The surprise announcement of Rematch caught many fans off guard, especially those expecting a direct sequel to Sifu. Pierre Tarno, the game’s creative director, has expressed regret over how the reveal was handled and the resulting confusion among players.
Tarno explained to GamesRadar+ that some Sifu fans felt let down when Rematch was revealed, largely because the trailer opened cold with just a brief mention of “from the team behind Sifu.” This led many to assume a sequel was incoming. “I’m sorry about that misunderstanding,” Tarno said. “We probably should have told the Sifu community earlier that this was not going to be Sifu 2, so they didn’t get their hopes up and avoid disappointment.”
Despite the frustration, Tarno clarified that Sifu was never meant to be a game Sloclap would support indefinitely. The studio spent around a year and a half delivering updates, new content, and a full expansion. “We felt that we’d really provided and kind of given everything we had on Sifu,” he said. While the game might return someday, for now, Sloclap decided it was better to let it rest.
He acknowledged a common industry issue: players often expect studios to stick with the same genre repeatedly. Given that both Sifu and its predecessor Absolver focus on martial arts, some fans might have expected a third similar title. Tarno emphasized that their approach is different. “We have a huge opportunity to pursue the creative projects that we are passionate about,” he noted, something not all developers get to do.
He pointed out that although Absolver, Sifu, and Rematch differ, they share a lineage as third-person action games grounded in physicality and movement. The experience gained from the earlier titles helped shape the latest project.
