CyberConnect2, the prominent video game development studio behind the .hack RPG series, has revealed .hack//Z.E.R.O the latest game in the series.
10 years in the making, the development studio CyberConnect2 hit the internet today with the announcement that they are working on a new title in the .hack series. .hack//Z.E.R.O is a brand-new title in the series, set in the same universe as all previous installments, but the developer promises newcomers will have an easier onboarding experience. The developers promise newcomers will not need prior knowledge of the series to feel immersed in the latest installment. A new teaser trailer has been released, and it can be seen below.
In an interview with Famitsu (translated via Google), CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama gave fans a deeper explanation of the new game. First off, he says the title is completely self-funded by the studio itself, and Bandai Namco allowed the studio to proceed, granting them IP rights for development. Matsuyama notes the team is very grateful for this unprecedented agreement and says, “With .hack//ZERO, we also see it as our way of giving back to the Bandai Namco Group,” saying they believed in the studio when it was comprised of “10 young people with no talent whatsoever.”
The new title is set roughly 10 years in the future and will, once again, center around the in-game MMORPG titled The World. While previous entries in the .hack series were limited in their depictions of the real world to emails and web browsers due to budget and publisher constraints, no such constraints will exist for .hack//Z.E.R.O. and the team is placing greater emphasis on the in-game universe’s real-world drama. Matsuyama also notes that the “ZERO” in the title refers to a fresh start for the series, alongside the nameless protagonist featured on concept art. .hack//ZERO is an RPG with action-adventure elements.
Unfortunately, that’s all CyberConnect2 had to share about the new development so far. Fans can head to the official CyberConnect2 website to check out the new digs.
