Rambo returns (in a video game)

When you think about it, it's actually pretty astonishing that there hasn't been a Rambo video game out in the past 22 years. Oh there have been games on Sylvester Stallone's  "First Blood" hero before, sure… but since 1989's "Rambo III" on the Amiga and Sega Genesis, he's been silent.

UK publisher Reef Entertainment is bringing him back, though – securing the rights to develop several titles based on the popular character from StudioCanal.

“I am a big fan of Sylvester Stallone movies, and when we had the opportunity to secure the video game rights from StudioCanal for the Rambo franchise, we had to grab it with both hands,” Reef Entertainment CEO Peter Rezon told MCV.

While he may not have had a physical presence in the game world for the past few console generations, Rambo has had a spiritual one, with a great majority of the action heroes in first person shooters owing a tip of the cap to Stallone and his character.

The developer's not particularly well-known in the industry and doesn't have a lot of hits under its belt, but it hopes to use the Rambo IP as a stepping stone to establish a larger industry presence.

The character last popped his head up in 2008 in the cinematic release "Rambo" – which generated a total gross revenue of just shy of $155 million.