Ecco the Dolphin creator announces that new games are currently in development. Read on to learn more about the announcement and the game's history.
Ecco the Dolphin Returns
Series Creator Announces Revival After 25+ Years
Ecco the Dolphin series creator Ed Annunziata has officially announced the franchise's long-awaited comeback after more than 25 years since its last mainline entry. On January 14, A＆R Atelier, a studio founded by the original Ecco the Dolphin team members, revealed that remastered versions of Sega Genesis classics and several new Ecco the Dolphin products and games are in development.
In the press release, Annunziata, A＆R Atelier's Chief Creative Officer, said, "It has been years in the making and we’re honored to bring Ecco back. Ecco has always been more than a game about a dolphin—he’s a bridge between worlds."
These plans build on Annunziata's earlier revelations in a 2025, Xbox Wire interview, where he first confirmed remasters of Ecco the Dolphin (1992) and Ecco: The Tides of Time (1994), paving the way for a brand-new "third" game once those are complete.
The announcement coincides with the launch of the official Ecco the Dolphin website, which serves as the primary hub for future updates. The site features the first game's cover art for the Sega Genesis, and an "About Us" section, where the team emphasized their commitment to honoring the original spirit of the Sega classic while introducing fresh experiences for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
There is also a countdown timer on the bottom left corner of the screen pointing to a potential major reveal around April 22, 2026. Fans can join the newly launched official Ecco the Dolphin Discord server for exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes content, developer interactions, and community discussions.
A Quick Peek Into the Ecco the Dolphin Series
Ecco the Dolphin is an action-adventure series centered on Ecco, a bottlenose dolphin searching for his missing pod amid oceanic threats, including extraterrestrial forces. Originally developed by Novotrade International (later Appaloosa Interactive) and published by Sega, the first game launched on the Sega Genesis in 1992. The series is well known for its haunting, atmospheric music, bizarre narrative with time travel and aliens, difficult survival challenges, and creepy horror vibe.
The mainline entries include Ecco the Dolphin (1992) for the Sega Genesis, Ecco: The Tides of Time (1994) for the Sega Genesis ＆ Sega CD, and Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (2000) for the Dreamcast, which was later ported to the PS2. There were also two edutainment spin-offs (Ecco Jr. titles) aimed at younger players. A planned sequel, Ecco II: Sentinels of the Universe, was canceled during the Dreamcast's decline.
Though it's unclear exactly how the Ecco the Dolphin series will be modernized for its long-overdue return, fans of the Sega classic can look forward to exciting developments as the official website's clock ticks down.
Sources:
Ecco the Dolphin Official Website
Ecco the Dolphin Press Release
Ed Annunziata Interview on Xbox Wire
