.hack//New World Shutting Down

[Vallen]

Welp, it's a sad day for .hack fans when even the mobile games are being pulled.. New World didn't even last a single year, it's shutting down on December 20th, 2016
http://www.siliconera.com/2016/10/21/ha ... -december/

No formal reason was provided yet, they just thanked the fans. I am really disappointed, things aren't looking too good for a .hack revival

[SSJScygoku]

I can only hope they either release volume 2 on a new server which doesn't make sense why they can't just update vol 1 or do something with the game via the Switch as its got Namdai working with it. Both this information got released close together and they didn't give a reason...hopefully it wasn't just bad sales ^^'

[Avatar_Crim]

i havent even played it yet.

[Kazetrigger]

i havent even played it yet.

I have a Let's Play of it at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjubkZ ... W5m-FQNpg/ if you want to check out what it was like.

[zaseo]

Hopefully vol 2 comes out or a huge dream announcement(console or pc game).

[Vallen]

Hopefully vol 2 comes out or a huge dream announcement(console or pc game).

I suspect we won't see anymore .hack smartphone games for a few years, if ever. I fear that .hack will enter an indefinite slumber.

However, if it does come back, it might be big. A part of me is hoping for .hack to return to consoles when CC2 re-brands as CC3. And alongside a console game could be a companion mobile game. Something like that.

[zaseo]

Hopefully vol 2 comes out or a huge dream announcement(console or pc game).

I suspect we won't see anymore .hack smartphone games for a few years, if ever. I fear that .hack will enter an indefinite slumber.

However, if it does come back, it might be big. A part of me is hoping for .hack to return to consoles when CC2 re-brands as CC3. And alongside a console game could be a companion mobile game. Something like that.

I think .hack needs a good reboot.

[DawnOwl]

I am just as disillusioned about the news, especially because I was recently becoming hooked on the mobile game. I think it is also unfortunate to shut down the game so soon since it is clear that a lot of time and effort was invested in the project. I do not understand Japanese but as far as I could tell the story was developing in an interesting direction. And the musical and artistic aspects of New World are on par with their previous titles.

I do not know if this sudden termination will mark the end of the .hack franchise as we know it, or if they may scrap the current concept and develop another idea which is more in line with the story that had been created throughout the previous titles. So much uncertainty and all right before the end of the year...

I am hoping, that on December 31, Aura will re-emerge from the sea of data, and welcome us back into [The World] we've all grown fond of.

[Adhemas]

I barely know anything about phone games themselves or how they work. So this shut-down is a sign of a general abandonement of that project or could it have anything to do with an upcoming vol. 2?
Aside from that, did CC2 ever announced those other games they were hinting at years (or was it one year?) ago? They were talking about three games AFAIK, and dropped keywords like VR and RPG related terms, which is why everyone was expecting other .hack games on maybe other platforms. They never announed anything new regardings these, did they?

Anyway, I kind of hope those phone games were only a side project in the first place. But I don't know if there is much hope for other stuff if it's the case that they shut down the servers due to a lack of game popularity.

EDIT: Didn't know that they'd dropped the "vol. 1" part of the title some time ago, my fault.
Well, this makes it less likely that there will be more .hack stuff. But I guess you can't tell anything for sure until we've read the end of Bullet and see if there are any hints or announcements. Did the NU game ever hinted further plot parts that aren't disclosed and answered in the phone game?

[Vallen]

Well, this makes it less likely that there will be more .hack stuff. But I guess you can't tell anything for sure until we've read the end of Bullet and see if there are any hints or announcements. Did the NU game ever hinted further plot parts that aren't disclosed and answered in the phone game?

Nope, this shut down is premature. We didn't get anything out of NU in terms of deep plot. It got the boot before any substantial plot even happened.

[Helbaworshipper]

Honestly, mobile games are always harder to sell than console games. For the consoles, they need to feel confident it's going to sell when the pitch happens. Whether or not it actually sells is a whole different matter.

As for mobile games, they are easier to "make" in a sense. They don't have to send physical copies, but the coding and rights are always a mess regarding how much it'll cost and if it'll be new or temporary employees. However, I think the problem is that in Japan there are tons of phone games. You have to fight to be able to get money from various fees and such while hoping that you can get a sustained income.

It is sad that .hack isn't as popular as to get as much money through mobile games as it wants. However, I don't know if .hack will ever truly come out here beyond whatever random anime we might get anymore.

[Vallen]

The thing with Japan, though, is that they prefer portable and mobile gaming. Console sales are on the decline. For instance, the recently released Final Fantasy XV sold 57% less than 2010's Final Fantasy XIII - keeping that in mind, Final Fantasy XV as of now is the best selling PS4 game in Japan. It sold less than half, yet it is now the best selling software of the system. That's how bad console gaming has become over there.

So I would argue that mobile games are the way to go. Look at the Nintendo SWITCH, they even made the "home console" into a "portable console."
The issue with .hack is the lack of consistency. CC2 failed at maintaining a consistent story ever since the GU days. The various scattered pieces of .hack media vary from online books, Japan exclusive artbooks, move-game hybrid packs, Japanese mobile apps, and so on. It's very difficult to keep up with the series, both in terms of owning it and understanding the plot.

I would even say that CC2 lost .hack's identity, they don't know what it is anymore. The entire series needs to either be rebooted, or disregard the side media (such as mobile games as non canon) and proceed with a sequel to GU. Everything that started with LINK was a mess.

My hope at this point is to see the resurgence of .hack when CC2 becomes CC3.

[Adhemas]

I would even say that CC2 lost .hack's identity, they don't know what it is anymore.

Kinda my problem as well. I still love certain new stories, like Bullet for example. But most of the game media is too different in tone and style - compared with the old series I mean. GU had more action and conflicts between teenagers, but it still felt like .hack. I haven't played the phone games and I am still interested in these, but they look and sound nothing anything belonging to this series. So I guess there isn't really a ".hack"-lable people can recognize right now. Quantum was totally different from the new games, just as the games are completely different from the LNs, even Versus felt kinda out of place, despite the fact that I am happy about the existence of a .hack fighting game.

We were interested in the mobile games because most people here are long time hard core fans. But the trailer didn't really show anything exceptional, most people probably looked at it and assumed it was just another pretty girls-game without plot and they aren't even completely wrong with that as far as I know. At least if you compare it with other .hack series and games and how story driven they were, not to mention that .hack was always miles away from any harem-like games or girl dominated casts. If people are interested in that there are enough other games out there and if they like VR related topics they'll play the SAO games. It isn't that important how bad or good SAO is, but you know exactly what you'll get with these games.

[zaseo]

A goodbye video. Pictures are from second account due to getting another smartphone so that explains why stuff wasn't to far in game or the low level gear stuff but still.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPZiSPX5ENM

Well we shall have to wait and see what the future of .hack holds.

[Custat]

Lately I've been wondering if Banco JP is as bad at marketing as Banco US and if it has anything to do with the lack of success for .hack//?
Just from what I've seen from the US twitter anyway.
I'm pretty bummed I never even got the chance to play the mobile game, even if it wasn't that great.

A reboot of the series would be pretty great, and probably needed. I think it feels like the original charm of the series has been lost. If they were able to combine the perfect humanization of characters with a shinier animation budget for a series or something, bring in some fans and maybe focus on global again instead of Japan since console gaming is still pretty big everywhere else. (Or make it a PC title)

[Avatar_Crim]

I wouldn't say the marketing is what has caused lack of success. Well, maybe some, but I'd be more inclined to say it was due to the general public's lack of interest. While fan bases are out there. I think it hit its peak, and other things came in and just took the spot light, and while sao or log horizon are things and brought back interest to the genre, it's not bringing people to dot hack.

[Falions]

The thing with Japan, though, is that they prefer portable and mobile gaming. Console sales are on the decline. For instance, the recently released Final Fantasy XV sold 57% less than 2010's Final Fantasy XIII - keeping that in mind, Final Fantasy XV as of now is the best selling PS4 game in Japan. It sold less than half, yet it is now the best selling software of the system. That's how bad console gaming has become over there.

So I would argue that mobile games are the way to go. Look at the Nintendo SWITCH, they even made the "home console" into a "portable console."
The issue with .hack is the lack of consistency. CC2 failed at maintaining a consistent story ever since the GU days. The various scattered pieces of .hack media vary from online books, Japan exclusive artbooks, move-game hybrid packs, Japanese mobile apps, and so on. It's very difficult to keep up with the series, both in terms of owning it and understanding the plot.

I would even say that CC2 lost .hack's identity, they don't know what it is anymore. The entire series needs to either be rebooted, or disregard the side media (such as mobile games as non canon) and proceed with a sequel to GU. Everything that started with LINK was a mess.

My hope at this point is to see the resurgence of .hack when CC2 becomes CC3.

I was really hoping NU would be what you're describing, a hard reboot. They've screwed the timeline with Guilty Dragon and NW, making them detached in a far future, but leaving the main timeline in mystery with Thanatos Report. You're right, though. There is just too much information scattered all around. Back in the day, supplementary novels like AI Buster or Cell were exactly that--supplementary. Now, everything reveals something about the main plot, and they all rely on each other. I've always been astounded that the Terminal Disk and the books that came with the Zettai Houi Pack are collectors bonuses, considering all the extremely plot-relevant material they contain.

I love the direction the series took with Link. It felt like a culmination of many things. But it was handled so poorly.

CC2 is a company known to take risks. I hope that between the Montreal studio and their move to self-publishing, CC3 (and by that extension more .hack) will be born.

[SSJScygoku]

Since Project NU was suppose to have several media (or atleast not just New World) i'm hoping to see some new info after New Year ^^'

[Falions]

Since Project NU was suppose to have several media (or atleast not just New World) i'm hoping to see some new info after New Year ^^'

I don't know, seeing as it's been over a year since the NU announcement and all we got was the iPhone game. The only thing I have hope for is something happening on the series' 15th anniversary next year.

[Vallen]

I wouldn't say the marketing is what has caused lack of success. Well, maybe some, but I'd be more inclined to say it was due to the general public's lack of interest. While fan bases are out there. I think it hit its peak, and other things came in and just took the spot light, and while sao or log horizon are things and brought back interest to the genre, it's not bringing people to dot hack.

I personally think .hack could ride the hype wave generated by modern series like sao and attract the fanbase, if Bamco and CC2 stop sitting on their ass and actually put out games/movies, they could actually have "free marketing" because people are once again aware of the "stuck in a video game" concept.