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Credit: Universal StudiosA “Jurassic World” sequel has revealed its first images and they include Chris Pratt.
While the title “Jurassic Park: Survival” now holds new meaning, it still brings a lot of disappointment to many diehard Jurassic fans. For years, fans have been crying out for an open-world Jurassic video game, and on two occasions, we actually came very close.
Back in 2001, “Jurassic Park: Survival” was the name of a highly anticipated video game project that was famously canceled by developers Savage Entertainment (it would have been published under Konami), despite there being a trailer and all sorts of other information.
Fast-forward 14 years and we arrive at the first Jurassic World (2015), the movie that breathed new life into the then-seemingly dormant Jurassic film series. Starring Chris Pratt (Owen Grady) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing), the fourth film chomped a whopping $1.67B out of the global box office and became a worldwide phenomenon.
Unsurprisingly, the sequel spawned waves of merchandise and tie-in media that continue to this day and beyond: tie-in novels, theme park attractions, live tours, exhibitions, three more movie sequels (Jurassic World 4 is currently in development), animated shows (Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory), and, of course, video games.
But the “Jurassic World Evolution” series, which is getting a third entry from Frontier Developments next year, isn’t the only video game tie-in we were supposed to get off the back of the 2015 blockbuster. Using a variation of the title of the defunct 2001 game, a follow-up to Jurassic World would have finally given fans an open-world experience.
“Jurassic World: Survivor” was to be set on the fictitious Costa Rican island Isla Nublar, as seen in Jurassic Park (1993), Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and in many other installments across several storytelling mediums within the franchise.
Related: ‘Jurassic World 4’ Everything We Know: Plot, Cast, Release Date, Trailer, and News
In anticipation of the 2015 film, Cryptic Studios was developing the third-person open-world video game that would have coincided with the release of the fourth film in the series. Players would have assumed the role of Owen Grady (with Chris Pratt‘s likeness), however, unfortunately, it was scrapped in 2015, reportedly after the developers’ Seattle office was closed down.
Understandably, there are many Jurassic fans who now consider any video game project with the word “Survival” or “Survivor” in it to carry a curse. Which is why it surprised everyone when, late last year, it was announced, in the form of a trailer, that an upcoming first-person action-adventure video game will be titled “Jurassic Park: Survival” (TBA).
Check out the trailer for “Survival” below, courtesy of Jurassic World YouTube:
Even with an impressive trailer now available, who really knows whether “Jurassic Park: Survival” will actually happen or not. According to Saber Interactive, the game is still very much in development, and if the trailer’s anything to go by, Jurassic fans should be very excited to assume control of InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who becomes stranded on Isla Nublar with its prehistoric inhabitants 24 hours after the events of the original 1993 film.
But just as we were in the midst of getting excited about the new game, which as yet has no release date (although a late 2024 release is expected), now, details from the canceled 2014 version of the game have emerged. Per Jurassic Outpost’s new video, some artwork and concept designs (for both human characters and dinosaurs) have finally made their way online.
The artwork includes renders of the characters Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), who appears in all three Jurassic World movies, and an original character unique to the game named Alexis (not to be confused with Jurassic Park‘s Alexis Murphy played by Ariana Richards). Images of Alexis were first posted by @RaptorBlue on X (formerly Twitter):
Alexis 3D Model from the Canceled Jurassic World Survivor Game, by Cryptic Studios.
Source: https://t.co/8UV15Dy8pN pic.twitter.com/tjqso7UaF7
— RaptorBlue (@JhonatanRaptor) May 6, 2024
Check out the video from Jurassic Outpost below:
Related: ‘Jurassic Park’ Official Sequel: Everything We Know
Whether or not the upcoming “Jurassic Park: Survival” will deliver an open-world experience like “Jurassic World: Survivor” promised remains to be seen. The website does state that the game features “a fully realized Isla Nublar,” which sounds promising. But there must be a reason why the developers haven’t added the money-making “open-world” tag.
Per the official website, here’s the synopsis for “Survival”:
Return to Isla Nublar the day after the events of the beloved 1993 Jurassic Park film in an original adventure 65 million years in the making.
Survive thrilling first-person action as InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who was unable to “evacuate Isla Nublar, in this single-player action-adventure game and discover a never-before-told story.
Through thrilling encounters, experience the wonder and danger of dinosaurs, each with their own distinct and adaptive behaviors brought to life by John Hammond’s vision.
The game will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, and PC.
Upcoming “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” Video Games
To clear up any confusion you might still have, “Jurassic Park: Survival” (2001) is a long-canceled project. “Jurassic World: Survivor” was also canceled but would have followed on from Jurassic World (2015), and “Jurassic Park: Survival” (TBA) is a brand-new video game yet to be released that takes place 24 hours after the events of the original 1993 film.
“Jurassic World Evolution 3” (TBA) from Frontier Developments will be released during the company’s financial year (which means it could arrive as early as June 1, 2025 and as late as May 31, 2026). It will be the third entry in the “construction and management simulation” series that focuses on (Jurassic) park management and other dinosaur-related shenanigans.
There’s also an unofficial fan-made “Jurassic Park” video game in development from Krenautican. While Universal Studios has ordered the creator to remove all Jurassic branding and licensing from their impressive game, the newly-titled “Cretaceous Kingdom” (TBA) still looks very much like a rather beautiful love letter to the original 1993 film.
Are you excited about “Jurassic Park: Survival”? Do you think it will finally give fans what they’ve been wanting from a Jurassic video game? Or do you think will it be canceled like the last two? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!