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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

The YouTube channel Miketendo64 recently shared a video interview with Toshihiro Kondo, the president of developer Nihon Falcom, from a press event in London.

This roughly hour-long video features Kondo and his translator answering questions about Falcom’s history, future aspirations, and IPs.

Perhaps most interestingly, at around 14:54 in the video, Kondo states that he cannot answer how many games remain in the Trails series, citing how the Erebonia arc was initially planned to be two games long instead of four. Still, he does say via his translator that once the Calvard arc ends, Falcom wants to make the next arc the final one.

Further details on this point weren’t unveiled, but it certainly warrants speculation since the end is in sight. Perhaps we’ll see the end of the Trails series before or by 2030. Fans will undeniably wonder if the next Trails arc after Calvard will indeed bring an end to this collective facet of the long-running Legend of Heroes series.

I recommend watching the full interview, as it contains plenty of detailed responses to tangentially related subjects.

Falcom Wants To Make Next Trails Arc After Calvard The Final One, Says Company President - Noisy Pixel

Nihon Falcom President Toshihiro Kondo reveals the company’s intention to make the next Trails arc, following the Calvard saga, the final installment. Learn what this means for the future of the Legend of Heroes series.

noisypixel.net

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

What are you thoughts on this news NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt aka Biggest Trails Stan?

 

[Power Pro]

I'm...okay with this. Mainly because I haven't even really started the series, because it's so intimidating seeing how many games there already are, and how more keep coming out. If there's an end in site, then it'll put my mind at ease.

 

[mèx]

Well... It has to end at some point. I would be concerned if they intended to drag the series out.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

See you guys in 2040 for the last (last) (last!) (seriously, the last!!) game LMAO

 

[LectureMaster]

The series started pre-industry revolution age and now has just entered an era with Rocket. I predict the final arc will be fighting aliens.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

What are you thoughts on this news NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt aka Biggest Trails Stan?

My thoughts

I'll do some ugly crying when the Trails games officially ends

 

[jshackles]

At the very least, it'd probably be a good idea to slow these down. Maybe it's just that we've gotten like 7 new games in the series (in the west) in the past year, which were all games previously available in Japan, but it feels like a new game in the series is literally releasing now every other month. Give us all some time to play the ones that are already out.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

At the very least, it'd probably be a good idea to slow these down. Maybe it's just that we've gotten like 7 new games in the series (in the west) in the past year, which were all games previously available in Japan, but it feels like a new game in the series is literally releasing now every other month. Give us all some time to play the ones that are already out.

No keep them coming

 

[saintjules]

I'm...okay with this. Mainly because I haven't even really started the series, because it's so intimidating seeing how many games there already are, and how more keep coming out. If there's an end in site, then it'll put my mind at ease.

I had to stop in Cold Steel. There's just too many to go through and they are all SUPER long games.Trails makes the Yakuza Franchise look like short stories.

 

[Mister Wolf]

The Trails will never stop

 

[RoboFu]

yeah I do not like the trails series that much. move on to another. make it total fantasy again.

 

[mayham2199]

Good. I wonder if they go back and remake all the 2d games. I bet if sky 1 does well that’s the plan.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I’m really glad to hear this. I love the series, but I also would like them to see it through. 15+ games with story continuity seems like enough, right?

 

[Deerock71]

It's no more fun since we are forced to make games for Nintendo.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

It's no more fun since we are forced to make games for Nintendo.

To Falcom

All These Flavors And You Chose To Be Slaty Youre Jealous GIF - All These Flavors And You Chose To Be Slaty Youre Jealous Why Are You Salty - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Someone fill me in because I sort of don't get this part.

so they going to space and they found out that space is sort of blocked off by some kind of weird force barrier that blocks whatever lies beyond? I guess it's what they call the Outside where all the different planes of existence exist? Whatever happened to Gehenna and all its Demon/Devil Lords and everything? Did then you've not even get explained? Like, what's going the fuck on here?

Maybe someone here can explain or maybe my friend NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt perhaps?

 

[Mister Wolf]

Someone fill me in because I sort of don't get this part.

so they going to space and they found out that space is sort of blocked off by some kind of weird force barrier that blocks whatever lies beyond? I guess it's what they call the Outside where all the different planes of existence exist? Whatever happened to Gehenna and all its Demon/Devil Lords and everything? Did then you've not even get explained? Like, what's going the fuck on here?

Maybe someone here can explain or maybe my friend NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt perhaps?

You want full spoilers?

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

They must have realized people getting into it now with the TITS remake will be retiring when they get to the final game.
But don’t worry, we have another 25 years of remakes ahead of us.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

You want full spoilers?

Yes. Go shoot them at me. Or just direct message me them.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Yes. Go shoot them at me. Or just direct message me them.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

This image is from the game Legend Of Nayuta Boundless Trails which many believe is a connected title and the planet Zemuria originated from. Is the mystery of the continent of Zemuria starting to make sense?

 

[EDMIX]

I mean, he says "wants to make" but they probably got like 2 games already completed and working on a 3rd that will be done by next Wednesday.

 

[Komatsu]

I don't mind the Trails/Kiseki series coming to an end... If they continue/start other Legend of Heroes subseries. The last non-Kiseki LoH game was Song of the Ocean, back in 1999 (we got a PSP remake in 2006).

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

This image is from the game Legend Of Nayuta Boundless Trails which many believe is a connected title and the planet Zemuria originated from. Is the mystery of the continent of Zemuria starting to make sense?

Yeah I saw that exact Reddit thread that you just posted but I'm still confused. Do you sort of have a cliff notes or quick summary of what is going on?

 

[AmuroChan]

I'm ok with this as long as the final arc is 10 games long.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Yeah I saw that exact Reddit thread that you just posted but I'm still confused. Do you sort of have a cliff notes or quick summary of what is going on?

Spoiler

Most think Zemuria is a land mass that is existed on the planet of that Nayuta game. A cataclysm happened on that planet ripping a gash in the planet. Zemuria in the Trails games is within a barrier in another dimension. No one can see what's on the other side of the barrier but the sky, stars, and everything else they see is all an illusion. There is a being that is governing the barrier and rewinding time within the barrier by 12,000 years to prevent some kind of extinction level event on the continent. This 12,000 year time rewind has happened thousands of time but every time it get rewound the time line isn't exactly the same and some things and people from previous timelines still exist or get carried over. Factions like Ouroboros and the Septian Church are aware of the time rewind. The demons that show up are literally beings probably native to the dimension that Zemuria is currently trapped in that find ways to get inside the barrier.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

I don't mind the Trails/Kiseki series coming to an end... If they continue/start other Legend of Heroes subseries. The last non-Kiseki LoH game was Song of the Ocean, back in 1999 (we got a PSP remake in 2006).

They must have realized people getting into it now with the TITS remake will be retiring when they get to the final game.
But don’t worry, we have another 25 years of remakes ahead of us.

That's what I want though

I'm ok with this as long as the final arc is 10 games long.

Make it 50 games long

 

[AmuroChan]

Make it 50 games long

That could bankrupt me since I buy every version of every Trails game.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

That could bankrupt me since I buy every version of every Trails game.

I do too

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Most think Zemuria is a land mass that is existed on the planet of that Nayuta game. A cataclysm happened on that planet ripping a gash in the planet. Zemuria in the Trails games is within a barrier in another dimension.

wait a second, has it actually been confirmed that it's part of the Nayuta game or is that just a mere speculation because I heard it's the latter.

 

[Mister Wolf]

wait a second, has it actually been confirmed that it's part of the Nayuta game or is that just a mere speculation because I heard it's the latter.

Spoiler

Speculation. To me it seems obvious given what we know.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

So Mister Wolf do they ever go into what Stigmas really are in this game? I've always wondered about that.

 

[BennyBlanco]

They should really start a new IP. I played the first Trails in the Sky game when it launched on Steam and enjoyed it. But there’s no way I’m going back and playing 500 hours of Trails of Cold Steel series. If they started something new Id be there day 1.

 

[Mister Wolf]

So Mister Wolf do they ever go into what Stigmas really are in this game? I've always wondered about that.

Spoiler

I'm not sure. Could be a mysterious power from outside the boundary that made it's way inside, just like Van turning into a demon. We won't know until we get the the full reveal of the world/plane of existence outside the boundary.

 

[Paltheos]

Old news. I'm ok with it ending. I don't know what happens after Reverie, but for a series that prizes itself on its world-building, it's running out of places to plausibly world-build from. After doing Calvard it would be a little weird to go further east to talk about political factions that nobody had ever talked about in any of the prior games just because. The series has nonspecifically gestured about the internal conflicts in other nations before going into them more specifically in later games in those regions, and that's flown, but not even bringing up entire countries?

(Sky 3rd spoilers) But then again this is also a series where an entire nation was wiped off the map by an eldritch calamity and you never meet anyone who lives in existential terror of Aidios just forsaking them or something. Seriously the salt pale is so cool but it's unbelievable nobody talks about it until it comes up in the plot.

 

[Paltheos]

They should really start a new IP. I played the first Trails in the Sky game when it launched on Steam and enjoyed it. But there’s no way I’m going back and playing 500 hours of Trails of Cold Steel series. If they started something new Id be there day 1.

The length is a big part of the appeal. Nobody else(?) does this, and plenty of people make standalone adventure games.

Not saying you're wrong to not want to jump in ofc.

 

[BennyBlanco]

The length is a big part of the appeal. Nobody else(?) does this, and plenty of people make standalone adventure games.

Not saying you're wrong to not want to jump in ofc.

Yeah that’s fair