Suikoden 2 Anime Announced Alongside New Mobile Gacha Game

This week, Konami delighted fans of classic RPGs with a live stream dedicated entirely to the beloved Suikoden franchise. The series, which has not seen a new main entry since a Japanese-exclusive PSP side story over a decade ago, stirred a wide range of emotions with its latest announcements. The reveal of a new Suikoden anime (exciting!) and a brand new Suikoden video game for mobile with gacha mechanics (disappointing!) left fans with mixed feelings.

Starting with the anime, titled "Suikoden: The Anime," it's based on the events of Suikoden 2 and marks Konami's first venture into animation production. While we didn't see much of what it will look like, nor did we learn details about its international availability, a brief scenery clip was shown:

This is thrilling news for dedicated Suikoden fans and could serve as an excellent introduction for newcomers if the anime becomes widely accessible.

The second major announcement, however, has left fans feeling more conflicted. A new game titled "Suikoden Star Leap" was unveiled, boasting stunning visuals reminiscent of Octopath Traveler with 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds. Set a few years before Suikoden 1 and after Suikoden 5, it retains the series' traditional element of featuring 108 characters.

However, the game is slated for release on mobile platforms only, which might not be a deal-breaker for die-hard fans. The inclusion of gacha mechanics and ongoing monetization, though, is a significant departure from the series' history of premium console and PC releases. This has raised concerns about whether these monetization strategies will hinder players' enjoyment and ability to collect all 108 characters. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

In the meantime, Suikoden enthusiasts can look forward to the re-releases of Suikoden 1 and 2 in the form of "Suikoden I&II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars." A new trailer for this collection was showcased during the live event, and it's set to launch tomorrow, March 6.