New Falcom President Interview; One More Kuro Game, 2-3 Regions Left to Explore, Sky Remake Discussion, Van Romance & More

Recently, Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo was interviewed by the Chinese outlet Weibo regarding the future of the Trails series. We have compiled notable information from this interview, translated by trustworthy acquaintances, as well as Falcom community member Hansuke. I’ve also provided occasional personal comments to shed context on certain parts, hopefully.

Still, it is worth keeping in mind that there might be inaccuracies about names or terms due to none of these translations being official. Additionally, while I don’t believe anything stated below is a spoiler, some Kuro elements are discussed, so beware. 

Firstly, Kondo states that the Trails series’ story is 70% complete (which I feel has been said countless times before, but whatever.) The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki Crimson Sin revealed that there is one more installment in the Calvard saga remaining. Afterward, there are either two or three remaining regions left to explore.

Kondo says that these areas are nowhere near as sizable as Erebonia and Calvard, so there’s a fairly likely chance they’ll receive fewer games. Personally, potential candidates that come to mind are Arteria, Remiferia, and Leman State. Further, the narrative pacing can’t be sped up, and dense storytelling will occur in these more compact regions.

The possibility of a Trails in the Sky remake in the modern engine was brought up, with Kondo stating that players’ worldwide voices will ultimately determine its feasibility. Kondo himself, the Asian and Japanese player bases, and several other staff members all have personal connections to the Sky saga, so a remake effort at least seems plausible.

Opening animation styles were discussed, too. For those unaware, Trails into Reverie onward has used 3D cutscenes rather than 2D animation for the openings. This is because the 3D openings are easier to create, and the staff is skilled at such, though the final call on whether 2D or 3D animated openings will be used in the future will be up to them.

Another notable subject in this interview is the relationship status of Calvard’s protagonist, Van Arkride. Falcom is still unsure who he will become romantically involved with. However, if necessary, they intend to confirm this fact in the future. Elaine Auclair and Agnès Claudel are the two potential candidates. I’ve seen massive support for both characters, so it’s really anyone’s call on who Van will end up with.

One last element of note is how there seem to have been complaints about the new Orbment system introduced in The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki. Some players have shared frustrations with it being too difficult and complicated to learn, and if these critiques persist for Crimson Sin, the staff will end up making changes to this system.

If you’re fluent in Chinese, I recommend giving the full interview a read for yourself because it’s quite dense and lengthy.

• Kuro no Kiseki II April Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II May Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II June Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II July Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II August Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II September Famitsu information translated
• Kuro no Kiseki II Final Famitsu information
• DLC Details
• Official Strategy Guide Announced
• Latest DLC Coverage
• Update Version 1.10
• Super Ultimate Album Announced
• Character Trailers; Halloween Wallpaper
• Lore Videos
• Trails 2023 Calendar

The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II Crimson Sin is now available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in Japan. Check out our latest coverage of this release, which also acts as an avenue for previous extensive instances of doing so.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is now available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store, GOG, and Steam.

• Check out our review.
• View our 10 Beginner’s Tips.
• View our 100% completion guide spanning quests, fishing, recipes, and much more.
• Check out all of the in-game treasure chest messages exclusive to this localized release.