Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart trailer recaps the series' 19-year journey

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
(Image credit: Sony)

A new Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart trailer takes a look at the evolution of the series since 2002.

Just below, you can see the brief new trailer taking a look at the history of the Ratchet and Clank franchise under PlayStation. We start all the way at the very beginning, when Ratchet and Clank debuted as new partners on the PS2 all the way back in 2002, then fast forwarding through the entire extensive franchise to end up at Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart in 2021.

It's a really nice look at how far the PlayStation series has come since it first bounded into the world. Over on the PlayStation Blog, Insomniac community director James Stevenson recounts his personal history with the series, starting out from when he was a freelance journalist in college when the franchise first launched, all the way to working on the latest PS5 showcase 19 years later.

It's been a long, loveable road for both Ratchet and Clank from back in the early 2000s. Right now though, we're precisely one week away from Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart finally debuting as a PS5 exclusive, and it's set to be a bit of a showstopper when it comes to performance and graphics on the new PlayStation console, if the footage we've seen so far is anything to go by.

In one week's time, we'll embark on a brand new adventure with both Ratchet and Clank. That's not all though, because the iconic duo are going to be joined by a brand new character in the sequel: Rivet. This mysterious female Lombax was first unveiled back in 2020, getting people talking and speculating that she was actually another version of Ratchet. This speculation turned out to be correct, as developer Insomniac revealed that Rivet is Ratchet from another dimension.

Hopping between dimensions is going to be a massive part of Rift Apart when it launches next week. Since the PS5 is able to render details and areas at such a massive pace, Insomniac is really making that a key feature of the new game, as Ratchet, Clank, and Rivet go hopping between worlds in the blink of an eye, with zero loading times in between.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart launches next week on June 11, exclusively for the PS5. For a complete look ahead to one of the most exciting games of 2021 so far, head over to our Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart preview for more.

Check out our upcoming PS5 games guide for a complete look at everything Sony has planned for its next-gen console.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.