Visual Novel ‘Loopers’ Coming to Switch in 2022 with English Subtitles

Prototype has announced the Switch release of visual novel Loopers. Developed as a partnership between Visual Arts/Key and writer Ryukishi07, the title will include English subtitles in this console edition planned for an unspecified 2022 date. Considering previous Prototype releases with English localizations, this is likely to be available worldwide as well instead of being a Japan-exclusive edition with English language option.

Loopers is a kinetic novel about a high school student called Taira, who’s obsessed with a GPS-based hunting game. One day he and his friends are caught in an incident and their lives are changed forever. Now they are trapped in a weird loop and find other people who, like them, have become loopers.

As reality and fiction mingle and become connected, the group will have to join forces with the others to try to find a way out of this eternal prison. Along the way they will find a young boy called Simon who’s the leader of the other loopers as well as a mysterious girl called Mia.

Besides being written by Ryukishi, whose previous works include the classic Higurashi and Umineko novels, the story features illustrations from Kei Mochizuki. The game has also released for PC, Android and iOS in Japan last year. Back in May 2021, Key had already revealed during a livestream that they planned an international release of the kinetic novel, which was later confirmed by Visual Arts’ English Twitter.

We’ll be sure to provide more information on Loopers and its upcoming western release when new details are unveiled by Prototype and Visual Arts.