In a captivating interview with MinnMax founder Ben Hanson, former Vigil Games co-founders Joe Madureira and Ryan Stefanelli delved into a pivotal moment in their development careers. They faced a critical decision: create a Sly Cooper game for the PlayStation Portable with Sony or pursue their passion project, Darksiders, with THQ. The Sly Cooper game, tentatively titled ‘Shadows in Time,’ presented an intriguing concept. Sly would embark on a time-traveling adventure, encountering his ancestors and battling a time anomaly resembling a sinister version of himself. Madureira described the concept, stating, “He’s always talking about his ancestors, wouldn’t it be cool if you traveled through time and actually met them and played alongside them?” The game envisioned themed time period levels, with concept art showcasing a Wild West-inspired setting. Other ideas included fantasy, medieval, and prehistoric environments. However, the game’s fate was ultimately tied to Vigil’s unwavering dedication to Darksiders.
The interview highlighted an E3 where Madureira and Stefanelli tirelessly pitched Darksiders, using a portable monitor setup, to various publishers. Their efforts led to a meeting with THQ, who sought an IP reminiscent of God of War. THQ expressed interest in developing Darksiders, but only if Vigil became an integrated THQ studio. Sony also showed interest in the Darksiders prototype but doubted Vigil’s capacity to handle a next-gen game. They proposed a smaller title for the PSP, which could have been ‘Shadows in Time.’ Ultimately, Darksiders was the game they yearned to create. Without a binding contract with Sony, Vigil lost its independence and partnered with THQ.
Vigil Games went on to develop the first two Darksiders games before being shut down following THQ’s bankruptcy in 2012. Madureira and Stefanelli later re-formed as Airship Syndicate and returned to the Darksiders series with ‘Darksiders: Genesis’ in 2019. The Darksiders franchise may be experiencing a resurgence. THQ Nordic unveiled a teaser during its annual digital showcase for a new Darksiders project, although its nature remains unknown. Meanwhile, fans of Sly Cooper will have to wait for now. Sucker Punch Productions, the developers behind the series, stated in 2022 that they are focusing on other projects.
