Sony Files New Sly Cooper Merch Trademark Ahead of Anniversary

For years, you have had very little to go on if you wanted to believe Sly Cooper was coming back. The series has been away from new games for more than a decade, and while there have been occasional collectibles and fan discussions, little has clearly suggested a return. Now, a recent trademark filing has added another piece to the puzzle.

The filing was made on September 11 and covers a surprisingly broad range of products. It includes printed posters, comic books, graphic novels, books, magazines, coloring books, journals, writing instruments, crayons, felt pens, fountain pens, erasers, paintbrushes, modeling materials, pencil cases, memory boxes, cardboard boxes, hand towels, paper face towels and paper tablecloths.

The list is much longer, but those examples show just how far the merchandising coverage goes.

That does not mean every item will actually appear in stores. Trademark filings often cover a wide selection of possible products so a company can protect the brand across different categories. A filing for towels, for example, does not guarantee that towels are about to be produced. Still, the size of this filing is what makes it interesting.

The timing also adds to the move's significance. The filing arrived shortly after the series' 24th anniversary, putting the 25th anniversary only a year away. That creates an obvious opportunity for anniversary merchandise, whether that means new figures, books, collectibles, or other products.

It wouldn't necessarily require a new game, but it would give the property another reason to get attention after years of relatively little activity. You have already seen signs of that increased attention through existing merchandise.

Youtooz has released several Sly-related products, including figures and plush toys. More recently, the collection expanded with versions of Sly, Murray, and Bentley, additional Sly figures, and a version of the Thievius Raccoonus. Those releases came after a long period when series-based merchandise was much harder to find.

The renewed attention also matters because Sly Cooper has a recognizable identity that works beyond games.

Sly Cooper merchandise can support anniversary events, Sly Cooper collectibles can keep the characters visible, and Sly Cooper books could reach fans who want more of the story. That change is important because it makes the new trademark filing look less isolated.

Instead of one unusual registration appearing out of nowhere, you can now point to several recent products and a wider range of potential merchandise categories. The series has also received plush toys, while some earlier collectibles reportedly sold out quickly.

The same pattern is evident in the collector market. Older Sly merchandise has become harder to find, and some items have increased in resale value. A Sly Funko figure released several years ago reportedly sold out quickly and now commands a higher price on the secondary market.

Physical copies of The Sly Collection on PlayStation 3 can also be expensive compared with their original retail prices. That doesn't prove a new game is being developed, but it does show there is still a market for the brand. The merchandise strategy is especially interesting when you compare it with other PlayStation properties.

Other PlayStation franchises reveal how unusual Sly's merchandise revival really is.

Astro Bot has received a steady stream of collectibles, including plushes and Funko products, and its broader merchandise push makes sense for a currently active franchise. God of War also continues to receive products, while other established series have their own ongoing merchandising programs.

What stands out is Sly Cooper's age and status. The latest mainline game, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, launched in 2013. That means the franchise has now gone more than 13 years without another new entry, and by next year the gap will reach 14 years. If no game arrives after that, the wait becomes even longer.

That makes the range of new merchandise feel unusual. A company can certainly continue selling products from an inactive franchise if those products perform well. However, a renewed push creates another possibility: merchandise could be helping rebuild awareness before a larger return.

Some interesting possibilities don't involve a new game immediately. The trademark includes comic books and graphic novels, which could allow the story to continue in another format. A new novel could potentially explore an untold part of the series' timeline, filling in a gap between existing adventures without changing the games themselves. That could even provide a way to address the unresolved ending of Thieves in Time.

A longer book or graphic novel could explore what happened after the game and potentially move the story forward.

It could also be set between earlier games, giving you a smaller adventure without requiring a full video game production. Of course, none of that confirms a new title. The same applies to the trademark itself. The filing establishes that the brand is being protected across these product categories, but it does not announce a game or reveal what Sony intends to do next.

Still, the filing's sheer breadth is hard to ignore when placed alongside the recent merchandise activity. You are not looking at one figure or one promotional item. You are looking at collectibles, plushies, and now trademark protection covering everything from books to art supplies and household paper products.

The contrast becomes clearer when you look at other older PlayStation franchises. Jak and Daxter remains a recognizable name, yet its merchandise presence doesn't seem to be getting the same kind of attention. Ratchet & Clank still exists, but long gaps have separated new entries. Meanwhile, other dormant properties from the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 eras have largely remained quiet outside of rumors or occasional references.

That is why the current Sly Cooper activity stands out. Even two or three products from the huge trademark list would represent a noticeable expansion compared with what the series has received for much of the past decade. There is also a straightforward business explanation. If earlier merchandise continues to sell, expanding the range can be an easy way to test demand.

Existing Youtooz releases, plushes, and other collectibles show that fans are willing to spend money on the property.

A company could decide to keep producing merchandise simply because it performs well. But a successful merchandise program can also make a future game more attractive. If the audience is still there and the brand can generate interest without a new release, a new game could potentially benefit from that renewed visibility. That is especially relevant for a series that has been absent for so long.

The idea of a comeback is also less difficult to imagine than it once was. Thieves in Time did not reach the same level of impact as the original trilogy, but the gaming market has changed considerably since 2013. A new entry could reach players who grew up with the original games while also introducing the characters to a younger audience through modern platforms and merchandise.

For now, though, you have to separate what is documented from what is speculation. The trademark filing is real, the merchandise activity is real, and the approaching 25th anniversary is real. A new Sly Cooper game has not been officially announced in connection with any of those developments.

That distinction matters, but it does not make the recent activity irrelevant. After years with almost no new products, the combination of fresh collectibles, plush releases, expanded merchandise plans, and a broad trademark filing gives the franchise more commercial activity than it has had in a long time.

For fans who have spent years waiting, that is at least something concrete to point toward.

The next major step could be another collectible, an anniversary project, a comic or graphic novel, or something much bigger. Until an official game announcement arrives, the trademark remains evidence of renewed activity rather than proof of a sequel.

Even so, the timing gives the franchise a natural window for a larger celebration. With the 25th anniversary approaching and merchandise already expanding, next year could reveal how far this renewed interest will actually go.