How Mark Cerny used fan feedback when designing Knack 2

When Knack debuted as a launch title for the PlayStation 4 in 2013, the critics and fans weren’t kind. The game scored 54 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic, with reviewers citing a convoluted story, uninspired level design, repetitive gameplay, and too little platforming. Even Sony’s own PlayStation Magazine called Knack the “black sheep of the launch line-up.”

It didn’t matter that its creator was Mark Cerny, the mastermind behind the design of the PlayStation 4, which went on to sell more than 60 million units and vaulted Sony from No. 3 to No. 1 in the game console business. So it was a surprise to see Sony announce that it was launching a sequel Knack 2 for the second half of this year. The title was a technological marvel, showing off the power of the PS4 with a character named Knack who was made of mechanical parts and could transform at any time into a smaller character.