While Level-5 has just shipped RPG Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom just a few days ago, it seems the studio is already hard at work on its next project, and it’s going to be pretty big.
As part of an on-going series of interviews by Japanese gaming site 4Gamer, Bandai Namco Entertainment Producer Katsuhiro Harada of Tekken fanem sat down and had a chat with Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino to talk about Level-5’s upcoming project for its 20th anniversary.
Harada:
“Don’t you want to make your own MMORPG?”
Hino:
“I do. I always think, ‘If I get a chance I want to make one.’ However, I still feel the pain of having to cancel True Fantasy Live Online (Xbox).”
Harada:
“Ah, for you that was enough, huh.”
Hino:
“To make an MMORPG, you need a well-oiled company as well as the knowledge and skill to create online games. It’s not enough to just sort of want to make an MMORPG. Back then we weren’t able to adhere to the schedule because we prioritized our mood. Then there were certain things with regards to the platform that ultimately forced us to have to cancel the project.”
Harada:
“Even after such an experience, you still felt you wanted to make one, then. I don’t know whether or not you still have such a
plan, but if you had the investment what kind of theme would you choose? Based on your past work, it seems like it would be a medieval kingdom theme.”
Hino:
“We do have an idea. I’m not sure if we can call it an MMORPG or not, but were plan to make a big title on the same scale as one. Also, since were going into our 20th year, we want to make something we like. If we able to get support from talented people able to do things we can’t, then I think we’ll be able to make it. By the way, the game we’re preparing won’t be fantasy but rather ‘modern day.’”
Harada:
“Oh, is it OK for you to be saying that here?”
Hino:
“It was said somewhere that we’ll make a game for our 20th anniversary, so I think it’s OK. Although we say it’s a game for the 20th anniversary, it won’t come out this year. Rather, we wanted to make the announcement in the year of the anniversary. For example, Ni no Kuni was a 10th anniversary celebration title, but it wasn’t actually released until two years later.”
Obviously, there’s nothing definite to announce just yet. But based on what Hino has divulged, it’s a big game, which rivals that of an MMORPG in scope, and it’ll be set in a “modern day” setting.
Hopefully, it’ll be something that has multiplayer in it (given the scope, that’s very likely), and that it’ll be something that’s more ambitious than even Ni no Kuni II.
Source: Gematsu
