Ecco the Dolphin Trademark Revived; Series Return Speculation

Sega's recent trademark filings for the long-dormant Ecco the Dolphin IP have ignited speculation about a potential franchise revival. Let's delve into the details.

The Return of Ecco?

Gematsu reported that Sega filed trademarks for "Ecco" and "Ecco the Dolphin" in late December 2024 (publicly available on December 27th, 2024). This action, after a 24-year hiatus, strongly suggests a renewed interest in the franchise.

Originally released in 1992 by Sega, with development by Appaloosa Interactive (formerly Novotrade International), Ecco the Dolphin captivated players with its unique premise: a bottlenose dolphin combating extraterrestrial threats. Four installments followed before the series went quiet around 2000. A planned sequel, Ecco II: Sentinels of the Universe, was reportedly shelved following the decline of the Sega Dreamcast.

While Sega remains a prominent developer and publisher, Appaloosa Interactive is now defunct. However, its former staff, including Ecco the Dolphin's creator Ed Annunziata, continue to contribute to the gaming industry. Annunziata, who released Space War Arena in 2019, expressed his continued 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, concrete details regarding the future of Ecco the Dolphin are scarce. However, the trademark filings indicate Sega's potential inclusion of the franchise in its growing portfolio of projects. Over the past two years, Sega has announced a remarkable number of titles, encompassing both classic franchises (Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, Shinobi, Virtua Fighter) and new IPs (Project Century, the "RPG-like" Virtua Fighter). The addition of Ecco the Dolphin to this list remains a strong possibility.