Higurashi Origin Releasing for Switch in Japan June 2023; Features New Opening Movie, New Audio & More

Developer 07th Expansion and Entergram have announced that their visual novel Higurashi Origin will launch for Nintendo Switch in Japan on June 22, 2023, for ¥2,970.

Fans can anticipate a new opening movie, the Mehagashi-hen from Hou+ scenario with new sprites and voicework, and an Origin reading mode for a more cohesive experience. You can also swap between the original and more modernized presentation styles.

This scenario was changed to have the same single-story structure as in the original version (one complete story from the Onikakushi version to the Watanagashi version), and the dialogue was re-recorded to bring the expressions in the story closer to the original!

There is currently no word on whether this release will greet Western audiences. This title was initially announced earlier this month.

You can view more information via the game’s Nintendo Switch eShop page.

Thanks to Kars for sharing this news.

You can view official screenshots via our gallery below:

The When They Cry series is 07th Expansion’s main franchise, though they have also worked on Rose Guns Days, and their main creator/writer, Ryukishi07, has worked on scripts for various other games. For instance, Ryukishi07 is currently working on Silent Hill f with Konami, and he has contributed to Visual Arts/Key titles such as Loopers and Rewrite (doing Lucia’s routes).

The first When They Cry game is Higurashi, which was released episodically from 2002 to 2006. The visual novel was adapted into anime, manga, and other media, giving it wide recognition for its horror themes and strong mystery ambiance. The series was continued through multiple extra chapters, new stories, and games over time, having even received an original anime called Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni GOU in 2020 and 2021.