“I’ll come back for you.” – a statement during the game’s conclusion.
As seen above, Quantum Break did not have a definitive ending that its left players in suspense for more drama. As of 2023, the game is 7 years old now and various gaming communities are speculating on a potential Quantum Break 2 release.
This speculation recently got hyped up after Shawn Ashmore (a Canadian actor who plays Jake Joyce, the main protagonist, in the game) showed his support for Quantum Break 2 in his tweets.
Although the 2016 Quantum Break received considerable positive reviews, it did not manage to make it big. Admittedly, there were some gameplay faults, especially with the Windows 10 version, but they were soon fixed.
Recently, Remedy Entertainment, the developers behind Quantum Break, have expressed interest in rolling out a Quantum Break sequel. However, Microsoft Studios, which reserves the IP right for the game, is not permitting it for reasons undisclosed.
What eventually will happen remains yet to be seen. In the meanwhile, let’s see what this game is about! Why do gamers so badly desire a sequel to it?
About Quantum Break
Quantum Break is a terrifically well-written, thought-provoking time-traveling adventure that takes players through an epic playthrough.
It is an action-adventure third-person shooter video game that features Shawn Ashmore as the main protagonist. Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Quantum Break was released in April 2016 and takes place in the fictional town of Riverport.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Paul Serene and Jack Joyce (Shawn Ashmore) are involved in some futuristic scientific experiment relating to time travel. However, due to some miscalculations by Paul Serene, the time travel experimentation goes horribly wrong.
The result is that both the characters are exposed to chronon radiation that grants them supernatural abilities which they can use to bend time to their will. Paul, seemingly thrilled by his newly found abilities, wants to make the most out of it which eventually corrupts him. Jack, on the other hand, tries to stop him. Adding fuel to the fire, the Monarch also comes into the picture.
Moreover, the aftermath of the experiment has also cracked a fissure in Time itself that makes everything around stutter back and forth sporadically.
Quantum Break is a blockbuster game where decisions made by the players directly affect the game, including the top-notch live-action interactive game movie. The game features a stellar cast of characters where one story is told in many different ways.
Available Platforms: Windows, Xbox One
Watch the Quantum Break trailer.
Quantum Break Reception
Apart from some initial glitches and optimization issues, critics praised the game’s graphics, gameplay, presentation, performances, and story. Plus, there were some mixed opinions on its live-action interactive game movie.
Digital Spy gave the game all 5 stars whereas VentureBeat awarded it a 9/10 score. Destructoid, Polygon, and Game Informer, all of them settled the game at an 8.5/10 score.
Moreover, both the GamesRadar+ and GameRevolution put Quantum Break at 3.5/5. In addition, at IGN, the game managed to bag an 8/10 score.
Why Quantum Break Deserves a Sequel
Quantum Break set aside itself from contemporary games mainly by offering a vastly different gameplay experience. It introduced several new features that, at the time, were quite innovative.
Particularly, its use of the Time mechanic and all the time-related abilities garnered much attention. What makes it more captivating is that all these Time anomalies are scientifically accurate, giving players a stunning first-hand experience of natural disasters resulting from humanity’s never-ending curiosity.
Since it is very difficult to wrap your mind around the quantum nature of time and the intricate physics surrounding it, the game developers poured all their love and dedication into making Quantum Break stick to reality. In the end, the developers managed to pull out a masterpiece of a video game!
Moreover, Quantum Break features cutting-edge graphics and gameplay visuals that are nothing short of reality. Even for a 2016 title, the game graphics are breathtakingly awesome.
Furthermore, In Quantum Break, players have a lot of freedom in making decisions. The developers behind the game worked hard to deliver interactive storytelling. This becomes all the more important as each decision leads to a unique outcome in the game.
In addition, Quantum Break also features live-action cutscenes that further supplement the game and expands on its story. The game is divided into 5 acts of gameplay. When advancing from one act to the other, content-rich live-action movie-style gameplay takes place that is influenced by a player’s decisions in the game.
Early Talk about Quantum Break 2
Shortly afterward, when Quantum Break was launched, there were rumors about a possible sequel.
In August 2016, Aaron Greenberg, the General Manager of Marketing for Xbox gave the following remarks for the game: “sold very well, but like every movie, not every game needs a sequel, sometimes that’s okay”.
However, in October 2017, Shannon Loftis, the Head of Publishing at Microsoft Global Games Publishing, said that Microsoft had no plans to abandon the game’s universe.
Moreover, in July 2018, the CEO of Remedy Entertainment, Tero Virtala, said that a Quantum Break sequel is pending approval from Microsoft.
Latest News Surrounding Quantum Break 2
And now, more recently, a new debate has been sparked yet again.
On January 15th, 2023, Shawn Ashmore, who plays as Jack in the game, replied “I’m in! @Xbox” to a tweet: “Bring back Quantum Break”. The original tweet belongs to Jez Corden, the Managing Editor at WindowsCentral. Ever since John Ashmore tweeted his reply, the post has garnered a whopping 2.2 million views on Twitter!
A day later, on January 16th, 2023, Snap Blast PLAY posted a video on Twitter of the Quantum Break gameplay snippet with the text: “Quantum Break 2 on Xbox?”. Even to this tweet, Shawn Ashmore replied: “I say (thumps up emoji)”. At the time of writing, this tweet reply has accumulated a total of 550K+ views on Twitter.
Final Thoughts
As can be seen, the hype around the Quantum Break sequel is far from the dead. The 2016 Quantum Break delivered mesmerizing gameplay and an engaging story based on the malfunctioning of Time itself.
If it was not for the flaws the game had upon its launch, it would have been a critical hit. But hey, we are all humans and we all make mistakes.
What do you think? Should there be a Quantum Break 2? Does the original Quantum Break deserve a sequel? Let us know in the comments below!
