Arc System Works and Swery Announce New Project, ‘The Missing’

Arc System Works just revealed Hidetaka Suehiro’s (SWERY) latest game project The Missing, though thorough details about the new title are still sparce. Best known as the creator of 2010’s cult-classic Deadly Premonition, SWERY is a 20-year veteran of the industry who has developed a number of unique titles over the course of his career.

Suehiro recently made this statement in a new press release following the announcement:

“I can say with confidence that SWERY is one of the industry’s most unique game developers,” said Minoru Kidooka, President and CEO of Arc System Works Co., Ltd. “We share his vision for creating innovative, genre-bending games and look forward to working with SWERY and his team at White Owls on The Missing.”

In the video above, he provides a little framework for what The Missing has to offer with a few glimpses at the concept behind it near the end:

“The title,” Swery said in the video above, “The Missing has many meanings. A missing person, someone who is lost, or even something lost … maybe it’s your loved one, or a place you belong. Do you ever feel lost in your everyday life? The Missing is for someone like you.”

He promises that the title will “blow your mind” with its entirely new concept and unique setup. The preview video itself is enticing, even if it doesn’t actually feature in any gameplay footage. The idea is very abstract from the clips seen, and that falls in line exactly what he described the idea as in the latest video. Feeling lost isn’t always tangible, isn’t always easy to understand. Or maybe we’re thinking too much with our philosophical hats and reading too deeply into it.

Regardless, the Arc System Work’s website has the title listed for a 2018 release, though nothing concrete has been set at the time. For fans of his other work, The Good Life, don’t worry. Swery promises that this new project will not impact the other title during its crowdfunding phase as they prepare for another round of funding come March.