Nexon recently unveiled its upcoming 3D bishoujo game FAREIDOLIA, previously known under the working name “Project RX.” Given that the new title is being developed by IO Division – the team behind Nexon’s massively successful live-service RPG Blue Archive – fans have been both excited and anxious about Fareidolia, with some voicing concern that the ambitious new project might take up resources or end up being prioritized over the former.
These concerns were recently addressed by the developers in an interview with INVEN. The title’s producer Min-seo Cha told the outlet that back when the Fareidolia project was initially launched internally, he made a promise to Yong-ha Kim (the leader of IO Division and general director of Blue Archive) that there would be no disruptions to the Blue Archive development team. To begin with, very few developers moved from Blue Archive to Fareidolia, so the new project’s impact has been “virtually non-existent,” he said.
In fact, this approach apparently made the early stages of Fareidolia’s inception quite challenging, as the project started out with few people and only attracted new development members after considerable progress was made in determining the IP’s overall direction. With brand-new staff members, the devs were able to form an organization that’s both similar and distinct from the Blue Archive team. Yong-ha Kim added, “I want to reiterate that Fareidolia’s development will not harm Blue Archive, and that the Blue Archive development team itself continues to expand.”
Kim and Cha also mentioned that while Fareidolia builds upon certain lessons IO Division has learned through Blue Archive’s development, they essentially set out to create a completely new IP and distinct game, rather than positioning it as a successor.
In Fareidolia, players live alongside girls with unique abilities, known as Mates, in a cozy isekai setting. The story takes place in Anima City, located in a parallel world that closely resembles Earth. Players take on the role of the director of Anima City’s restoration center, while also serving as the caretaker of the center’s office building, Tasogare Hall. Living alongside the Mates, players will work to resolve the various issues that arise throughout Anima City while forging bonds with the girls. The game also features combat, which unfolds through a system blending real-time and turn-based action.
While Fareidolia’s release date is still under wraps, the game debuted with its first playable demo during Tokyo Game Show 2026 (September 17-21) and is planned to release for PC, mobile, and consoles.
