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Koei Tecmo has revealed that it will set up a merchandise booth at Comic Market 105. The company will particularly sell merchandise themed after Fate/Samurai Remnant and Gust's Atelier series. Prices for the item will range from 800 yen (~$5.35) for individual domino-shaped keychains featuring Atelier Resleriana characters to 12,600 yen (~$84.50) for a full set of 14 acrylic magnets with Fate/Samurai Remnant characters.

The Atelier lineup will feature multiple titles from the long-running series. There will be specific focuses on Atelier Yumia, Atelier Sophie 2, the Atelier Ryza trilogy, and Atelier Resleriana. The latter will comprise both the ongoing mobile game Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator and the console game The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian.

Meanwhile, the Fate/Samurai Remnant segment will primarily focus on the seven primary Masters and Servants who appeared in the game's storyline. However, Koei Tecmo will also include acrylic stands showing Fate/Grand Order ascension stage forms of Servants who debuted in the console game, such as Yamato Takeru, Yui Shousetsu, and Minamoto-no-Raikou a.k.a. Ushi Gozen.

Comic Market 105 will take place at Tokyo Big Sight on December 29-30, 2024, and Koei Tecmo will set up its merchandise booth at No.1322 in the corporate booth area in the Western 3-4 Hall.

The post Koei Tecmo Comic Market 105 Merchandise Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

During the latest Nintendo Direct August 2024 Partner Showcase, Koei Tecmo and Gust revealed Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Envisioned Land. The new mainline title in the RPG alchemy series will be themed around the concept of "memories."

The reveal trailer of the game offered a brief look at the alchemy system, exploration, and combat in this new entry to the Atelier series. Additionally, Gust showcased the new protagonist Yumia and a wolf-like character that acts as her enemy or rival.

The Atelier Yumia reveal trailer is available in Japanese with English subtitles, and you can check it out here:

The previous mainline title in the Atelier series is Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, a free-to-play gacha game available for mobile devices as well as PC via Steam. The English version of the game appeared on January 25, 2024.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come out on early 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC via Steam.

The post Atelier Yumia Is the Next Title in the Alchemy RPG Series appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo and Gust released its Atelier Survey 2024, which asks for our insights and wants for the game series and things like physical copies and collaborations. It also gives participants PC wallpapers and a chance to win merchandise if they fill it out by June 23, 2024.

There are 12 sections in the Atelier Survey 2024. Many of the questions are similar to ones about other series. Koei Tecmo asks for demographic information, background on genres and other game series, console ownership, and familiarity with this series. It also asks what people like about the Atelier line, such as if recent titles were purchased or avoided. It’s in the eighth section that the companies asked about Atelier game collaborations, followed by questions about if people purchase physical versions of games in section 11. 

As for the giveaway tied to it, it only corresponds to people who share that they took the survey on X, formerly Twitter. 10 people who do so will get one of 10 pieces of merchandise tied to the series. The items are:

• Atelier Marie Remake original clear file x 2
• Atelier Resleriana original eco-bag x 2
• Atelier Ryza 3 original smartphone stand x 2
• Atelier Sophie 2 original acrylic block (Sophie)  
• Atelier Sophie 2 original acrylic block (Plachta) 
• Atelier series 25th Anniversary original towel x 2

The Atelier Survey 2024 is live until June 23, 2024, and the last game in the series is Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy & the Liberator of Polar Night for PCs and mobile devices.

The post Atelier Game Series Survey Asks About Physical Releases, Collaborations appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega has revealed the in-game appearances for new crossover content from Koei Tecmo and Gust's Atelier series in Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. Players will be able to obtain the content from the "Atelier Style" scratch ticket that will appear in PSO2: New Genesis on May 15, 2024.

Koei Tecmo had teased the crossover earlier in March 2024, but Sega has since revealed more details on the content. This collaboration will primarily feature Reisalin "Ryza" Stout, Klaudia Valentz, and Bos Brunnen from Atelier Ryza 3, as well as Marlone (a.k.a. Marie) from the 2023 remake of Atelier Marie.

The "Atelier Style" scratch ticket in PSO2: New Genesis will contain multiple parts ranging from hairstyle and accessories to outfits and weapon camos. Players will be able to complete the sets by purchasing multiple scratch tickets or finding the items in other players' Personal Shops.

Sega will also add a new set of bonuses after the maintenance on May 15, 2024. All players will be able to get cut-outs of Ryza, Klaudia, and Bos by logging in daily, even if they do not purchase any scratch tickets.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is available worldwide on PC and PlayStation 4. The online game is also playable on Nintendo Switch in Japan and Xbox One elsewhere globally. The "Atelier Style" scratch ticket will be available for a limited time starting from May 15, 2024.

The post See How Atelier Characters Will Look Like in PSO2: New Genesis appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo and developer Gust will be announcing the next entry in the Atelier video game series soon. The companies will deliver new information about the latest works in the series on August 8, 2023. A broadcast will be held at 9pm JST / 8am ET / 5am PT.

The guests and cast of the broadcast will be revealed on the same day of its release. The broadcast will only be available in Japanese, but people will be able to watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsyitgd5UpE

Additionally, to celebrate the announcement Koei Tecmo and Gust are holding a campaign in Japan where 25 people will be able to win Atelier goods and merchandise. People will have to follow the official Atelier Twitter and retweet the announcement.

The new immediately available games in the Atelier series are Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, the third and last entry in the in the Secret series, and Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, which just released on July 13, 2023. On late June 2023, Koei Tecmo revealed that the Atelier Ryza trilogy sured 2 million copies sold worldwide.

As a reminder, the first game in the Atelier Ryza trilogy just received an anime adaptation in Japan, and it premiered on July 1, 2023.

The post Koei Tecmo and Gust Will Reveal New Atelier Game Next Week appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo announced a new free update for Atelier Ryza 3 that lets players change the game’s background music (BGM) to many different songs from the whole Atelier series. This follows an earlier update that unlocked the option to change the BGM via the in-game diary. Among the songs available are the main themes from Atelier Marie, Atelier Iris, and Mana Khemia.

This new free update for Atelier Ryza 3 is called the “Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack,” and it’s available across all platforms. The songs included range from Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg to Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout, totaling over 1,000 tracks. To change the soundtrack, you just have to access the in-game diary on the desk in the atelier and select the BGM option.

[caption id="attachment_962569" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Koei Tecmo[/caption]

Note that this is not the same "Gust Extra BGM Pack" included in the Season , as the latter features songs from more recent games like Atelier Ryza 2 and Atelier Sophie 2. The Season also adds swimsuit and Japanese-based costumes for the characters, new recipes, and an additional area.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key is readily available for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The “Atelier Series Legacy BGM Pack” is also currently available across all platforms.

The post Atelier Ryza 3 Free Update Brings Back Classic Atelier Series Songs appeared first on Siliconera.

A 25th anniversary figure of Ryza from Atelier Ryza is now available to pre-order via AmiAmi. Toridamono, the character designer for the Atelier series, drew the art for this figure. Including tax, the Ryza figure will cost 31,900 JPY ($248.40) for the DX version and 24,200 JPY ($188.40) for the regular version. Both will come out in February 2024.

The DX version comes with a detachable door behind Ryza. Legacy items from the Atelier series are popping out of it, and the open doors create a frame around Ryza. The rest of the figure is the same for both versions. It contains small details, such as Ryza’s starfish necklace and the flasks on her her belt. As well, Toridamono wanted to express Ryza’s energetic, innocent, and cute personality with her pose.

This figure is not the only way that Koei Tecmo and Gust plan on celebrating the 25th anniversary. They will also sell an art collection of framed prints, with each print costing about 20,000 JPY each. You can also purchase art plates or standees from the same storefront.

Atelier Ryza 3 will come out on PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch on March 24, 2023. You can also get reprints of the physical copies of Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout and Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. The Atelier 25th anniversary figure of Ryza will come out in February 2024.

The post Atelier 25th Anniversary Ryza Figure is Cheering appeared first on Siliconera.

Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust have begun selling an Atelier Ryza art collection in Japan. The collection consists of art prints from the Atelier Ryza games, also known as the "Secret" series. The sale is part of the companies' ongoing 25th Anniversary celebration of the Atelier series as a whole [Thanks, Denfaminico Gamer!].

The Atelier Ryza art collection features high-quality, framed art prints. There are a total of six pieces to acquire: Two from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout, three from Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy, and one from the  Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key. Each piece comes with its own frame and a small plaque with the piece's name and the game it's from. All cost 20,000 Yen each (about $154 USD).

[gallery size="medium" ids="948148,948149,948150,948151,948152,948153" link="file"]

Other items from both Ryza and other Atelier games are available on the special online storefront alongside the Atelier Ryza art collection. There's a line of B5-size acrylic art plates, each going for 4,900 Yen (about $38 USD). The line has two more pieces from Ryza, but also two from Atelier Sophie 2: Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream. A set of three clear files also features characters from Atelier Ryza 3 for 1,200 Yen (about $9 USD).

[gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="948154,948155,948156,948157" link="file"]

Finally, those interested in a fuller ing of the Atelier franchise can pick up a chibi acrylic standee. Each standee costs 800 Yen (about $6 USD) and renders a protagonist or major character from the franchise in chibi style. There are 30 standees in total, and the whole set can be acquired in two boxes, each costing 11,999 Yen (about $93 USD).

[gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="948158,948159" link="file"]

The Atelier Ryza art collection and other franchise items for the 25th Anniversary celebration are on sale in Japan through this special storefront. They'll be sold there until February 19, 2023. On February 25, 2023, the collection will be shown and sold at a pop-up store in Shibuya's PARCO department store. Mail-ordered products will ship at the end of March 2023.

Following an announced delay, Atelier Ryza 3 will release on PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch globally on March 24, 2023.

The post Atelier Ryza Art Collection Goes on Sale for 25th Anniversary appeared first on Siliconera.

Gust and Koei Tecmo's Atelier franchise turned 25 years old this year, and the companies are getting ready to announce the next game in the venerable series. Before that happens, though, they're celebrating the games that came before. The Atelier 25th Anniversary trailer ed on Monday introduces fans to every game in the franchise to date, and ends with a small tease of what's to come.

Check it out below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8AoiyGButk

The Atelier 25th Anniversary trailer gives a quick glimpse at every Atelier title, from 1997's Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg to this year's Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (check out Siliconera's review!). At the end, a blank canvas on the wall of portraits lights up, transporting viewers to a new, brightly colored world. The environments include sun-drenched ruins, forests, and a mysterious castle. Koei Tecmo plans to announce a new Gust-developed title at this year's Tokyo Game Show, and this teaser is quite likely related to that title. Whether it will be an addition to an existing subseries or the beginning of an entirely new one is as yet unknown.

Here's a list of every Atelier game cited in the 25th Anniversary trailer, organized by subseries. It doesn't include side games, like 2009's Atelier Annie on the DS, or the mobile-based Atelier Online, which shut down in March 2022.

• Salburg Series
  • Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg (1997 , PS1)
  • Atelier Elie: The Alchemist of Salburg 2 (1998, PS1)
  • Atelier Lilie: The Alchemist of Salburg 3 (2001, PS2)
• Gramnad Series
  • Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad (2002, PS2)
  • Atelier Viorate: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 (2003, PS2)
• Iris Series
  • Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana (2004, Ps2)
  • Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny (2005, PS2)
  • Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (2006, PS2)
• Mana Khemia Series
  • Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis (2007, PS2)
  • Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy (2008, PS2)
• Arland Series
  • Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland (2009, PS3)
  • Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland (2010, PS3)
  • Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland (2011, PS3)
  • Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland (2019, Ps4, Switch, PC)
• Dusk Series
  • Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk (2012, PS3)
  • Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky (2013, PS3)
  • Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (2014, PS3)
• Mysterious Series
  • Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (2015, PS3, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey (2016, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings (2017, Switch, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (2022, Switch, PS4, PC)
• Secret Series
  • Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout (2019, Switch, PS4, PC)
  • Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy (2020, Switch, PS4, PS5, PC)

The Atelier series is available across many platforms. The 2022 Tokyo Game Show will play host to a new announcement from Gust, and kicks off from September 15, 2022.

The post Atelier 25th Anniversary Trailer Celebrates the Series appeared first on Siliconera.

A number of Atelier merchandise is going to appear in May 2022 for games like Atelier Ryza. Among them will be a mug shaped like the Atelier series’ legendary barrel, items with the new illustration of Ryza on them, acrylic stands of heroines from the series, keychains, pins, and a Ryza key necklace. It is all appearing in honor of Atelier 25th anniversary. [Thanks, AmiAmi!]

First, here’s the Atelier series 25th anniversary mug. AmiAmi is selling it for ¥8,800 (~$72). It is actually made of cedar wood with a beech handle. There’s also an exclamation point etched into the bottom. An Atelier series staple is being able to send a character up to a barrel to have them inspect it and say, "Barrel!"
[gallery columns="2" ids="921671,921672" link="file"]

There are also a number of items with the new art from Atelier Ryza artist Toridamono on it. For example, one is a ¥16,500 (~$135) framed piece of art. It is also available as a ¥3,850 (~$32) B2 wall scroll, a ¥2,200 (~18) acrylic stand, and in a ¥2,200 (~$18) set that includes a clear file, keychain, and pin with the design on them.
[gallery columns="4" ids="921674,921675,921676,921677" link="file"]

There are also a large number of acrylic stands featuring heroines from throughout the series. One variation involves the leads looking like they’re standing in front of flasks. These are ¥1,430 (~$12) each. Ayesha, Escha, Firis, Logy, Lulua, Lydie, Meruru, Rorona, Ryza (Atelier Ryza 1 and 2 versions are available), Shallistera, Shallotte, Sophie (Atelier Sophie 1 and 2 versions are availble), Suelle, and Totori are all available. Another involves the alchemists and books. More characters appear as options for these styles. In addition to the other characters, there are also ones for Elie, Marie, Iris, Judie, Lilie, Lita, Nelke, Ulrika, Vayne, Viese, and Viorate. Those are ¥1,650 (~$14) each. Additional anniversary visual ones are ¥990 (~$8).
[gallery columns="5" ids="921678,921679,921680,921681,921682" link="file"]

As for the keychains and pins, those are being sold in sets at AmiAmi. The Atelier 25th anniversary tin badge sets each include eight pins for ¥3,520 (~$29). Volume 1 includes Ayesha, Escha, Logy, Meruru, Rorona, both Shallies, and Totori. Volume 2 includes Firis, Lulua, Lydie, two versions of Ryza, two versions of Sophie, and Suelle.
[gallery columns="2" ids="921683,921684" link="file"]

The keychains are divided up in a similar manner. There are two sets of eight, which each cost ¥5,720 (~$47). The breakdown of characters is the same as the the pins.
[gallery columns="2" ids="921685,921686" link="file"]

Finally, there’s the Ryza’s key necklace. It costs ¥2,970 (~$24) and is designed to resemble the one she wears in Atelier Ryza 2. It is made of zinc and arrives on a leather cord.

The Atelier series 25th anniversary merchandise is expected to ship in May 2022.

The post Atelier 25th Anniversary Merchandise Includes Barrel Mug, Ryza’s Key appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo revealed that it has several plans for the Atelier series' 25th anniversary. This information was revealed in a Famitsu New Year's column, which teased what the company has planned for 2022. Outside of the release of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, Koei Tecmo will celebrate the series anniversary in other ways. However, more information regarding this will appear in the future. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

In September 2021, Koei Tecmo had revealed plans to announced a new Atelier title. In October 2021, Koei Tecmo and Gust announced Atelier Sophie 2 as part of the 25th anniversary of the series. The announcement included information about the title, which revealed that NOCO and Yuugen would return as character designers. In addition, a broadcast in November 2021 shared more gameplay details. That included a look at new characters that will appear in the title. It also featured a first-ever look at gameplay for Atelier Sophie 2 on the Nintendo Switch.

Leading up to the release of Atelier Sophie 2, Koei Tecmo released several character introduction videos. It included introduction videos for Plachta and Sophie Neuenmuller. This also featured a short look at several areas that will appear.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC via Steam on February 25, 2022.

The post Koei Tecmo Teases Plans for Atelier Series 25th Anniversary appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo has revealed that it intends to reveal something special at TGS 2021 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Atelier series. However, any details regarding this announcement outside of its date and time have yet to be revealed. Additionally, a special anniversary website is now live. The website is available in both Japanese and English. The Koei Tecmo broadcast, where it plans to announce the 25th anniversary Atelier title, will take place on October 2, 2021 at 8pm JST/7am ET/4am PT. [Thanks, Gamer!]

Additionally, the official website reveals that Koei Tecmo has plans to release several Atelier related projects through 2022. The website also lists a total of five unannounced projects. As it stands, the official website only specifically reveals that the announcement at TGS 2021 will be an Atelier 25th anniversary title. More details will come through the official broadcast, which you can already find listed on YouTube. Viewers can already set an alarm to be notified once it goes live.

A full list of the games that will appear during Koei Tecmo's TGS 2021 broadcast has been shared. This includes the latest information regarding the Fatal Frame series, a Dynasty Warriors mobile title, and the Monster Rancher series. You can check out our list of the event here.

The post Koei Tecmo to Announce Atelier 25th Anniversary Title at TGS 2021 appeared first on Siliconera.

In Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, Ryza often remarks on the sheer scale of the world. This is a big part of developer Gust's effort: expanding both the world and your options within it. Larger scope and added options define a game that's the first true Atelier sequel in over a decade, choosing to build on the first game's foundation rather than shift protagonists and start over like the franchise's modern trilogies.

Atelier Ryza 2 doesn't try to catch new players up, really, embracing the concept of the true numbered sequel. The result is a game that gets you into the action quickly. A direct follow-up means less need for tutorialization! There's still a bit of one in here, likely for players who've forgotten some things between releases. Still, this solves a lot of a problem that plagued the first Ryza and has long been a franchise staple: a slow, plodding start.

It isn't long before you meet up with returning party member Tao and fresh face Patty in the capital city of Elster. Tao uncovers evidence that there may be truth to some unexamined legends, and Ryza sets off to explore the world and uncover more about these mysteries. Patty, the child of a rich family Tao has been tutoring at the academy, offers Ryza a place to live and quickly becomes part of the crew.

You'll eventually run into more old friends from three in-game years ago, as well as meet more new pals. All of them pack some new moves in combat. Unsurprisingly, most people you'll find are in dire need of Ryza's alchemy skills! And then there's your new little creature companion, Fi! Fi has a bunch of story implications we can't talk about. Fi can't talk about them either and just says "fi" a bunch, so yep, this is one of those.

We don't want to move on without talking about Ryza's housing situation. This "unrentable, old" quarters she’s offered is... just ludicrously large, full-featured and architecturally interesting for a city apartment. The game does try to address it sometimes! But there's no world in which this would be a less-sought-after living space. Even in a fantasy land, this is what we can't believe.

Traversal and collecting ingredients, while still fundamentally clunky and JRPG-like, increasingly captures the exploratory fun of games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Genshin Impact. You can jump! You can swim! Collecting a bunch of ingredients, as you'll often need to do in Atelier Ryza 2, is fundamentally tedious. Given that, it's smart that the team at Gust is constantly working to make this more engaging and painless. The world you explore is lush and visually pleasing, and you'll be able to capture it even better with a whole host of new photo mode options. It'll be more fun than ever to help Ryza gleefully strip the world of all its natural resources!

Most of the game is focused around exploring ruins. In these ruins, you'll find memory fragments, collect needed ingredients and generally try to solve the mysteries surrounding their existence. And while there's fighting in lots of areas, they're much more of a thing in what are essentially the game's dungeons. The combat systems are designed to interlink, often in very explicit ways! Your party will make in-battle requests, like dealing magical damage, and doing so is rewarded with a combo attack. Using basic attacks isn't just what to do when you're conserving energy, either. They'll accumulate the action points and other things needed to use your items and special abilities. It's all about making you bounce around these systems.

That ethos extends beyond battles, too. The way that tasks and quests and ruin-based goals stack on each other, you'll only be spending a few minutes on one before moving to another. Once again, this effort by Gust leads to decreased tedium. That said, if you're the sort of player who likes to down a whole side activity at once? Know that the bouncing around isn't particularly optional. In order to commit to this idea, it often directs you explicitly.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy will release on December 3, 2020 in Japan and January 26, 2021 in the West. It'll be out on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.

The post Preview: Atelier Ryza 2 is a Whole New Land of Adventure appeared first on Siliconera.

In March 2020, Gust studio was relocated for the first time since its creation from Nagano Prefecture to a new location at Minatomirai in Yokohama. As part of a farewell to the old offices where Gust's games have been created up until now, Famitsu and Gust invited many of the Atelier series artists who were legacy character designers over the years to return and share their memories. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Here are the highlights:

• On the first day Kishida Mel (Arland series, Blue Reflection) came to the Nagano office to work on Blue Reflection, Gust producer Junzo Hosoi went with him to an interior shop in order to buy him his own chair, as he would be working at the offices long enough to need one. There's a soundproofed room in the office where all of the artists would work, and Gust staff would usually just leave the artists alone as they worked in there.
• NOCO (Mysterious series) mentions that one time she came up with twelve different rough designs for Nelke in Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists and, when she was done, Hosoi told him to draw one more. Hidari (Dusk series) laughed and said he's glad that this part of the character designer company culture has been carried over throughout the years.
• All the Atelier series character designers have drawn at Gust company offices and have gone through a phase where they felt they were unsuited to be the character designer for the series. Hidari had to ask advice from Kishida Mel when he was present for another project, while Toridamono only finally got some confidence after taking the first step and drawing some rough designs at the Nagano office. For NOCO, she was more feeling the pressure to meet up to expectations, but fortunately it was slightly better for him as the character design duties were split between him and Yuugen.
• Gust's Atelier series is a rare case where character designers are put at the forefront of game projects, including appearing at stage events. According to Hosoi, this wasn't the case before, but rather a change made during the PlayStation 3 era in order to give more focus on the creators, including character designers. It started with Atelier Rorona, but Kishida Mel was more talented when it came to being an entertainer than expected.
• When asked what sorts of games the character designers want to see in the future from Gust, NOCO says that she wants Gust to create a dark Atelier game, while Toridamono wants to see a sci-fi game. Hidari mentioned that the Dusk series was conceived to completely change the impression of the Atelier series and, as part of this, he drew some darker-themed and Japanese-themed concept art. However, that concept didn't end up coming to fruition, leading to the Dusk series we know today. Hosoi said those ideas ended up getting fleshed out in Nights of Azure and Blue Reflection.

The latest game in the series, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, is available for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The game recently became the best-selling game in the series.

The post Atelier Series Legacy Artists Discuss Behind-the-Scenes Details Over the Years appeared first on Siliconera.

If you're a fan of Gust and Koei Tecmo's Atelier series, your input is needed. Gust, developer of the franchise, is running a survey following the recent release of Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. It's a brief survey, only demanding roughly ten minutes of your time. In exchange, Gust is offering a high resolution, free Atelier Ryza wallpaper for your device(s) of choice.

The content of the survey doesn't seem to be hinting at anything out of the ordinary, like an localization or new game ideas. Instead, it largely seems to be about consumer data, measuring metrics such as marketing effectiveness, and looking at what fans are or aren't interested in. It's basically asking what systems you own, what draws you to the Atelier games, which ones you've played, if you bought Atelier Ryza, and why or why not.

We won't post the wallpaper here out of respect for the intent of this exercise, but after going through the survey myself it's an image of two characters from the game watching fireworks, and is offered in optimized formats for PC, Android, and iOS.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is available now for the PlayStation 4, the Nintendo Switch, and the PC.

The post Gust Is Offering a Free Atelier Ryza Wallpaper for Taking a Survey appeared first on Siliconera.