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The clearest supported order for the main Ratchet & Clank console games is their original release order, from the 2002 PlayStation 2 debut to 2021’s Rift Apart. This list covers the 12 PlayStation console releases in that sequence. “Chronological” here means release chronology, not a verified in-universe timeline.
Ratchet & Clank games in release order
Insomniac’s official franchise page lists 11 PlayStation console games through the 2016 release. Rift Apart, the later standalone console adventure, brings the sequence to 12. This is not a complete census of handheld, mobile, or every spin-off game.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Jak & Daxter Collection | $39.23 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One | $19.90 | Buy on Amazon |
- Ratchet & Clank (2002) — PlayStation 2. The original game launched November 4, 2002, according to PlayStation’s retrospective. Insomniac’s franchise list gives the console release sequence.
- Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (2003) — PlayStation 2.
- Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004) — PlayStation 2. PlayStation’s retrospective dates its release to November 2, 2004.
- Ratchet: Deadlocked (2005) — PlayStation 2. This entry’s title omits “& Clank.”
- Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (2007) — PlayStation 3. The first of the Future-story games that lead into Into the Nexus.
- Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty (2008) — PlayStation 3.
- Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (2009) — PlayStation 3. PlayStation’s retrospective gives its release date as October 27, 2009.
- Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One (2011) — PlayStation 3. A cooperative-focused entry, released October 18, 2011, according to PlayStation.
- Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (2012) — PlayStation 3. Also known as Ratchet & Clank: QForce in some regions; it has a different, defense-oriented format from the standard adventure games.
- Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus (2013) — PlayStation 3. The title is Ratchet & Clank: Nexus in PAL regions. Insomniac Community Director James Stevenson announced a November 13, 2013 release, and PlayStation described it as an epilogue to the three Future games immediately preceding it.
- Ratchet & Clank (2016) — PlayStation 4. This is a reimagining of the 2002 original, not a sequel. PlayStation says it retells the story from Captain Qwark’s point of view. Its final release date was April 16, 2016, as given in PlayStation’s retrospective.
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021) — PlayStation 5. The game launched June 11, 2021, and later arrived on PC in 2023; a release-order list places it by its original console launch. PlayStation describes it as a standalone storyline for newcomers that also connects with longtime fans.
Why release order is the safest chronology
The official Insomniac list supplies a year-and-platform sequence for its PlayStation console games, while PlayStation’s pages clarify key story and remake distinctions. Together, those sources support a practical order without suggesting that every Ratchet & Clank game has a single-player format or a verified all-platform story timeline.
Two games share the same title
The 2002 PlayStation 2 game is the series debut. The 2016 PlayStation 4 game revisits and reimagines that original story. In a numbered release list, keep the years and platforms attached to the titles so they cannot be mistaken for one another.
#1 Best Overall
- Sony Jak & Daxter Collection PS3 Video Game
- The package may be bilingual (English and Spanish) the game play is in English
The PS3 Future arc
Play Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty, and A Crack in Time before Into the Nexus. PlayStation’s 2013 announcement identifies Nexus as an epilogue to those three games, making their release sequence especially useful for readers following that story thread.
Not every entry is the same kind of adventure
All 4 One is cooperative-focused, and Full Frontal Assault uses a defense-oriented format. The list is a console release order, not a claim that each game is a conventional solo platforming adventure.
Rank #2
- Play alone or with up to three other friends cooperatively as Ratchet, Clank, Qwark or Dr. Nefarious
- Each character brings their own unique skills and an arsenal of co-op weapons
- Drop in and out of Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One at anytime, playing alongside friends or family as you fight together in spectacular cooperative battles
- For the first time in the franchise, play together with friends through a sprawling, high-definition Ratchet & Clank adventure filled with humor and unforgettable moments
- Play alone or with up to three other friends cooperatively as Ratchet, Clank, Qwark or Dr. Nefarious
Can you start with Rift Apart?
Yes. PlayStation calls Rift Apart a standalone storyline suitable for newcomers, so it can be an entry point if you want to play the current-generation adventure first. For the franchise’s main console releases in order, begin with the 2002 game and reach Rift Apart last.
What this list does not cover
Insomniac’s cited list is explicitly a PlayStation console list. It does not establish a complete chronology for handheld releases such as Size Matters or Secret Agent Clank, mobile games, and every other spin-off. Those titles should not be silently added to this sequence as if a definitive all-platform story order had been confirmed.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Insomniac Games: Ratchet & Clank — official console titles, years, and platforms.
- PlayStation.Blog: Celebrating the evolution of Ratchet & Clank on PlayStation — selected release dates and description of the 2016 game.
- PlayStation.Blog: Ratchet & Clank: Nexus release date confirmed! — release announcement and epilogue relationship.
- PlayStation: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — PS5 release date and standalone-story description.
- PlayStation.Blog: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart arrives on PS5 June 11 — launch announcement.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
