The director of the universally lauded Metaphor: ReFantazio has already begun work on a new game, less than two weeks since the RPG’s release.
In a Japanese-language interview with Famitsu, as first reported by PC Gamer, director Katsura Hashino spoke to Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama and Famitsu Group CEO Katsuhiko Hayashi about the game and the development team’s next steps.
When asked specifically about Studio Zero and parent company Atlus’ future plans, Hashino was predictably vague, though he did confirm that “they’ve already started” on their latest project. When pressed on whether he would be taking the lead on the game, Hashino all but confirmed he would, in the most humble way possible.
“I don’t really think about it as an individual,” he said. “I look at Atlus as a whole and think about what our team should create. First, I want our users to be happy, and then I want the company to be happy too. That’s how I always work.”
What exactly this new game will look like is unclear, but despite Studio Zero being set up initially to make Metaphor, it might not be a direct sequel. Though Hashino remained admirably cryptic, he did hint at a new direction and confirmed the studio was here for the long run.
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“We’re not going to break up after the release, so I hope we can take on new challenges as a team, no matter what kind of work we create,” he remarked, providing a small insight into his studio’s ambitions.
Hashino went on to say that Studio Zero is, above all else, “a place for new endeavors,” so dropping into a direct sequel may not be the direction they are looking to go.
Whatever happens next, the reception to Metaphor: ReFantazio has been overwhelmingly positive from critics and players alike. The game sold more than a million copies in the first 24 hours after release, and Atlus will surely be looking to capitalize on that momentum with Studio Zero’s next project.
