Falcom President Wants to Make Next Trails Game as Soon as Possible; Doesn’t Want People to Forget the Series

Japanese outlet Gamer recently interviewed the President of developer Nihon Falcom, Toshihiro Kondo, primarily regarding the latest entry in the Trails/Kiseki series, The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II Crimson Sin.

The final question asked by the interviewer pertains to when fans can expect the franchise’s next entry. The full exchange has been translated by our team’s Ryuji, viewable below:

When can we expect the next Trails game?

Kondo: We want to make a new one as soon as possible, but Ys will definitely be the focus this year. After all, if there’s a 3-year gap, people might forget about the series, similar to what happened with Sky SC. Still, we need at least this long time frame to recover our energy.

The gameplay mechanics and system will be the same as Kuro no Kiseki 1 and 2 but more sophisticated than other titles. We will incorporate new ideas and aim to continue to provide a safe and enjoyable experience. In a way, work on the next installment won’t end any time soon. I hope you’re able to see Kuro’s story through to the end and that the content will live up to your expectations.

The wording here, after conversing with multiple translators, appears to imply that a multi-year break is in store for Trails. Still, it may not be worth reading too deeply into Kondo’s phrasing and simply take it as there being a lengthier-than-usual break for the games. At the very least, I believe it’s safe to assume that there will not be any Trails-related announcements throughout 2023.

Personally, I’m pretty happy with that news. I think Trails needs considerable time to stop and reassess itself after Kuro II.

The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II Crimson Sin is available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in Japan and in traditional Chinese and Korean on Steam.

• DLC Details
• DLC Launches
• Official Strategy Guide
• Update Version 1.10
• Lore Videos
• Visual Collection
• Super Ultimate Album
• Soundtrack Launching

The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki is the latest arc of the ongoing Trails series, taking place after the recently concluded Cold Steel Erebonia arc, and after The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki, releasing in the west in 2023 as The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie.

This new title takes place in Calvard, one of the central regions of the series’ setting, the continent of Zemuria. While there are several returning characters from the Liberl, Crossbell, and Erebonia arcs, there is also a slew of new characters, each with their own struggles, relationships, and goals that enhance the liveliness of the in-game world.

Additionally, combat has undergone a significant shake-up, with action now freely swappable with turn-based in several circumstances, granting an impressive degree of player choice.