to the developers, the new game will be a “natural continuation” of the original duology and will be connected to the classic parts through common plot elements.
Countdown and waiting for announcement
In May 2025, Annunziata first announced the development of a new game and two remasters. Then he urged fans to follow the updates on the official website of the series, where a countdown timer until April 2026 appeared.
According to current data, the timer will end on April 23 at 1:00 PT/4:00 ET/9:00 BST, which may coincide with the full release of the collection and the new game.
History of the series: from Mega Drive to Dreamcast
After the release of the first two games on Mega Drive/Genesis, the series received a spin-off, Ecco Jr., aimed at a younger audience. A long hiatus followed until Sega and Appaloosa Interactive released the 3D game Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future for the Dreamcast and later for the PlayStation 2. Annunziata was not involved in its creation.
In 2013, he tried to launch a spiritual successor to the series called The Big Blue through crowdfunding, but the campaign failed to reach its goal. In 2016, the developer settled a legal dispute with Sega, paving the way for a possible revival of the franchise.
Expert assessment
Game analyst Mark Hampton notes that the return of Ecco is an important step for Sega:
“The Ecco the Dolphin series remains one of the most unusual and atmospheric franchises of the 1990s. Bringing back the original team and creating a new game is a rare case of a classic being continued in an authentic form.”
According to him, interest in retro series is growing, and Ecco could become one of the most notable releases among reissues.
Background
Ecco the Dolphin is a series of adventure games created by Ed Annunziata and published by Sega in the 1990s. The games are known for their atmosphere, unusual plot and difficulty. The last major part of the series came out more than 20 years ago, and the announcement of the Complete collection was the first step towards its full return.
Through the pages of https://www.videogameschronicle.com
Xrust Ecco the Dolphin returns: a Complete collection has been announced new game
