Fans Divided on Brand-New Suikoden Game Announcement

Today is an exciting day for Suikoden fans, as the highly-anticipated Suikoden I & II remaster is finally here. These remasters arrive on March 6th, bringing fans back to the franchise’s roots. But that’s not all Suikoden fans have to look forward to, as a brand-new game in the franchise has also been announced. Konami recently revealed a teaser trailer for the brand-new Suikoden Starp Leap, and fans are divided about how hyped to be about the new title.

On the one hand, getting a new Suikoden game at all is a big deal for franchise fans. On the other hand, Suikoden Star Leap is a mobile game, which has many hesitant to get too excited. The new game is set a few years before Suikoden I, but after Suikoden V. It has a 2D pixel art style for character designs, set against 3D backgrounds, and will let gamers explore various settings while meeting new and returning Suikoden characters along the way.

The trailer shows off truly impressive graphics, with the 2D and 3D art styles working together to create a unique vibe. Given that it’s been nearly 20 years since the last new Suikoden game, many fans are just excited to see something brand-new in this franchise. Exactly when Suikoden Star Leap will arrive remains to be seen, as Konami shared that the release date and “more information” won’t arrive until a future announcement.

Konami Experiments with A Mobile Suikoden Game

The announcement that Suikoden Star Leap will be a mobile title has fans divided. Many franchises like Pokemon and Hello Kitty have leaned into the mobile-game genre recently. But while this can be more accessible than games that require owning a console or gaming PC, the actual quality and gameplay loop are often lacking. In particular, many mobile games are free-to-play, but with a gacha mechanic that often encourages players to spend money for more pulls. That’s been the way for Pokemon TCG Pocket and even the mobile version of Infinity Nikki, after all.

Early reactions to the trailer show that many gamers want to see the new Suikoden title arrive on PS5, Switch, and PC as well. As one player puts it, “It looks incredible… but it NEEDS to be on consoles.” It’s not unheard of for games initially released on mobile to later find a broader release, such as with the recent Nintendo Switch port of mobile game Hello Kitty: Island Adventure.

RELATED: Pokemon Needs to Make It Easier to Play its Older Games

Others think the game looks promising despite the mobile release plans, with many impressed by the beautiful graphics and teaser peeks at gameplay. Many fans are just hoping this game brings in enough money to fund a Suikoden 6 for consoles, something fans have yearned for since Suikoden 5‘s release back in 2006.

Overall, it seems fans are hesitant but excited to see something new in the Suikoden franchise alongside the release of the remastered Suikoden 1 & 2. For now, the exact release timeline for this new mobile Suikoden game is still unknown, but it’s likely Konami will share more information on this latest mobile venture soon enough. The website for the mobile game is already up, confirming it will be a free-to-play release and showing off some more screenshots from the upcoming title.

Are you looking forward to a mobile Suikoden game? Let us know in the comments below!