Team Asano’s recent comments regarding multiple projects planned for 2025 fall in line with rumors from earlier in the year about a newBravely Defaultgame being in development. It’s been several years since the release of the most recent game in the series, 2021’sBravely Default 2, and 2024’s place as “the year of the RPG” sees players ready for even more experiences in the genre over the next 12 months of its ongoing renaissance. ButBravely Defaultis hardly the only series of Team Asano’s deserving of a third entry;Octopath Travelershould get a threequel sooner rather than later.
Given the history of Team Asano’s releases, anew game in theBravely Defaultseriescould serve as a sign that a newOctopath Travelergame is not far behind. The studio seemingly alternates between these two IPs, with the first two games in theBravely Defaultfranchise preceding the firstOctopath Traveler, andBravely Default 2arriving just 2 years ahead of the long-awaitedOctopath Traveler 2. While these series are far from the only properties Team Asano is directly involved with, a newBravely Defaultgame’s arrival might very well pave the way forOctopath Traveler 3.
Bravely Default’s Resurgence Paves the Way for a New Octopath Traveler Game
Team Asano is ostensibly Square Enix’s go-to studio when it comes to developing RPGs with retro-inspired mechanics and aesthetics. This applies to both new games that utilize old-school visuals and gameplay as well as remakes of classic games in the studio’s back catalog, with Team Asano developing the remake ofLive A Livealong with assisting on the recent remakes of the foundational opening trilogy in theDragon Questseries. Most players' first introductions to Team Asano, though, came about thanks to the studio’s two most well-known original IP:Bravely DefaultandOctopath Traveler.
In addition to both series coming from Team Asano as modern RPGs with a classic style, bothBravely DefaultandOctopath Travelerutilize similar approaches to combat, implementing a strong risk/reward mechanic in players being able to sacrifice future turns for multiple actions in a current turn. Historically, Team Asano has also alternated new games intheBravely Defaultserieswith new entries in theOctopath Travelerfranchise, making the rumor about aBravely Defaultgame’s reveal or release in 2025 a strong indicator that a third mainlineOctopath Travelertitle could be close behind.
Octopath Traveler 2’s Success Makes a Third Entry a Foregone Conclusion
Beyond Team Asano’s history and cadence of releases, a new mainline entry in theOctopath Travelerseries makes sense purely in terms of finance. Compared to the rapidly escalating budgets of full-3D AAA games, development costs for a 2D title likeOctopath Travelerand its sequelare likely more reasonable, and their sales success makes them a safe investment for Square Enix and its internal development studios, Team Asano included. The firstOctopath Travelerended up selling well in its own right, but the sequel’s quick surpassing of a million units bodes well for a third game in the series being greenlit.
Octopath Traveler 2was originally released in February 2023, and it only took roughly 3 months for the game to cross the million unit mark in terms of its sales. A large part of that success can likely be attributed to the title’s arrival on both PC and multiple consoles rather than the timed Switch exclusivity of the original game, andBravely Default 2enjoyed a similar boost to its sales following its PC port. If Team Asano is working on anewBravely Defaultgame, there’s a strong chance a newOctopath Travelerwill follow suit, and an even stronger likelihood that both titles will be multi-platform.
Octopath Traveler
WHERE TO PLAY
Eight travelers. Eight adventures. Eight roles to play in a new world brought to life by Square Enix. Explore each traveler’s story and use their abilities in and out of battle. Will you expand your horizons as the Merchant or track down a traitor as the Warrior? Where will you go? Who will join you? You alone can choose your path.Step into the shoes of a traveler to inherit their struggles and strengths. Use each character’s special abilities to interact with the world and enhance your tactics in turn-based battles. The Dancer’s alluring charm leads followers into battle, whereas the Apothecary can mix items to heal allies or unleash explosive attacks. Discover enemy weaknesses and target them to break through their defenses. Store Boost Points with each turn and then spend them at strategic times to strengthen abilities, chain attacks, or provide aid. Choose the path you wish to walk and discover what lies beyond the horizon.
