Long‑lost Ratchet & Clank mobile game “Clone Home” found and archived

After years of searching, a dedicated group of fans has extracted and archived a complete, playable build of the canceled mobile game Ratchet & Clank: Clone Home. The recovery — and the broader history of the title — is documented in a new video by YouTuber The Golden Bolt.

Background

Clone Home was a planned J2ME (Java) follow-up to the 2005 mobile title Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile. It was reportedly finished around 2006 but quietly canceled before release. The game was long considered lost, rising to near-mythical status among preservationists and R&C fans.

The Recovery

• Researchers traced a complete build to a Sony Ericsson W880i device owned by a private collector.
• After years of attempts, the team managed to crack the phone’s encryption, extract the game and archive the files for public access.
• Players report the build is complete and playable — a bit rough around the edges, but surprisingly strong mechanically, with quirky plot beats and unusual weapons like the “Ewezie” that turns enemies into sheep.

Who helped

Key contributions came from community researchers (known online as “Emily” and “Super Gamer Omega Clank”) and The Golden Bolt, whose video helped reignite the search in 2019 and whose recent retrospective details the recovery.

Where to learn more & download

Primary resources:

• The Golden Bolt’s recovery video (YouTube): Watch the video
• Lost Media Wiki entry with history and archival links: Clone Home — Lost Media Wiki

Why it matters

This is a win for game preservation: a finished, canceled title returned to the public domain for study and play. It also rewards years of community detective work and highlights the fragility of digital releases on legacy platforms.

If you want to try the build, follow the instructions on the Lost Media Wiki and watch The Golden Bolt’s video for context. Please respect preservation ethics and copyright guidance when downloading and using archived builds.

Discuss: Have you played Clone Home or other rare R&C entries? Share your experience below — and feel free to comment on the original tweet to keep the convo going.