First details on Atlus’ new fantasy RPG, “PROJECT Re FANTASY” [Update]

Plus, new Persona and other titles on the way.

First details on Atlus‘ new fantasy RPG teased yesterday have come out from the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu.

The new game, currently titled PROJECT Re FANTASY, is currently without an announced platform, release date, or price. It is a completely new RPG set in a fantasy world, rather than a modern world as recent Atlus games like Shin Megami Tensei and Persona have been set.

PROJECT Re FANTASY is in development at Studio Zero, a new studio established by Atlus that features talents such as Persona series producer and director Katsura Hasino, artist Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro.

Atlus will host a live stream on December 23 at 20:00 JST, after which (at 22:00 JST) it will begin large-scale recruiting for the new RPG project.

Details about the game are still unknown, but Weekly Famitsu has an interview with Atlus company director Naota Hiraoka and Studio Zero creative producer and director Katsura Hashino.

Here are the tidbits:

Regarding the goal of establishing a new studio
Hiraoka: “Originally, as a mid-term plan of Atlus, we had wanted to establish a studio with the goal of creating a new IP and aim even higher. In these several years, the people whom we could entrust with it always seemed to be busy, but we wondered if we can trust it to Hashino, who finished up Persona 5.”
Regarding Soejima and Meguro’s involvement on the project
Hiraoka: “Soejima is an indispensable member of the Persona series staff, but we don’t want his work to stop there. Meguro is the same. Both will continue to participate in the Persona series in the future.
“We’re steadily developing other titles behind the scenes, including the Persona series. We plan to announce future titles in the new year, without keeping you waiting too long.”
Why did Studio Zero decide to take on the fantasy genre?
Hashino: “Until now, since the time fantasy went mainstream, Atlus has dared to create series set in contemporary times and cherished its stance of aiming to counter the typical. The series works from Persona 3 an onwards are the exact products of such thought. I had always held the thought that I someday want to challenge the traditional genre and deliver a title uniquely Atlus.”
Can you give us a hint about the visual you unveiled?
“The visual we released at this time is concept art to share our frame of mind. The character in the illustration made for the cover isn’t necessarily the protagonist either.”

Thanks, Hachima Kikou.

Update 1:05 a.m.: Here are a few more tidbits, via Sokuho@Hokanko:

There are three imageboards in the magazine. There’s a group of soldiers confronting a dragon to illustrate “building new ideas based on things from the past”; four people and a dog riding in a carriage to illustrate “bonds”; and a red-haired elf girl with a blonde boy on a horse to illustrate a “journey.”
Shigenori Soejima is part of a newly established “Atlus Artwork Team.”
Studio Zero’s logo is a journeying boy on a tarot card with a “0” on it, which means “fool.”
According to Hashino, “While the supported hardware is currently undecided, we’re making this for those who like home console games and love Atlus games. I think it will require a reasonable amount of time to complete, but we’re all working to deliver something exciting, so I want you to look forward to it.”