Sanzaru Games (Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time)

Lore & Background

Sanzaru Games took the reins of the Sly Cooper franchise after Sucker Punch moved on to other projects. Their vision for *Thieves in Time* was to honor the series' cartoon-inspired art style and tight platforming while introducing a time-travel narrative that allowed players to explore different eras and meet ancestors of the core cast. The game's development was a collaborative effort with Sony Santa Monica Studio, and it was released in 2013 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita with cross-buy and cross-save functionality. The studio's approach emphasized maintaining the series' signature humor and character dynamics, with Bentley and Murray returning alongside Sly. They added new gameplay mechanics such as the ability to play as multiple characters with unique abilities, and a time-travel hub world. Despite mixed critical reception, the game was praised for its visual fidelity and faithful recreation of the Sly Cooper universe, though some fans noted technical issues and a departure from the original trilogy's level design. Sanzaru's legacy with the franchise is bittersweet: they successfully revived a dormant series but were unable to produce a sequel before the studio's closure. *Thieves in Time* remains the last Sly Cooper game to date, ending on a cliffhanger that has never been resolved—leaving fans to wonder if Sly ever made it back from ancient Egypt.

In Their Own Story

In the dusty archives of the Cooper Vault, a holographic recording flickers to life. Bentley, goggles askew, narrates: 'It was Sanzaru who first decoded the time-travel blueprints left by Sly's ancestors. They built the van, calibrated the leap, and sent us hurtling through history. Without them, the Cooper legacy would have ended in that Parisian safehouse—forgotten, like a half-told tale.' The recording glitches, and for a moment, the silhouette of a raccoon in a blue hat appears, tipping his cap before the image fades to static. Off-screen, Murray mutters, 'Wait, if they built the van, who built the blueprints? That's a paradox, right?' Bentley sighs.

Reader's Guide

Sanzaru Games developed *Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time* for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, with the Vita version handled by the studio's internal team. The game was published by Sony Computer Entertainment in February 2013. It was the first Sly Cooper title not developed by Sucker Punch Productions, and the first to feature a time-travel narrative that allowed players to control multiple characters, including Sly, Bentley, Murray, and new ancestors like Rioichi Cooper and Tennessee Kid Cooper. Reception was mixed to positive, with critics praising the game's vibrant visuals, voice acting, and faithful recreation of the series' tone. However, some criticized its technical performance on both platforms, particularly frame rate dips during hectic heists and occasional loading hiccups that broke the flow of sneaking through medieval England or feudal Japan.

Did You Know?

• Sanzaru Games was originally founded by former employees of Backbone Entertainment and worked on ports and remasters before developing *Thieves in Time*.
• The studio's name 'Sanzaru' is derived from a Japanese term meaning 'three monkeys,' referencing the 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' proverb.
• Sanzaru also developed the PlayStation Vita version of *The Sly Collection*, which included the first three games with updated trophies and touch-screen features.
• The time-travel mechanic in *Thieves in Time* was inspired by the need to introduce new gameplay elements while staying true to the series' roots.