RETURNAL is finally being recognized; why did it take five years?

Few games from the PS5 generation carried such a strong identity as Returnal. In 2021, it arrived surrounded by curiosity, but also apprehension. The mix of roguelike, bullet hell, and fragmented narrative seemed distant from the console's most popular profile at that time. Five years later, the scenario has completely changed.

The announcement of Saros, a spiritual sequel to Selene's adventure, rekindled a conversation that had been dormant. Housemarque's new project immediately became one of Sony's most talked-about games on social media, and this made many people revisit the studio's past to understand where the ideas that now appear in its new production came from.

There's also a curious factor in this rediscovery: Returnal finally found an audience that perhaps didn't exist in 2021. Between subscriptions, market maturation, and a huge PS5 base spread across the world, the game went from a niche experience to a recommendable and challenging title, as it should’ve been from the start.

Since Saros's reveal, a large part of the community has treated Returnal as an "introduction manual" for Housemarque's next step. Even without being a direct sequel, the new game carries elements that immediately recall the project starring Selene.

Fast movement, intense combat, (many) particles on screen, and a mysterious atmosphere appear as shared visual and mechanical pillars between the two projects. This sparked a collective curiosity: to understand how Housemarque built its modern identity before moving on to something bigger.

The effect is similar to what happens when a major director returns to the spotlight and audiences flock to see their older works. Returnal has become an essential reference for anyone wanting to analyze the studio's creative DNA before Saros' arrival.

In 2021, Returnal carried an intimidating reputation. Besides its high difficulty, the game was criticized for the initial absence of a functional save system, something that frustrated part of the community right at launch.

Today, the perception is different. The roguelike genre has gained strength in the market, and challenging experiences have gained much more space within the mainstream. Games previously considered "punitive" now find an audience willing to invest time in learning and repetition.

The profile of the PS5 player has also changed. With the generation more consolidated, there’s a larger community interested in experimental titles and less conventional proposals. Returnal went from seeming inaccessible to becoming a desirable experience precisely because of its intensity.

This is without mentioning the post-2021 updates that brought additional modes. In the middle of the adventure, it's possible to activate multiplayer and bring another Selene into the adventure. The additional option called Tower of Sisyphus is also present and has proven very interesting for revisiting the title. Those who played in 2021 and enjoyed it haven't stopped playing since. And with Saros, now there are more people to discuss it with.

Another crucial element for this return is the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog. In 2021, Returnal arrived as a premium game, a famous full-price game, something that naturally deterred curious players who were unsure about the investment.

With its inclusion in the subscription service, the scenario changed completely. The financial barrier practically disappeared. Many people who had been observing the game from afar finally decided to try the experience without the burden of paying full price.

This created an immediate effect on social media. New players began sharing discoveries, bosses, reactions, and moments of tension. Because Returnal has an extremely dynamic structure due to its procedural system, each new game generates different situations, which helps the game's content circulate constantly online.

When Returnal was released, the PS5 was still a difficult product to find. Stock issues marked the early years of the generation, drastically reducing the reach of any exclusive released during that period.

In 2026, the reality is completely different. With a gigantic installed base, the console has finally reached the stage where generation-wide games can reach a truly massive audience. This directly changes the reach of experiences like Returnal.

There's also an important technical detail. Housemarque's game was designed to exploit specific PS5 features, including the DualSense's haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and 3D audio. In 2021, few people could experience this. Now, millions of players have access to the ideal hardware to understand why Returnal became a technical benchmark of the generation.

Major releases often act as spotlights for a studio's back catalog. Saros provoked exactly that movement. The difference is that Returnal found an internet much more prepared to amplify this rediscovery.

Videos showing particles on the screen, graphical comparisons, gameplay clips, and discussions about the narrative began circulating again at a rapid pace. The game returned to the top of the conversations because there’s a new audience experiencing it for the first time.

In the end, Returnal turned out to be a rare case of a game that aged better than many expected. The title hasn't changed radically since 2021, but perhaps it has become slightly more accessible. What has changed is the market surrounding it.