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

Sega's recent trademark filings for the long-dormant Ecco the Dolphin IP have ignited speculation of a potential franchise revival. This follows a 24-year hiatus, with the last installment released in 2000.

The Return of Ecco?

Gematsu reported that Sega filed trademarks for "Ecco" and "Ecco the Dolphin" in late December 2024 (December 27th, to be precise). This news, made public recently, has sent ripples of excitement through the gaming community.

Originally released in 1992 by Sega, and developed by the now-defunct Appaloosa Interactive (formerly Novotrade International), Ecco the Dolphin captivated players with its unique premise: a bottlenose dolphin battling extraterrestrial threats. The series spanned four installments before concluding in 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 force in the gaming industry, Appaloosa Interactive ceased operations in the mid-2000s. However, its former employees, including Ecco the Dolphin's creator Ed Annunziata, continue to contribute to the gaming world. 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, the trademark filings suggest it may join Sega's growing roster of revived and new projects. In recent 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 new RPG-like Virtua Fighter). The possibility of a new Ecco adventure adds another exciting element to Sega's ambitious development pipeline.