No true Suikoden fan wants to see Eiyuden Chronicle delayed, but unfortunately, that's exactly what's happened. A new Kickstarter update from the developers has confirmed that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes won't be coming in October 2022, but there is good news too.
Why is Eiyuden Chronicle delayed?
If you're a backer, you can check out the full post by developer Rabbit and Bear Studios on the official Eiyuden Chronicle page. In an update video, director Yoshitaka Murayama says Eiyuden Chronicle will be "delayed slightly" for several reasons. He says the Kickstarter campaign was much more successful than the team originally envisioned, and that this, combined with the involvement of publisher 505 Games, has led the team to expand the scope of the project. In addition, the Eiyuden Chronicle town-building companion game will be expanded and have more content added as a result of the extra funding available to the devs.
Unfortunately, the delay isn't all about adding new stuff. Murayama also says Rabbit and Bear needed to "re-organize" development resources and the studio setup as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This led the team to reconsider its initial roadmap and "take a little more time" developing Eiyuden Chronicle. Despite these setbacks, Murayama says development is progressing "well", and that the team should be able to show how the game is coming along sometime this month. We'll have to wait and see what else Murayama has in store for expectant Suikoden fans.
What is Eiyuden Chronicle and when is the new release date?
Eiyuden Chronicle was originally announced back in July last year. It's a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series of JRPGs, which has amassed a cult following since debuting in 1996. In Suikoden, which was loosely based on the Chinese classical novel Water Margin, players were tasked with finding and recruiting the 108 Stars of Destiny to their cause, usually in order to overthrow a corrupt empire or monarch. We don't have plot details for Eiyuden Chronicle yet, but the game's sub-title is Hundred Heroes, suggesting it'll feature a similar "collection" element to its spiritual predecessor.
Many of the same staff involved in creating Suikoden are also working on Eiyuden Chronicle. These include original Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama, who's heading up development as the designer and main scenario writer, as well as character designer Junko Kawano and Suikoden Tierkreis director Osamu Komuta. Additional staff include Dark Souls composer Motoi Sakuraba, who'll be co-composing the score with Wild Arms veteran Michiko Naruke. All in all, Eiyuden Chronicle is shaping up to be a must-play for fans of classic JRPGs, so let's hope the game isn't delayed for too long. We'll bring you more as soon as we get it.
Disclosure: The editor on this piece, Don Parsons, backed the Eiyuden Chronicle Kickstarter as he was a fan of Suikoden. He firmly believes 2 and 5 are the best, followed by 1 and 3, which he insists is not bad.
Are you sad to see Eiyuden Chronicle delayed? Looking forward to the new content? Let us know in the comments below!
