Sega Trademarks Ecco The Dolphin, Fueling Rumors Of The Series’ Comeback

Sega Revives Ecco IP With Trademark

Ecco the Dolphin's Potential Return

Late last December, Sega reignited speculation about a possible Ecco the Dolphin revival by filing trademarks for the long-dormant IP, as reported by Gematsu. The news, filed on December 27th, 2024, has only recently become public.

Originally released in 1992 by Sega and developed by Appaloosa Interactive (formerly Novotrade International), Ecco the Dolphin captivated players with its unique premise: a bottlenose dolphin, Ecco, battling extraterrestrial threats to save the planet. The series saw four installments before concluding in 2000. A planned sequel to Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, tentatively titled Ecco II: Sentinels of the Universe, was unfortunately scrapped following the decline and eventual cancellation of the Sega Dreamcast.

While Sega remains a prominent game developer and publisher, Appaloosa Interactive is now defunct. However, many of its staff, including Ecco the Dolphin's creator, Ed Annunziata, continue to contribute to the video game industry. Annunziata, who released Space War Arena in 2019, expressed his enduring hope for an Ecco sequel in a 2019 interview with NintendoLife, stating, "One thing I can say is in the future, people are playing this game. I never give up!"

Currently, no concrete details regarding the future of Ecco the Dolphin have emerged. However, this trademark filing suggests the IP may soon join Sega's extensive list of projects currently underway. In the past two years, Sega has announced numerous projects, many reviving classic franchises such as Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, Shinobi, and Virtua Fighter. They are also developing new IPs, including the enigmatic Project Century and a new "RPG-like" Virtua Fighter experience. Stay tuned for further updates.