Nihon Falcom announced its future plans including new titles and ports for 2026, with a focus on expanding its Trails and Ys series, as well as porting existing titles to new platforms like Switch 2 and PS5, aiming for growth through self-publishing and global localization.
Falcom has announced in its investor presentation that it is developing unannounced Trails and Ys games, with plans to release a second new title in 2026 alongside Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, and aims to increase its annual new releases to two titles within three years.
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, a remake of a classic RPG, has become one of the highest-rated games of 2025 with a score of 91, making it the top-rated Trails game and one of the year's best titles, though its reviews are limited in number.
The Trails series by Nihon Falcom exemplifies how a modest, story-driven approach to game development, focusing on narrative complexity and character arcs rather than high-end visuals, can build a passionate fanbase and achieve success despite limited resources, challenging the mainstream emphasis on graphical fidelity in big-budget games.
Falcom is releasing a 3D remake of Trails in the Sky Chapter 1 for PS5 next month, featuring fully animated cutscenes and improved visuals, aiming to appeal to both new players and nostalgic fans.
Falcom's president Toshihiro Kondo reflects on 20 years of the Trails series, discussing its evolution, technological advancements, character development, and the upcoming release of Trails Beyond the Horizon on Switch and Switch 2, highlighting the series' growth and its integration of real-world themes.
Aksys Games is set to release Falcom's action RPG Tokyo Xanadu eX+ on the Nintendo Switch in June 2024, an enhanced version of the PS Vita RPG set in an alternate reality Tokyo. The game combines Persona-style dungeon crawling and Ys-style action, with aesthetics reminiscent of the Trails series. A 4-CD soundtrack set will be available exclusively on the Aksys Online Store, and while the PS4 version received mixed reviews, RPG enthusiasts may find it worth a try.
Falcom's president, Toshihiro Kondo, has stated in an interview that while there is no official announcement yet, the company hopes to share news on the localization of Kuro no Kiseki, the latest installment in The Legend of Heroes: Trails series, "as soon as possible." NIS America, the publisher for the series in the West, has been actively localizing previous Trails games, and fans are eagerly awaiting confirmation of Kuro's localization. It is speculated that an announcement may come after the release of Trails into Reverie and The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails.