RIME PS4 PlayStation 4 1

RiME will release on the PlayStation 4 in 2017 – though it will no longer be an exclusive, following Sony's decision to drop the anticipated title from its first-party portfolio. The title, in development at Spanish studio Tequila Works, has been the subject of intrigue since it was revealed many years ago – but its protracted production cycle has hinted at cracks.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Japanese giant had ditched the project, and that the developer had reacquired the rights to the franchise. It'll now be published by Grey Box and Six Foot – two tech companies that we've honestly never heard of – on "gaming platforms" in 2017, with more details to be deployed in the New Year.

"We've always wanted RiME to captivate players' imaginations, capturing that feeling of being a child and experiencing the wonders of a bedtime story for the first time," said Raúl Rubio Munárriz, CEO and creative director of Tequila Works. "We're so excited to find in Grey Box and Six Foot partners just as eager as we are to make that vision for such a personal project a reality."

The title's described as a "single-player puzzle adventure game about a young boy shipwrecked on a mysterious island after a torrential storm" in the press release. "Players must use their wits to decipher the challenges and secrets of an expansive world strewn with rugged terrain, wild creatures, and the crumbling ruins of a long-forgotten civilization," the blurb adds.

It certainly sounds promising – but then it always has. Of course, Sony's not in the habit of shedding promising looking projects – how long has The Last Guardian taken to complete? – so we're still sceptical about this. There were some rumours a while back that the game wasn't progressing at all and was quite literally just a concept video, but maybe they were wrong.

Hopefully we'll find out for sure soon.