Summary
Atlusveteran Katsura Hashino has teased his next project afterMetaphor: ReFantazio, which he says is already in the works. He did so as part of a recent interview that also saw him talk a bit about his creative process and how his day-to-day looks since he took charge of a new division atAtlus.
Hashino is an industry veteran with credits on nearly 50 games spanning four decades. He has lately been on a press tour in order to promote thecritically acclaimedMetaphor: ReFantazio, which hit the market on October 11 and immediately established itself as one of the highest-rated games of 2024.
As part of these promotional efforts, Hashino recently sat down withFamitsuin order to talk about his work, friendship withSilent Hillcreator Keiichiro Toyama, and other topics. One of the highlights from this interview is the confirmation that theMetaphor: ReFantaziodirectoris already working on his next game. “Yes, I’ve already started,” he said in reference to this mysterious project.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Director Didn’t Pick His Next Project Based on Personal Preference
Elaborating on how this unannounced title was greenlit, Hashino said that he doesn’t tackle game ideas based on what he’d personally like to do, but rather what kind of things his team at Atlus wants to pursue the most. “Firstly, I want the players to be happy, and as a result, I hope the company will be happy as well; that is how I always work,” he explained.
Firstly, I want the players to be happy, and as a result, I hope the company will be happy as well; that is how I always work.
Studio Zero Remains Focused on New Atlus Initiatives
The interview also saw him note that not much has changed since he established and started running Studio Zero in 2017, saying that this unit doesn’t act as a separate company, but merely a place fornew Atlus initiatives. As such, Studio Zero won’t disband now thatMetaphor: ReFantaziois out, much like it continued after releasing its first game,Catherine: Full Body. While the phrase “new initiatives” might suggest that Hashino’s next project will be another original IP, that won’t necessarily be the case. After all,Catherine: Full Bodywas an enhanced edition of the 2011Catherine, which predates Studio Zero.
There should be no shortage of interest in Hashino’s next project, as his current track record is pretty outstanding. Since the ’90s, he has directed and/or produced critically acclaimed titles such as the first three 3DPersonagames,Dragon’s Crown, andOdin Sphere, among plenty of others. Based on its current level of acclaim,Metaphor: ReFantaziostands alongside Hashino’s best works. And if Atlus’s track record is any indication, Studio Zero might even be working on someMetaphorDLC right now, especially now that the company says it wants to focus on releasing expansions rather than enhanced editions of games such asSMT5: VengeanceandPersona 5: Royal.
