Fans of the .hack series shouldn’t expect an MMORPG title from developer CyberConnect 2 anytime soon. In a Q&A style video, CyberConnect 2 President Hiroshi Matsuyama comments on the possibility of the series going in an online direction. To sum it up quickly, Matsuyama-san essentially says that he doesn’t feel “the same attraction” to the idea when comparing it with the goals of the original titles.
.hack is a drama-driven single-player JRPG series set in the world of an online MMORPG. While Matsuyama-san admits that seeing some of the popular abilities used in an online environment could be very interesting, it would just be another online game at the end of the day. What set the .hack series apart at the time of its original release in 2002 was the fact that the single-player story revolved around the players in the fictional online world as opposed to being a real MMORPG. Matsuyama-san does go on to say that CyberConnect 2 always keeps fan feedback in mind, and while the idea won’t come to light anytime soon, it’s never out of the question.
The series did dive into online play during the height of its popularity with the Japan-exclusive .hack//frägment in 2005. Since then the latest release has come in the form of 2017’s .hack//G.U. Last Recode which is a compilation of the three PS2 titles remastered for PS4 with an additional never-before-seen fourth act. Fans have been waiting for a new entry in the series but nothing has been announced at this time.
Despite the lack of a .hack sequel, CyberConnect 2 has had their hands full over the last couple of years. The team was initially the main developer working alongside Square Enix on the much-anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. Additionally, the team has been putting their efforts into the Bandai Namco published Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what comes of the .hack series but hopefully, the wait won’t be too long.
[Source: CyberConnect 2 via Twinfinite]
