Square Enix Trademark Points to Return of Popular PS1 Horror Series

A new Square Enix trademark points to the return of a popular PS1 horror series. When nostalgic PlayStation gamers think of the PS1 they probably associate the console with a few different genres, like JRPGs and horror, two genres many believe are underrepresented in the modern era, at least compared to previous generations. As for this game, in particular, it falls into the latter camp. 

More specifically, on April 20, Square Enix filed a trademark in the United States for Fear Effect, a horror-action adventure series that debuted back in 2000 via Kronos Digital Entertainment and Eidos Interactive and via a game of the same name. Upon release, the game sold well and reviewed well. This led to Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, which, despite its name, was actually a prequel. It hit a year later, also via the PS1, and to a similarly positive reception. The series was then dormant until 2015, when Fear Effect Sedna, a sequel, was released via Sushee, Forever Entertainment, and Square Enix. It’s unclear how it sold, but it was a huge critical flop. At the time, many wondered if it would be the end of the series; however, a year later, a remake, Fear Effect Reinvented, was announced by Forever Entertainment. It’s been three years since we got an appreciable update on Fear Effect Reinvented, so it’s unclear what the status of it is, but it’s possible this new trademark points to its existence. 

In order for Square Enix to renew the trademark, it has to prove it’s using it in some capacity. The guidelines for this are pretty lenient though, so this renewal may not point towards  Fear Effect Reinvented or anything other game, but that’s the implication.

For now, take the speculation here for what it is, which is speculation. The trademark is real and new, but it’s hard to know what should and shouldn’t be made out of it. 

At the moment of publishing, neither Square Enix nor Forever Entertainment nor any individual involved with either has commented on the trademark nor the speculation it has created. If this changes, we will update the story accordingly.

H/T, Gematsu.