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| Gino DiGioia |
Level-5 Teases an MMO-size RPG
It's White Knight Chronicles III, isn't it? (I really hope not.)
03.25.18 - 9:22 PM
It's White Knight Chronicles III, isn't it? (I really hope not.)
03.25.18 - 9:22 PM
Bandai Namco producer Katsuhiro Harada runs a interview article section on 4Gamer.net called "Harada Kills," and in its fifth installment, he sat down with Level-5 president and CEO Akihiro Hino. In the interview, Hino shows regret for canceling Level-5's previous MMORPG concept, True Fantasy Live Online and mentions a little surprise for Level-5's 20th anniversary.
You can check out the translated section of the interview below:
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.”
“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.”
Level-5 turns 20 this October, so it seems we will get this "modern-themed MMORPG-size RPG" sometime in the next few years.
While you wait, check out our stuff for Level-5's most recent work, Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom: like Caitlin's recently released review of it or our gallery.
