Japanese developer CyberConnect2 recently announced .hack//Z.E.R.O, a completely new entry in the classic action RPG series. While the original .hack series is owned and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the brand-new installment, reviving the series after an extremely long hiatus, will be completely self-published by CyberConnect2. In a recent interview with 4Gamer, series creator and CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama talked about the advantages (and difficulties) of being able to publish the new title in-house.
According to Matsuyama, internal discussions about potentially creating a new .hack game had been going on and off since more than 15 years ago, yet they never ended up coming to fruition. That is why, to coincide with the company’s 30-year anniversary project, the studio decided to go and directly ask Bandai Namco Entertainment for permission to use the .hack brand and publish the new title.
When asked whether taking on the task of fully self-publishing a game makes development easier or just complicates it, Matsuyama said that everything is much easier now that CyberConnect2 is able to take full control.
“Everything becomes way easier [with self-publishing]. That’s the only answer. By placing full responsibility on ourselves, we’ll be able to pour all of our know-how, ideas and passion into this work, and push it beyond its limit. That’s why I’m positive that .hack//Z.E.R.O. will be made with a level of passion that’s never been seen before. As for the risks, the only risk would be financial,” Matsuyama said.
When it comes to both commission work and self-publishing, the director explains that resources are not infinite, and that time is also limited. “However, with .hack//Z.E.R.O. we’ll be handling all of those important decisions by ourselves. Like, how deep we want to go with development.” As Matsuyama notes, through this process, CyberConnect2 has all the freedom to choose to keep refining the game to the smallest details if they judge it would be beneficial for making their player base happy and turning the game into a hit.
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