Along with this announcement, Liu also wrote about working with Sleeping Dogs IP owner Square Enix. “They’re absolutely great,” he wrote about the publisher. “It’s the studios that don’t seem to understand how important this IP is, BUT we will get them there.”

Liu had first spoken about wanting to work on a Sleeping Dogs movie back in January, where he had also expressed similar thoughts about film executives not quite understanding the value behind the IP. Aside from this, he had also written about wanting to make a sequel to the original game at some point as well.

“So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight,” he said on social media in January. “Pitching execs who don’t understand the game has been tiring. Everyone’s overwhelming love of Sleeping Dogs here has really given us life!”

“First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone… That’s always been the dream.”

It is worth noting that Liu’s attempts at getting this adaptation off the ground are only the latest for the open-world action-adventure. A film adaptation was also in the works back in 2018, with action star Donnie Yen set to play a prominent part. While he said at the time that production on the movie was still happening, the project was essentially dead.

“I spent a lot of time and did a lot of work with these producers, and I even invested some of my own money into obtaining the drafts and some of the rights,” said Yen in an interview with Polygon earlier this year. “I waited for years. Years. And I really want to do it. I have all these visions in my head, and unfortunately… I don’t know, you know how Hollywood goes, right? I spent many, many years on it. It was an unfortunate thing.”

Sleeping Dogs is an open-world action game that takes place in the city of Hong Kong. While the title was far from an original take on the genre like Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row aside from its unique setting, it quickly became a cult-classic owing to its emotional and action-packed story, the wide range of side activities available to players, and its emphasis on hand-to-hand martial arts-based melee combat rather than epic gun fights.

The original Sleeping Dogs release happened back in 2012 on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Since then, it has gotten a Definitive Edition release on PC, PS4 and Xbox One with updated visuals and smoother performance. For more details, check out our thoughts on why it still holds up even today.

Fortunately, it seems that Liu’s efforts have borne fruit. According to IGN, a “source close to the project” revealed it’s in the works. And yes, Liu will play undercover cop/Triad member Wei Shen while also producing. Square Enix, the game’s publisher, hasn’t responded for comment.

When the film will be released remains to be seen, but there’s also the question of a sequel. “That’s always been the dream,” said Liu, though whether it comes true remains to be seen.

Sleeping Dogs first launched in 2012, and it’s playable on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, and PC. Check out our feature on what made it so great. A sequel was in the works but ultimately scrapped in 2013. A multiplayer spin-off, Triad Wars, was also cancelled before its 2015 launch.

On social media platform X, Liu spoke about his experience pitching a movie adaptation of the open-world title to film executives who didn’t understand it. He also would like a sequel down the line.

“So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight,” said Liu in the post. “Pitching execs who don’t understand the game has been tiring. Everyone’s overwhelming love of Sleeping Dogs here has really given us life!”

“First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone… That’s always been the dream.”

The last time we heard anything about a Sleeping Dogs movie was back in 2018, with action star Donnie Yen saying that the movie was still under production. More recently, however, Yen has said that the movie is dead.

“I spent a lot of time and did a lot of work with these producers, and I even invested some of my own money into obtaining the drafts and some of the rights,” said Yen in a recent interview with Polygon. “I waited for years. Years. And I really want to do it. I have all these visions in my head, and unfortunately… I don’t know, you know how Hollywood goes, right? I spent many, many years on it. It was an unfortunate thing.”

Sleeping Dogs is a cult-classic open-world action game that puts players into the shoes of undercover cop Wei Shen. It’s an epic story about feuding mobs in Hong Kong and how these criminal elements can often bleed into civilian life. The title was originally released back in 2012 on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

For more details on Sleeping Dogs, check out our thoughts on why the game is still addictive even today.

So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight. Pitching execs who don’t understand the game has been tiring. Everyone’s overwhelming love of Sleeping Dogs here has really given us life!

First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone… that’s always been the dream. pic.twitter.com/g84r9Lf0SI

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) January 31, 2025

Of course, with Square Enix not having the rights to the True Crime license – United Front Games had to alter the game to become its own entity; a sort of a spiritual successor to True Crime. Little did United Front Games know that this spiritual successor, aptly named Sleeping Dogs would turn out to be a sleeper hit. Sleeping Dogs was released on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, on August 14th, 2012 to rave reviews. It’s been almost 10 years since the release of Sleeping Dogs, and to that end – let’s take a look back at this one hell of a game.

Players take on the role of Wei Shen, an undercover cop who is sent on a mission to infiltrate a branch of the city’s gang of triads known as the “Sun On Yee”. Wei finds his way into the gang as a low-life footsoldier, but thanks to his exceptional combat skills and wits – he is quickly able to cement himself as a promising member of the gang. Of course, this is all happening in parallel to his work as an undercover cop – where he is slowly and steadily reporting all the undergoings of the city’s criminal activity. 

It’s all inspired by Hong Kong action movies, and while the plot might not be one that’s extensively deep or anything – it’s enjoyable through and through. The many characters that Wei meets throughout his adventures are all distinct and mostly likable such as the likes of Winston, while others such as Jackie have their own character arcs which can be compelling to witness. Sleeping Dogs doesn’t shy away from violence at all, and we see multiple instances of horrendous murders and barbaric tortures throughout the campaign. Furthermore, Wei’s journey through the ranks of the Sun On Yee gang holds interesting ramifications for his life as a police officer – which is an enchanting prospect to witness as well.

While True Crime was obviously inspired by Grand Theft Auto, Sleeping Dogs is a different beast of its own. Sure, it’s an open world and entails working for criminal organizations – but the actual gameplay mechanics are a lot different than Rockstar’s open-world offerings. Firstly, there’s a fleshed-out hand-to-hand combat system – which uses a simple system of punches, grabs, and parries to great results. You need to time your button presses just right to fight effectively, and the enemies demand that players have a good understanding of how the combat system works to get through tougher encounters. With enough practice, however, you can skillfully 5-hit combo your way through entire squads of enemies all while engaging in some gruesome and over-the-top environmental takedowns.

Wei can, of course, use weapons as well – and suffice to say, he is really skillful at that too. Later missions feature intricately built levels such as a wedding venue or a seaside warehouse which act as distinct backdrops for tense shootouts, complete with well-timed set pieces. Sleeping Dogs also features a Max Payne-Esque bullet-time mechanic, which gives way to some intense cinematic moments – much like the action movies that inspired the game. The weapons that players can wield range from a simple pistol to an assault rifle to a grenade launcher – and they all feel really great to use.

Hong Kong is a rather popular setting when it comes to open worlds, and for good reason – the high-rise skyscrapers provide a fine contrast to the densely packed suburbs. Add to that its rich culture and bustling nightlife characterized by an overabundance of neon signs, and you have a city that’s as much of its own character as the protagonists and villains themselves. Suffice to say, United Front Games nailed its rendition of Hong Kong. Granted it’s not the biggest of open worlds, but it’s still dotted with interesting geography and diversity between its neighborhoods – which all culminate in a world that’s a joy to explore. You can drive around in exquisite vehicles and participate in street racing. Furthermore, there’s also a litany of sometimes absurd civilian missions – which reward you with precious Face XP – which fills up a special meter that grants damage buffs and health regeneration during combat.

In a nutshell, Sleeping Dogs boasts an incredibly diverse range of gameplay styles for its moment-to-moment gameplay – which is made all the more impressive thanks to the great attention to detail put in each of these aspects. It’s all stitched together by an eventful open world that’s a very believable recreation of Hong Kong and a story that while not the most heart-wrenching or anything –  remains entertaining for the most part. Sure, there are a few loose ends here and there – such as the driving feeling slippery (at least in my humble opinion) – but when it comes to delivering a well-rounded open-world adventure, Sleeping Dogs rarely misses a pulled punch.

At the time of writing, Sleeping Dogs stands at a shining 80 score on Metacritic. Sleeping Dogs would also go on to receive a total of 24 DLCs, including meaty content expansions such as the Chinese folklore-inspired Nightmare in North Point and the Wheels of Fury supercar expansion. But despite its many merits, Sleeping Dogs failed to turn in a profit – with only 1.5 million copies reportedly sold.

It’s a shame because a direct sequel to Sleeping Dogs was in the works at United Front Games shortly after release – and from what we know, it was a really ambitious title. Players would be embroiled in yet another crime thriller starring dual protagonists Wei Shen and his partner Henry Fang, and the game’s perspective would shift throughout the story. Furthermore, the developer even planned to include online-oriented elements in the game as well such as how the criminal activity in certain areas would be dictated by the overarching number of players policing the areas.

Furthermore, United Front Games was also hard at work on a multiplayer spin-off to Sleeping Dogs called Triad Wars. After an underwhelming beta testing phase, the game was canned which was followed by the cancellation of the sequel as publisher Square Enix chose to direct its funds towards more financially viable projects such as the likes of Final Fantasy XIV. United Front Games was closed shortly after in 2016 – which marked the end of any hope that fans might have for a sequel. Over 10 years later, playing through Sleeping Dogs remains a great time, and if you haven’t tried it yet – I highly recommend that you do. 

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

United Front Games has been on a rather odd course since the release of its hit open world action title Sleeping Dogs. After the cancellation of Triad Wars, the studio was working on Smash + Grab, a Steam Early Access title that was available for free this past weekend.

However, a source recently told GameSpot that United Front has shut down. Smash + Grab is no longer available for sale and there’s no news on what will happen to the Early Access title. Expect an official announcement or some kind of confirmation from parent company Square Enix soon.

United Front Games’ biggest hit was Sleeping Dogs in 2012 but the developer has worked on a number of other titles prior to this including ModNation Racers. After Sleeping Dogs, it developed LittleBigPlanet Karting and worked on several ports.

What are your thoughts on the studio potentially shutting down? Let us know in the comments below.

Sleeping Dogs online spin-off Triad Wars will be shutting down its beta on January 20th 2016 at 12 AM PST, according to developer United Front Games. All unused gold – used for customization and which could be purchased with real money – will be refunded and gold will be made available for free until the game shuts down (since real world money transactions are no longer available).

United Front stated that, “Since the start of the Triad Wars Closed Beta this year, diligent Enforcers have run rampant through the streets of Hong Kong, killing rivals and building Empires. During this time we have gathered immense amounts of feedback, information, and data on the game. We’ve loved seeing how you’ve played Triad Wars but we know it wasn’t right for many of you so we’re letting you know today that we are going to close the beta and service on January 20th 2016 at 12 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

“That’s 4 weeks from today and over this time we’re going to leave the game up and running for you to continue to enjoy but we will not be accepting any more purchases. To help you enjoy these final 4 weeks we’re going to make Gold available free of charge and we’ll shortly be posting news on the forums about how to deal with refunds of unused Gold. Thank you very much for all the testing, feedback and support!”

What are your thoughts on the closure of Triad Wars? Let us know in the comments below.

So keeping in mind that the game is still in Beta, I started everything off on standard settings, and rather than watching the game stutter and die, it ran just fine. I couldn’t believe it, there wasn’t a single hitch in my frame rate, this is practically unheard of. Especially in a Beta for a game that has a sandbox as big as this the one found here.

Content with performance, I set about playing the game as an extremely generic looking bloke, and before I knew it I was hanging out the side of a car, blasting away at pursuers with some sort of rifle. The moment I shot out the tyre of a civilian bus, causing it to careen into a pursuing motorcyclist was the moment I thought, ‘Yep, this is the Sleeping Dogs world alright.’

Not long after, I was given a plot of land and told that this was where I would be forming my gang and setting up my safe house, set on the path to honourable victory as a major power to be feared by my rivals.

"Triad Wars makes it easy to feel empowered, but that feeling of power can be stripped away in an instant. When I cashed in a favour to get my hands on a pistol, I began to blow through my opponents. Literally. But when I found myself going through an enemy base with no ammo, things change pretty quickly."

To do this, I had to build, secure and conquer. So I quickly cashed in a favour to get my hands on a meat cleaver and a car. Armed thus, I drove down the road, most likely violating every road law in existence, and began my climb to dominance. Combat comes thick and heavy in Triad Wars, and is largely relegated to the “X” button, for those of you using a controller.

You dole out the usual light and heavy attacks by pressing and/or holding “X” which lets you fling kicks and punches left right and centre. You may be pleased to know that the absolutely brutal finishers return from Sleeping Dogs in Triad Wars. During a short skirmish over the rights to a lockbox, some unfortunate gang member found himself on the wrong side of a Buzz Saw, whereas his friend was nailed to a table by way of a drill.

Mission completed and loot in tow, you’re going to be introduced to the base building, which is light but effective. Base upgrades can come in the form of “Rackets” which allow you to make money by knocking-off electronics, food vendor stalls and the like. These ensure you have a steady supply of cash flowing in. The way these work is simple. You set up your racket and then go about your business in the game world. As time passes, each racket draws in cash which, upon reaching a certain limit, you can then transfer to your own account. Rinse, repeat and rise.

Triad Wars makes it easy to feel empowered, but that feeling of power can be stripped away in an instant. When I cashed in a favour to get my hands on a pistol, I began to blow through my opponents. Literally. But when I found myself going through an enemy base with no ammo, things change pretty quickly. Those three heavily muscled thugs at the end of the room seem a lot more imposing when you have an empty gun in your hands.

"This is easily the most bug free and enjoyable Beta testing period I have sat through in recent memory. Zero crashes, not a bug in sight, no glitches that propel me into the sky and not a single graphical hiccup."

It’s around this time that I found one of the game’s flaws. When you just start out, you are so damn slow. So slow in fact, that you actually feel it. Character responses feel sluggish, running doesn’t feel like running and I don’t know how many times I thrashed the counter button, but to no avail. This can be improved by upgrading your character by way of upgrade points, but it feels like more of an intentional crippling of your character.

The slow character movement can be remedied by investing points into your speed statistics, but this doesn’t really stop the character feeling so heavy. Triad Wars retains the parkour-esque movements of Sleeping Dogs, so when you slowly plod down a street and the zoom up and over a wall like David Belle himself, the speed problem is particularly jarring.

Then the second problem arose. I really, hate driving in Triad Wars. Everything sounds right, cars look fantastic and seeing the night lights of the city reflecting on your car is still awesome. But every vehicle except one handles like a shopping trolley. I know full well that the best way to take a corner is to slow, turn, accelerate. But this is a high octane game, and I expect, nay I demand to be able to ricochet my car around a corner.

Triad Wars just hits all the right buttons in all the right places, and ignoring the two minor gripes above, I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about the game. Even the small details still make a mark on what you see in the game. Have you been injured? Go buy some roast duck from a street vendor and carry it down the street, munching away before hurling it away. If you throw it away too close to someone, they look at you like a monster for littering.

The world just feels like people actually live in it. People hang out in groups outside shops, lone workers sweep the back step of their store, people realistically scatter or bounce of your bonnet if you decide to plough through an alley way.

This is easily the most bug free and enjoyable Beta testing period I have sat through in recent memory. Zero crashes, not a bug in sight, no glitches that propel me into the sky and not a single graphical hiccup. United Front Games and Square Enix, I doff my hat to you. You’re making something great here.

The Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition Launch Trailer for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One dropped today, and it’s more or less what you expect from a launch trailer. In typical Definitive Edition trailer it shows of the key aspects of the new build of the game, enhanced shaders, higher resolution textures and the like. Were the source of the trailer given the option by YouTube, I dare say they would have shown of the new 60fps features.

But then it descends into the typical, rising note echoed by a drum beat montage of flashing scenes from the game.

If you happened to miss out on Sleeping Dogs, shame on you, the first time around, then now is the perfect time to get into the shoes of Wei Shen and haul your ass across Hong Kong, preventing and partaking in criminal activity whilst performing ridiculously cool hand to hand combat. Check it out today and let us know what you think in the comments.

It’s time to get back into the streets of Hong Kong, find something blunt or pointy (your choice) and crack some heads. As good ol’ Wei Shen, take your adventures undercover as you work your way through the ranks of the Triads while trying to keep your cop buddies happy.

If you missed it, and shame on you if you did, Sleeping Dogs is like Grand Theft Auto in Hong Kong but only with a great hand to hand combat system that when used properly lets you basically recreate an action movie of your choosing from Jet Li’s younger days.

The updated version brings not only a much crisper world with higher resolution textures and better shaders, the game also slides nicely up to golden 60 fps. Driving is probably still going to be dumb, but it’s the funny kind of dumb. By the way…did I mention you can kill your enemies with sword fish? Because that’s totally a thing. And I love it.

The chances are good that you’ve already played United Front’s amazing open world good guy/bad guy action crime drama Sleeping Dogs. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t play the Definitive Edition, does it?

Of course it doesn’t. Sleeping Dogs was, and still is one of the best titles available on the 7th generation hardware. If you missed out on this great game or even just have a special place for it in your heart, the Definitive Edition is without a doubt the best time to step back into the shoes of our thoroughly ass kicking friend Wei Shen. Check out the latest trailer for the game above.

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, while definitely a step up from the original, seems to be on par with the PC build of the original game. It will include all the previously released DLC, an art book and 1080p visuals running at 30 FPS on both the PS4 and Xbox One. It will be available on October 10th in Europe and October 14th in North America