Square Enix has revealed the SaGa Emerald Beyond release date.
The upcoming JRPG will launch for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile devices on April 25th, and for the first time in the series' history, this will be a simultaneous global launch, with previous game Scarlet Grace getting an English translation after the Japanese release.
In a livestream announcing the release date, SaGa producer Masanori Ichikawa says the decision to launch globally was made in order to enable players to share information about the game, whether that be gameplay tips or story discussions.
SaGa localization director Neil Broadley also confirmed that the game will feature English voiceovers, and new character trailers were released to further confirm this.
The first trailer is for protagonist Tsunanori Mido, who, according to Broadley, is the quintessential JRPG protagonist. He's a member of the Mido family, who have fought to protect Miyako City from threats for many generations.
Broadley says Tsunanori's was "the first storyline that...came together" for the game; as you play through his story, you'll realize he's "one of the most connected characters" to SaGa Emerald Beyond's core story.
The second new SaGa Emerald Beyond trailer released during the livestream was for Yumeha Izumi, a schoolgirl whose secret identity is really that of "super-cool witch" Ameya Aisling.
As well as featuring a ton of new information about SaGa Emerald Beyond, the livestream also contained a question-and-answer session with the game's developers.
Questions include whether the game is linear or non-linear ("both", according to Broadley), as well as the overall challenge level compared to previous entry Scarlet Grace.
Franchise producer Masanori Ichikawa says the game is "easier than past titles" for the first five to ten hours, but that combat will get tougher as the game goes on. Ichikawa-san says that some bosses will be stronger than previous SaGa entries, too.
The livestream wrapped up with a question about the future of SaGa, which Ichikawa-san fielded by essentially asking SaGa fans what they think should happen next. You know what to do if you're a fan and you've got some thoughts!
You can check out the full SaGa livestream here:
SaGa Emerald Beyond launches for PC, PlayStation consoles, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices on April 25th.
