The cooking simulation genre is full of fun titles that let players live out their culinary dreams, but Team17 and Ghost Town Games' 2016 entry Overcooked made a name for itself as a solid co-op kitchen experience. The first game was swiftly followed by Overcooked 2 in 2018 and then the Overcooked: All You Can Eat compilation in 2020, which brought both games together in a remastered collection. The Overcooked series is the perfect example of good wholesome gaming fun, and it's way past due for a sequel.
Players have been waiting patiently for a third installment, but with occasional updates for Overcooked: All You Can Eat, it doesn't seem like another game is in the works just yet. Team17 also recently confirmed that Overcooked 3 isn't in active development, so it might be a while before fans are able to play another sequel. However, with regular intervals between each previous release, the time definitely seems right for Overcooked 3.
The Case For Overcooked 3
Developer Ghost Town Games seems to be putting all its eggs in the Overcooked: All You Can Eat basket for the time being, with an update that includes ten new levels, three new chefs, and two new recipes coming later this month. The commitment to adding new content to Overcooked: All You Can Eat instead of sticking with Overcooked 2 improvements or releasing the next title in the series was a disappointment to some fans, but at least they're getting fresh features for the game.
Players were also a little put out that a brand new Overcooked game wasn't announced for 2022, given the series' previous pattern of a new release every two years. Abandoning the previous release schedule is probably an indication that the developer is going to be sticking with periodic updates for the foreseeable future instead of focusing on a new entry, especially now that 2022 is almost at an end with no Overcooked 3 in sight.
While Overcooked: All You Can Eat was not without its hiccups, it brought some much-needed fixes to the game's formula and presented a better-looking package after its remaster treatment. However, it was still two games that players had already experienced. Many fans agree that it's high time for Overcooked 3, which could bring more extensive changes, updates, and improvements to gameplay than a compilation collection.
The Rise Of Wholesome Gaming
The Overcooked games are competitive and challenging without being too anxiety-inducing or adrenaline-packed, fun and frivolous while still being engaging, and charmingly colorful in a way that appeals to gamers of all ages. They're the perfect co-op title – one that can be enjoyed by friends in the same room or all across the world with the addition of online multiplayer in Overcooked 2, which is ideal for these modern times. It offers an alternative to traditional online co-op games like military shooters or big battle royales and fills a niche in the market that not a lot of big-budget games address.
Increasingly, developers both big and small are exploring this space in gaming with wholesome, heartwarming titles instead of super competitive or violent ones. The gaming landscape is vast and varied, and there's room for all of these types of games, but it's also nice to see experiences that wear their simplicity on their sleeves and don't try to complicate things too much. Overcooked 3 could be another addition to this growing collection of wholesome titles, and it would definitely find its fan base as more and more people discover gaming as a pastime thanks to increased accessibility and an ever-widening range of games.
Overcooked: All You Can Eat is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.