Any gamer who picked up the PS3 during its first months of release likely played Resistance: Fall of Man. Insomniac Games’ alternate history shooter was something of a treat – a rare launch title that actually showed potential, even if it did have some faults.

Then, in the years that followed, Insomniac showed that Resistance was capable of some solid gunplay set against impressive, spectacle-filled set pieces, culminating in the very well-received (arguably under-appreciated) Resistance 3. However, after Resistance 3 hit stores, Sony and Insomniac seemingly put the franchise to bed, and thus far, outside of a server closure, there hasn’t been so much as a peep about it.

That could soon change, though, as Sony has reportedly renewed their trademark for ‘Resistance’ where electronic gaming is concerned. This according to some clever scooping by NeoGAF user Rosti.

However, while Sony fans would likely welcome the return of Resistance, many feel the trademark renewal is simply a preventative measure by Sony. They want to protect their IP to prevent others from using the name, but have no intent to do anything with it. We see this all the time with publishers, much to the chagrin of their fans.

Still, the possibility of Resistance returning is an interesting prospect to consider. There’s no doubt that a PS4 Resistance would look great, but the question is whether there’s still demand for the title. With Destiny, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and Battlefield hogging most of the FPS space, it might be hard for Resistance to find an audience.

For that matter, the series would need to continue without developer Insomniac Games, who has since moved onto Sunset Overdrive. That’s obviously not a given, but Sony still owns the IP and chances are Insomniac isn’t as interested in returning to Resistance now that they have new properties to work on.

Still, there’s potential for Resistance to shine as a story-driven shooter with unique gunplay. Very few games put story at the forefront like Resistance did, and few are as playful with their weaponry. The only game that comes to mind that fits a similar bill is Wolfenstein: The New Order. So, even if Resistance doesn’t return, perhaps Wolfenstein can carry on the game’s legacy in spirit.

Would you like to see the Resistance franchise return on PS4? How do you feel about a new developer taking over?