Unlike 2020, several of the games industry’s largest events, such as E3 and Gamescom, are returning in 2021, although in a digital format. While some events took occur last year due to the ongoing epidemic, many of the ones that did had a more relaxed production.
Tokyo Game Show was one of these events, with considerably fewer important announcements than prior years. This looks to be changing this year, with large displays planned by Capcom, Square Enix, and Xbox. Sega has announced that it will show off a new RPG title at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, which it will co-host with Atlus.
While Sega was present at last year’s Tokyo Game Show, given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the game industry, the company’s presence was different from previous years. The company couldn’t announce any new titles and instead hosted a Yakuza: Like a Dragon live-stream hosted by some of the game’s development team and voice cast.
Sega looks to be shaking things up this year, as the Tokyo Game Show website has changed its schedule of live events to promote Sega’s booth, which will also feature Atlus games. According to the showcase’s description, Sega is preparing to launch a new RPG title during the event.
The TGS 2021 website formerly included a logo commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sakura Wars series, one of Sega’s longest-running RPG titles, which debuted on the Sega Saturn in 1996. In 2019, a completely new game, Shin Sakura Wars (translated as simply Sakura Wars), was released on PlayStation 4 and was later released in the west in April 2020.
Character designs by Tite Kubo, author of the Bleach manga, were included in this edition, along with guest designs by Shigenori Soejima, character designer for Persona, and Pokemon artist Ken Sugimori. Sonic Team’s Hedgehog Engine was also used to create the game. Given the fact that the Japanese release was almost two years ago and the proof revealed on the website, it’s not hard to assume that Sega is preparing to disclose this.
Spotted on the TGS Music Fes site: pic.twitter.com/ldc0sQlCtR
— Samantha Ferreira – #GoFightWin (@sam_animeherald) September 2, 2021
Another possibility is the formal reveal of Atlus’ long-awaited Project Re Fantasy, the latest title from Persona 3, 4, and 5 director Katsura Hashino, developed by Atlus’ new internal team Studio Zero. Project Re Fantasy was first announced in 2017 as a new PS4 exclusive action RPG, but the team has remained nearly entirely silent about the game’s development since then.
However, Atlus confirmed in January that the game’s development had reached a “climax” and that the game was nearing completion, so even if this isn’t the planned RPG game for Sega’s eve, it’s worth noting that the game’s development is nearing completion.
