.hack//Z.E.R.O. Announced by CyberConnect2

CyberConnect2 finally announced their latest entry in the .hack franchise, .hack//Z.E.R.O. after more than 10 years in the development room.

The series itself is a collaboration with CyberConnect2 as the developer and Bandai Namco as the publisher. It encompasses various media, from video games to anime, manga, novels, and many other products.

.hack series kicked off with the .hack//Sign anime in 2002, telling the story of gamers who participated in a brand-new virtual online game called The World. Despite the popularity, reports are coming in of some players being found comatose while playing The World.

It focuses on the overlapping stories from the real world and inside the The World game itself, creating a deep and rich narrative focusing on human interaction and drama, as well as engaging action in a fantasy setting.

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CyberConnect2 becomes the sole developer and publisher for .hack//Z.E.R.O.

A shot of what appears to be .hack//Z.E.R.O.'s main character — A shot of what appears to be .hack//Z.E.R.O.’s main character. (Gematsu)

CyberConnect2 CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama said during an interview with Famitsu that .hack//Z.E.R.O. is a game that takes the .hack franchise back to “zero.”

Even more interesting, Bandai Namco has given CyberConnect2 full rein on the project’s direction. That means CyberConnect2 has absolute control and no intervention during the development phase.

“The .hack series has always been developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, but for .hack//Z.E.R.O., Bandai Namco Entertainment has given CyberConnect2 permission to manage the entirety of the project from planning and development to release,” said CyberConnect2 on their website.

The game will be executive produced by Hiroshi Matsuyama himself. Fellow producers Taichiro Miyazaki and Yuki Nishikawa will also take charge of the project.

.hack//Z.E.R.O. will also feature the creative minds of creative producer Akihiro Anai and theme song composer Taro Hakase. Here’s what CyberConnect2 has to say about the appointment of Hakase.

“World-renowned violinist Taro Hakase has penned the music, kick-starting the project to the dexterous tune of his violin.”

More emphasis on real-world stories

A scene for the real-world segment of the game, presumably a hospital room. (Gematsu)

In the same interview, Matsuyama iterated that .hack//Z.E.R.O. is set 10 years in our future and once again takes place inside the MMORPG The World.

He also ensures that this game will put more emphasis on real-world stories outside of The World game. Matsuyama cited constraints from the budget and publisher as the reason why previous .hack games has limited portrayal of the real world through emails and websites.

Despite that, .hack//Z.E.R.O. will still stay true to its central theme of the duality of a person: what are they showing in the real world and the digital world, their public persona and inner feelings, and many such similar themes.

The game will be developed by the series’ rookies and veteran developers. It will showcase action-adventure elements inside an RPG package. Anime studio Kamikaze Douga produced the teaser trailer that has zero gameplay footage.

No release date and platform target have been announced yet for .hack//Z.E.R.O.