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[purseowner]

http://gematsu.com/2017/05/atelier-...tion-set-june-7-new-title-announcement-teased

Gust will host its previously teased Atelier series 20th anniversary presentation on June 7 at 13:00 JST, the company announced. You’ll be able to watch it live on YouTube.

The event will host the reveal of “many commemoration projects” in celebration of the 20th anniversary. It will feature Yuuka Aisaka, the voice actress of Sophie from Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book, as well as series character designer Mel Kishida and other illustrators, who will share all sorts of behind the scenes stories.

The description of the event also teases, “Will there be information on the new title that people have been wondering about? Also, in celebration of the anniversary, valuable information about the series’ fans as well?”

Surely the third 'Mysterious' title, but perhaps something more all encompassing additionally?

Spoiler

Give me Atelier Musou

Also could be the first Atelier on Switch as well as the usual platforms if Nights of Azure 2 is anything to go by. Hopefully they don't drop Vita, but then again Firis ran abysmally.

Speculate away.

 

[Eolz]

Likely going to announce a game on Switch yeah.
I would like some kind of celebration game or remake for the 20th anniversary (any platform).

 

[Toadthemushroom]

Likely going to announce a game on Switch yeah.
I would like some kind of celebration game or remake for the 20th anniversary (any platform).

If I remember correctly KT's engine now has an "export to Switch" button (or along those lines - new builds can automatically be created with Switch) so it'd be nice to see that happen. Vita's being stretched too thin with PS4 ports - Firis was literally breaking the limits of acceptable.

 

[Gunkankun]

PS4 rerelease of arland trilogy incoming!

 

[Ascheroth]

If I remember correctly KT's engine now has an "export to Switch" button (or along those lines - new builds can automatically be created with Switch) so it'd be nice to see that happen. Vita's being stretched too thin with PS4 ports - Firis was literally breaking the limits of acceptable.

Well, if it works as well as their 'export to PC' button, then good luck.

 

[Parsnip]

Firis was disappointing, and the crappy PC version didn't help.
Hopefully the third Mysterious game will be better.

 

[Shizuka]

After the weak ass performance of Firis on the Vita, might as well turn it into a PS4 exclusive franchise. Even the PC port wasn't up to snuff.

 

[Seiryoden]

I love the Atelier games so I've been looking forward to this. Dream announcement would be a new Mana Khemia. Or a decent ending to the Dusk Trilogy -_-

 

[EDarkness]

If I remember correctly KT's engine now has an "export to Switch" button (or along those lines - new builds can automatically be created with Switch) so it'd be nice to see that happen. Vita's being stretched too thin with PS4 ports - Firis was literally breaking the limits of acceptable.

Hopefully they can do a good port, but I guess we'll see next week.

 

[Eolz]

Hopefully they can do a good port, but I guess we'll see next week.

Isn't their first real Switch game coming out in August with Nights of Azure 2?
Everything before that is a quick port really.

 

[GoldandBlue]

I hope they learn from the mistakes of Firis. Sophie was my first experience with the series when it hit PC and I ended up loving it a whole lot. Firis now makes me cautious about the series.

 

[chrominance]

I was wondering when we'd hear something about the next Atelier.

I'm hoping Firis was a one-off mistake re: the PC port and some of the game design decisions they made. I remember how excited I was after the reveal of the key art for Firis last year, and where that ultimately led. I kind of assume this will be PS4/Switch/PC, Switch seems like a natural home for all the games that would've seen release on the Vita in the past.

As for the potential extra surprise, I have no good guesses. It might be neat if they went way back and remade/localized one of the really old Atelier games, but I can't imagine there being a market for anything before Mana Khemia/Iris (and possibly not even those).

 

[sir_bumble_bee]

Firis was disappointing, and the crappy PC version didn't help.
Hopefully the third Mysterious game will be better.

Hasn't Gust as a whole been on a bit of a slump?

 

[Strings]

Hoping they don't continue the Firis open world style >.< I liked the second half of that game, but that was basically because it reverted back to traditional Atelier.

 

[SarusGray]

Hasn't Gust as a whole been on a bit of a slump?

this. They went from one of my favorite devs to my least favorite with their quality drop in the atelier series.

 

[R_thanatos]

I hope they learn from the mistakes of Firis. Sophie was my first experience with the series when it hit PC and I ended up loving it a whole lot. Firis now makes me cautious about the series.

Sophie was a weird entry . i personnally enjoyed it , but some aspects as a long time player just made me despair.

I'm guessing you don't have a PS3 or a PS2 ? the older titles are fantastic

 

[Grim Patron]

Hoping they don't continue the Firis open world style >.< I liked the second half of that game, but that was basically because it reverted back to traditional Atelier.

Given how terrible it sold, I expect some changes lol. No CE on PS4 either lmao.

 

[FStubbs]

I'm backlogged on Atelier, but maybe Firis was like Atelier Iris 3. I remember Atelier Iris 3 trying some different things from Iris 1 and 2 that felt flat and not quite there ... but then they got those things right with Mana Khemia 1 and 2.

 

[Calm Mind]

That leaves From Software, Arc System Works and Falcom as the last Switch holdouts.

 

[rulerk1]

slay me Gust

 

[FStubbs]

That leaves From Software, Arc System Works and Falcom as the last Switch holdouts.

I wouldn't hold my breath on From or Falcom.

You knew Gust had a good chance when they were absorbed by Tecmo Koei and Atelier Rorona was ported to 3DS in Japan.

Plus Gust had 3 Atelier entries on DS.

 

[Calm Mind]

I wouldn't hold my breath on From or Falcom.

You knew Gust had a good chance when they were absorbed by Tecmo Koei and Atelier Rorona was ported to 3DS in Japan.

Falcom I can understand

 

[SephLuis]

I hope the next Atelier is better. The open world approach was cool, but it needed more direction with the story and they need to make battle and crafting more fun. They have been simplifying mechanics way to much.

Gust still has Nights of Azure 2 and I wonder if we will see a new Surge Concerto game anytime soon.

 

[Nairume]

I wouldn't hold my breath on From or Falcom.

From at least has devkits and leaks suggests them attempting to port DS3.

 

[Busaiku]

That leaves From Software, Arc System Works and Falcom as the last Switch holdouts.

BlazBlue was announced.

 

[Calm Mind]

BlazBlue was announced.

MIA since announcement. I am not holding my breath on that one.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

I'd be ok with a Dusk Trilogy PS4 Port <3

 

[GoldandBlue]

Sophie was a weird entry . i personnally enjoyed it , but some aspects as a long time player just made me despair.

I'm guessing you don't have a PS3 or a PS2 ? the older titles are fantastic

Never had a PS3 and never played them during the PS2 era. I did read about long time players problem with Sophie but I loved it for what it was.

 

[Eusis]

I wouldn't hold my breath on From or Falcom.

From has a good chance. The real question is if it will be a core game or some random thing like the Felyne game that gets ignored, and I'm not optimistic for core output.

Falcom... well, it seems they're giving up on the Vita so it depends on how much they want to keep a handheld presence.

 

[Producer]

I love atelier but starting with dusk and especially now with sophie and firis they just have been going in the wrong direction. I need some arland time management / game mechanics, no open world

 

[Hero of Legend]

Funny thing is that the director of the PS2 Iris games went on to work with HAL and Nintendo and direct Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and before that as Sub-Game Director of Return to Dream Land. Maybe Nintendo should have HAL and Gust make an exclusive.

But yeah, Falcom is one of the few major folks to not have any Switch games known to be in the works. The others I can recall are Idea Factory and Compile Heart.

 

[ohlawd]

But yeah, Falcom is one of the few major folks to not have any Switch games known to be in the works. The others I can recall are Idea Factory and Compile Heart.

serious? stay losing, Falcom

 

[DangerMouse]

PS4 rerelease of arland trilogy incoming!

Heh, I really liked the Arland games.

 

[Ōkami]

Falcom hasn't released anything on a Nintendo system in 20 years, they even skipped the DS entirely.

Don't expect them on Switch, they've found a strong audience on Asia, they're staying on PS4, Vita doesn't matter.

 

[Hero of Legend]

serious? stay losing, Falcom

Yeah, when even NIS and Gust have major Switch support, it may be time for you to look in the same direction, and both are very known Sony-focused developers.

 

[Toadthemushroom]

this. They went from one of my favorite devs to my least favorite with their quality drop in the atelier series.

Yeah, if you had the likes of Intelligent Systems and Falcom at the top of the RPG developer scale, I would probably put Gust near the middle now when they'd be between middle and top for me previously.

I suspect changing market conditions and the Koei Tecmo ownership have changed things in the long run - it does feel like new Atelier games are rolling off a production line now.

 

[Usobuko]

Gust is one company I amazed to be churn out Atelier on a consistent basis even though sales seem to be declining for recent titles.

Efficiency?

 

[Toadthemushroom]

Falcom hasn't released anything on a Nintendo system in 20 years, they even skipped the DS entirely.

Don't expect them on Switch, they've found a strong audience on Asia, they're staying on PS4, Vita doesn't matter.

Even if they wanted to it would take significant investment, since they are basically "locked in" to PlayStation after adopting PhyreEngine for their titles. PhyreEngine doesn't appear to officially support Xbox One (and of course no Switch support).

They'd have to make a whole new engine and have it working on Switch so the potential market for their games (in their eyes) would need to be large enough to justify the cost of doing so and then some.

 

[KtSlime]

Even if they wanted to it would take significant investment, since they are basically "locked in" to PlayStation after adopting PhyreEngine for their titles. PhyreEngine doesn't appear to officially support Xbox One (and of course no Switch support).

They'd have to make a whole new engine and have it working on Switch so the potential market for their games (in their eyes) would need to be large enough to justify the cost of doing so and then some.

Fortunately Gust dropped PhyreEngine almost 5 years ago and the last 4 games in the series have used KTGL.

 

[Mivey]

I was wondering when we'd hear something about the next Atelier.

I'm hoping Firis was a one-off mistake re: the PC port and some of the game design decisions they made.

They will probably still use the same art assets for Switch and PC again. I mean, they made that for both ports, this has to be a conscious process where they think the platform is somehow not capable or appropriate for high resolution textures.

 

[Kresnik258]

I wonder if it's a third Mysterious game whether it'll release on Vita to complete the trilogy. Would be a decent way to go out on the handheld for Gust.

Didn't like what I played of Firis. I can kinda agree with the above sentiments, Gust were once among my favourite developers in the world from about the beginning of the Arland series right through to Ar no Surge/Atelier Shallie. Then I didn't think much of Sophie (though I need to give it another go) and I really didn't like Firis. Doesn't help that the performance of the latter on Vita was so crappy, especially after Sophie which was probably their most technically impressive game on the platform.

I hope they pull it together. I feel like they're being stretched too thin these days - haven't played Nights of Azure yet, but that got a fairly middling reception among Gust fans from what I read; as did Blue Reflection. Then with Firis being weak and kinda bombing in Japan (and seemingly in the west too) they really need another hit on their hands.

 

[Toadthemushroom]

Fortunately Gust dropped PhyreEngine almost 5 years ago and the last 4 games in the series have used KTGL.

I was referring to Falcom there.

Yup, since Ar noSurge (or Escha and Logy, I forget which) they've been using Koei Tecmo's engine.

 

[Oregano]

I think it's evident they are being stretched pretty thin nowadays.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

Been a huge fan of Gust games but the mysterious games really disappointed me. I didn't even finish Sophie and I can't be bothered to true end Firis.

Everything feels like a step back. The mysterious games have a happy tone but the characters are boring and unlike Arland there's barely any humor. Like so many characters are just "nice" without anything else to add. The battle system is more boring, the alchemy systems are okay but Firis introduces unbelievable tedium by not letting you duplicate items. Even the animation and the music are inferior.

I know gust can do great games but maybe they should take a two year dev cycle for once and make the great atelier game I know they can.

 

[aspiegamer]

This series is pretty much perfect for Switch and I hope future games make it there. Hell, the entire "casual JRPG" genre has Switch written all over it, where it can pick up where the Vita left off (with more power and a much larger install base going forward).

Also, I love any possible excuse to post this picture to explain the series to new players:

 

[Raytow]

Love how in a thread about an announcement, turns into everything should be on the Switch thread, fantastic.

 

[Marow]

Sophie was a weird entry . i personnally enjoyed it , but some aspects as a long time player just made me despair.

As someone who will probably try out Sophie as my first Atelier game thanks to the PC release, could you elaborate?

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Love how in a thread about an announcement, turns into everything should be on the Switch thread, fantastic.

Every.Single.thread

 

[Saphirax]

As someone who will probably try out Sophie as my first Atelier game thanks to the PC release, could you elaborate?

The game is pretty aimless. Atelier as a series just keeps deteriorating in quality. The Arland trilogy was good with memorable characters and events. Ayesha was also similar but after that the series went downhill. Escha & Logy as characters were decent but everything else about their game was bland and forgettable.

Shallie+, despite some of its issues, gave the impression that Gust would start improving albeit slowly.

And then Sophie came out and well...I personally haven't played Firis yet but I consider Sophie to be the worst in the Atelier series. It feels like Gust lost their focus on characters and the story and instead opted to focus on gameplay. Except they keep making questionable design decisions (like Firis).

 

[Oregano]

Love how in a thread about an announcement, turns into everything should be on the Switch thread, fantastic.

Every.Single.thread

Koei Tecmo had openly discussed the fact that they want to support Switch with their games and Gust's own Nights of Azure 2 is launching day and date with Vita and PS4.

Switch derailing can be annoying but it's not like it came out of nowhere for this.