After more than a decade since the character last appeared in his own game, expectations will likely be high for Level-5’s upcomingProfessor Layton and the New World of Steamset to release sometime during 2025. Though the titular Professor Hershel Layton has featured in crossovers and spin-offs likeProfessor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyorLayton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy,Professor Layton and the New World of Steamwill finally see the professor return as the lead in his own game. Moreover, the upcoming game could be hugely significant for theLaytonfranchise as it reestablishes itself on the Switch.
With the professor’s last official game,Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, concluding its 3DS prequel trilogy in 2013,TheNew World of Steammarks a shift for the series, ranging from a change in visual design to anall-newLaytonsaga set after the DS trilogy. Given thatThe New World of Steamis slated to launch in 2025, fans can expect to have its release date potentially confirmed later during the year alongside more news and updates. However, players should also expectThe New World of Steamto be different from past games in the series due to changes in settings, voice actors, and puzzle designers.
Professor Layton and the World of Steam Could Be an Important Step for the Franchise
Putting asideLaytonfans' anticipation of a newLaytongameso many years afterThe Azran Legacyand itsLayton’s Mystery Journeyspin-off,The New World of Steamcould be the most significant game in the franchise. Besides officially introducing the titular protagonist to the Switch,The New World of Steamwill be the first in the series to have its puzzles designed by QuizKnock following the death of its former designer, Akira Tago, in 2016. Additionally, Layton and Luke Triton’s reunion inThe New World of Steamwill also debut Mio Imada as Luke’s Japanese voice actor after Maki Horikita’s retirement in 2017.
This could mean that players should expectThe New World of Steamto potentially set a different tone to pastLaytongames, as alongside QuizKnock’s puzzle designs, the upcoming game will take place in an American western-inspired town called Steam Bison. With trailers forThe New World of Steamshowcasing Steam Bison’s steampunk aesthetic and the game’s cowboy-like villain, Gunman King Joe, it should be expected thatThe New World of Steamwill establish itself away from the series' original British influences. As a result, this could even indicate that Level-5 is preparing players for athird trilogy ofLaytongames on the Switch.
Predicting Professor Layton and the New World of Steam’s 2025 Release
Currently, neither Nintendo nor Level-5 have specified an exact date for the upcoming game, though it was confirmed a few months after its announcement in 2023 thatThe New World of Steamhad a planned release windowin 2025. While it has also been confirmed thatThe New World of Steamwill be available worldwide, based on pastLaytongames, it remains unclear if there will be delays between a Japanese release followed by an international one. But given when these pastLaytongames were launched, fans should expectThe New World of Steamto get an official release date of late 2025, such as October or November.
Anticipating Future Updates for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam
AsThe New World of Steam’s release is still planned for 2025 and while players wait for an official launch, it’s more than likely Level-5 will continue to reveal more about the game to build interest ahead of its release. Should this include another trailer, then it could coincide with Nintendo Direct later on in 2025, though this could prove problematic given the interest surrounding the all-but-confirmed Switch 2. However, if Nintendo does unveil the Switch 2 in 2025, then the “new” inThe New World of Steammight help Level-5seize the opportunity with its nextLaytongame being available on both Switch platforms.
