A new Tales game is imminent, it seems, after Namco Bandai pointed gamers in the direction of a website which teases a future announcement for the series. Entitled ‘Next Tales of…’ the website illustrates the legacy of the studio’s long-running franchise —with particular nods to Tales of Destiny and Tales of Phantasia— while hinting towards the latest installment.
The studio took to Twitter to publish the tease, which can be viewed below:
本日も「Next Tales of」の公式サイトを更新しました。 http://t.co/KdnUJYcBW9 シンフォニアとリバースの名シーン動画と壁紙を配信していますよ！ 是非アクセスしてみてくださいね★ #テイルズ 【宣伝担当】
— テイルズチャンネル＋ (@tales_ch) November 29, 2013
When translated, the message essentially reads: “We are planning to announce soon the mothership title which is the latest installment of ‘Tales of’ series…” Given that the studio registered trademarks for Tales of Zesteria in both Europe and North America back in September, it seems likely that Hideo Baba — the franchise’s prestigious producer — and his team will choose that as the designated name for his unannounced ‘mothership title’. Mind you, considering the scheduling for recent games in the series, it’s expected that the unannounced title will debut in Japan first and foremost.
Undoubtedly, the Tales series is alive and vibrant as ever. With 2013 heralding the release of Tales of Xilia in North America, it’s understood that its immediate sequel —Tales of Xilia 2— will also be localised for Western audiences in early 2014. At this time, however, it’s unclear whether the all-new entry will launch for next-gen systems or, in the vein of Atlus’ newly-announced Persona games, stay loyal to the current-gen hardware.
As the franchise nears its 20th anniversary, tell us, which direction would you like to see the new Tales game go? Indeed do you believe it will be labelled Tales of Zesteria? Let us know below.