Koei Tecmo released Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack in November last year for PC (Steam), PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. The title is positioned as a definitive edition of the trilogy, bundling new elements and improvements with the three previously released entries.
Talking to AUTOMATON in an interview conducted at the time of the release, Gust studio head Junzo Hosoi and development producer Katsuto Kawauchi reflected on the success of the Secret trilogy and discussed the future direction of the Atelier franchise as a whole.
While the Atelier series has long been associated with appealing characters (like the iconic Ryza) and distinct worldbuilding, Hosoi emphasized that the brand’s long-term competitiveness will, going forward, depend more on the strength of its gameplay systems.
“Our largest user base is still in Japan,” Hosoi says, but notes that Asia and North America, which have the two biggest player bases after Japan, have been growing in recent years. While competition in the genre is particularly fierce in Asia, Hosoi believes that few developers consistently release JRPG-style games at the pace that Atelier does, and that this regular release cycle may have helped the series gain traction overseas. “In a sense, it may even be something of a blue ocean,” he comments.
However, Hosoi also acknowledges that Atelier does not yet stand alongside the most globally dominant JRPG franchises. Gust’s goal, he explained, is for players to recognize a title as part of the Atelier series and choose to purchase it on that basis alone. But to reach that point, Hosoi believes his team must continuously demonstrate growth in both game design and development technology.
Asked whether this means prioritizing systems over characters and setting, Hosoi agrees. While he’s extremely grateful to fans who already buy the games based just on the Atelier name, he argues that expanding the audience will require more effort. “If we want to expand our fanbase further, we have to make the games even more compelling, so that core fans can confidently tell others, “This game is absolutely worth recommending.” Without that, Hosoi believes the series will not continue to grow.
Touching on the unprecedented popularity of Atelier Ryza, Hosoi described the franchise’s current state as being in “something of a bubble,” commenting that the level of success seen with Ryza will not last forever, and is not easy to reproduce. “That’s precisely why we need to use this moment to raise our development capabilities and our sales to a higher level,” he said.
Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack is available for PC (Steam), PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. Starting February 10, the bundle went on its first sale, and will be available at up to 20% off until February 24.
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