Easy Guide to Play the Infamous series in Order – What to play first?

Developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the Infamous game series, written as inFAMOUS, was created exclusively for PlayStation players. More precisely, the series consists of games for both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 hardware. Apart from featuring as videogames, the Infamous series has also been a part of a few comics written by DC.

All in all, the Infamous franchise emphasizes the adventures of a group of three conduits, namely Cole MacGrath, Delsin Rowe, and Abigail Walker, who also serve as main characters in their respective installments. In addition, these characters are bestowed with extraordinary powers, and you must guide them through their destiny path, involving either good (Hero) or bad (Infamous).

Given that the Infamous series consists of five main entries and three spinoffs, players could find it challenging to decide its playing order. Since the series is not typically vast, the best way to navigate through the Infamous series is either chronologically or release date-wise.

Here’s more about how to play the Infamous series in order.

1. The Chronological Order to Play the Infamous Series

Suppose you’re a gamer who prefers to dive into the storyline of a game series irrespective of the ease of accessibility of each installment. In that case, you should play the Infamous series chronologically. Listed below is the official chronological order to play the Infamous series.

1. Infamous
2. Infamous 2
3. Infamous: Festival of Blood
4. Infamous: First Light
5. Infamous: Second Son

According to more technical canon sources, the events of one of the various spinoffs, Infamous: Post Blast, take place between Infamous and Infamous 2.

2. The Release Order to Play the Infamous Series

Navigating through the Infamous series in release order is your calling if you prefer to overlook the complications involved with most game series timelines and jump straight into the gameplay.

However, it’s noteworthy that the below-mentioned release order to play the Infamous series isn’t exactly complicated. So, consider keeping your options and mind open!

1. Infamous – 2009
2. Infamous 2 – 2011
3. Infamous: Festival of Blood – 2011
4. Infamous: Second Son – 2014
5. Infamous: First Light – 2014

3. Which Infamous game should you play first?

Most Infamous veterans suggest that the first Infamous game you should play is Infamous: Second Son. Although Infamous: First Light is a prequel to Second Son, players rightfully argue that the former reveals information by assuming players have played the latter. So, Second Son coming after First Light chronologically doesn’t interfere with this preference either.

While many players argue that it’s easier to understand the series’ story by playing Second Son first, others state that First Light is a compact game, which should be played first, as going in that order would allow you to discover more with each step.

4. Do you need to play the Infamous series in order?

Technically, you need not play the Infamous series in order. Nonetheless, it’s highly recommended that you play the franchise in a specific order. Moreover, most players claim that the release order is a much better way to surf through the Infamous series than the chronological order.

Essentially, if you want to play Infamous 2 or Infamous: Festival of Blood, it’d help you tremendously to play Infamous first. On the other hand, if you wish to play Infamous: First Light, go for Infamous: Second Son first, as it’d assist you in getting acquainted with the gameplay and other game elements.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter if you play the first three installments or the last two installments of the Infamous series first. Regarding this division, your choice of an order will not affect your understanding of the franchise’s narrative.

5. Are Infamous 1 and 2 related?

Officially, Infamous 2 is a direct sequel to the first installment of the Infamous series, Infamous (2009). But both the games have fantastic storylines that can be treated as standalone narratives. As a result, there’s not much to stop you from playing one before the other.

However, it’s wise to play Infamous (2009) before Infamous 2 as it’ll help you get more attached to the characters and grasp the main plot’s crux. Also, playing Infamous (2009) after Infamous 2 would force you to experience a substantial degradation in graphics and the quality of gameplay.

Furthermore, Infamous (2009) is pretty cheap and a significantly small game, so there’s no point overlooking it for the sequel.

6. Can you play Infamous: Second Son before playing the first two games?

Yes, you can play Infamous: Second Son before playing the first two games in the series, namely Infamous (2009) and Infamous 2. In a Q&A hosted by Sucker Punch Productions on Reddit, the developers stated that “Yes… you can jump right into Second Son’s story without playing the other games.”

Again, as mentioned above, there’s no real requirement to play the first two games in the Infamous series before starting Second Son, only if you’re not focused on the storyline. For the players who are deep into the intricacies of the complex story presented by the Infamous franchise, the recap in Second Son might not be enough to satisfy their curiosity.

7. Is Infamous 3 Confirmed?

In a letter posted by Sucker Punch Productions on its website in July 2022, the developers confirmed their intention of not engaging in a new Infamous title anytime soon. So simply put, Infamous 3 isn’t guaranteed, and fans might have to wait for a reasonable amount of time to see a new Infamous game.

The relevant excerpt from the letter is given below.

“With our focus on our current project, we have no plans to revisit ‘inFAMOUS’ or ‘Sly Cooper’ right now, and no other studio is currently working on projects related to those franchises either.”

Fortunately, Sucker Punch confirms that they intend to run the user-generated content for Infamous 2 longer than expected. On top of that, they will soon deliver the promised Second Son’s DLC, Cole’s Legacy.  

8. About Infamous

Infamous (stylized as inFAMOUS) is an action-adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. 

The main protagonist of Infamous, Cole MacGrath, is a bike messenger who is caught in the middle of an explosion that demolishes many city blocks in the game’s fictional Empire City. The explosion causes chaos in the city, and Cole gains new electrically-based superpowers as a result.