Preserving video games is vital, and this story is another strong reminder of why that matters.

Long before Sony and PlayStation experimented with live-service models or stepped into VR, mobile games were at the forefront of their strategy. Franchises such as God of War and Ratchet & Clank received mobile spin-offs. In Ratchet’s case, things looked promising — a sequel to Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile was announced but never saw the light of day. That game, titled Ratchet & Clank: Clone Home, was considered lost media for years. Thanks to one dedicated fan, however, we can now experience what would have been the sixth title in the series.

In a YouTube video, The Golden Bolt detailed the painstaking process of rescuing the lost game. It involved obtaining a Sony Ericsson W880i phone that happened to have the game installed, then cracking the encryption to extract the files. After recovery, a full playthrough surfaced online — lasting about an hour — which isn’t bad for a mid-2000s mobile title. For those eager to try it themselves, the game files are available on Archive.org.

The rediscovery and release of Clone Home couldn’t have come at a better time, as Ratchet & Clank fans have long wondered when Insomniac Games would return to the series. The latest mainline entry remains Rift Apart from 2021, and there’s still no sign of a remastered collection or PS2-era ports on PlayStation 5 via PlayStation Classics — unlike, say, Sly Cooper.

For now, it’s unclear when Insomniac — which recently re-revealed Wolverine (slated for fall 2026) and is rumored to be developing a Venom spin-off — will revisit Ratchet and Clank’s universe.

Source: TheGamer, Archive.org