Summary
Team Asano, the division ofSquare Enixresponsible for titles likeBravely DefaultandOctopath Traveler, is planning various releases for 2025. This information came directly from studio head Tomoya Asano during a discussion about developers' goals for the upcoming year. The team is also known for creating the HD-2D graphics engine, which has been used in severalSquare Enixremakes likeDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. This opens the possibility that Team Asano’s 2025 releases could include either brand-new titles or classic game remakes.
In June this year, a leaker hinted that Team Asano was working on a sequel, with speculation leaning strongly toward anew installment in theBravely Defaultseries, for which the latest release wasBravely Default 2in February 2021. However, there were hypotheses about a potential sequel toLive A Live, a successful remake of the 1994 classic. Other Team Asano projects include the tactical RPGTriangle Strategyand the life simulatorVarious Daylife,but the latter is highly improbable due to its lackluster performance.
In an interview with4Gamer(translated byGematsu), Tomoya Asano shared his ambitions for 2025. According to him, Team Asano will “be putting out the various things we’ve been preparing” in 2025. One of these projects is likely the confirmed release of theremakes forDragon Quest 1and2, which will follow the same HD-2D style asDragon Quest 3 Remake. However, since Asano mentioned “various things,” it’s assumed there will be more than one release, not counting theDragon Questduology as two items since they will launch as a single product.
Team Asano to Announce Multiple Games in 2025
After theLive A Liveremake announcement in 2022,Square Enix said more HD-2D remakeswere in the works. WhileDragon Quest 3 HD-2Dhad already been announced then, the first two games in the series were not. Still, it’s not far-fetched to believe more games besides those that have already been revealed are in the pipeline to receive an HD-2D makeover. Many classic Square Enix titles would benefit from this graphical engine and could be part of the anticipated lineup for the Switch 2 in 2025.
That said, while Tomoya Asano’s ambitions are exciting for fans of Square Enix’s classic JRPGs, it’s worth noting that the producer has excited players in the past without delivering. In February 2024,Asano teasedBravely Defaultfanswith a tweet stating the team was “sure that we will be able to tell you something about theBravelyseries this year.” Unless something is revealed on the last day of the year, it’s unlikely any newBravely Defaultnews will come in 2024, making it likely that 2025 will bring fresh updates about the series.
