Fragile: 30 hours long, no expense spared on development

by Chris Greenhough { Dec 30th 2008 at 8:10PM }

Three senior members of the Fragile development team have chaired a panel in Japan to answer questions about the RPG.

Between them, producer Kentarou Kawashima, art director Keiko Harada, and head programmer Munehito Yasui revealed that Fragile would take a meaty 30 hours to beat, that developing the game has taken two years, and that the entire process (including advertising) will cost "quite a bit of money" (NeoGAF's translation). Apparently, they also toyed with the idea of basing the game on exploration, with no combat at all -- a daring design choice that didn't come to fruition.

The news that Namco Bandai is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at this gives us real, tangible hope for a western localization. We struggle to believe any sane publisher would throw oodles of cash at a project and limit its reach by making it Japan-only. You are sane, right, Namco Bandai?

Gallery: Fragile

[Via NeoGAF]

Tags: fragile, namco-bandai, rpg, tri-crescendo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gun Barrier @ Dec 30th 2008 9:04PM

hope they have success.

Santos L. Halper @ Dec 30th 2008 9:59PM

I've been following this game since the original trailer and I've just about given up on an NA release. I wish they'd at least confirm that it WON'T get a release outside of Japan so I can get on with my fucking life, jeez...

Mr Khan @ Dec 30th 2008 10:00PM

Might go over well in the west, then, if they really focus on it

But Atari will distribute it, if it comes here (not that that makes a difference)

sly @ Dec 31st 2008 10:49AM

I. Want. This. Game!!!

Matias @ Dec 31st 2008 11:06AM

I love when news about this game come out, and even more when they're about namco putting effort in the game, I hope it comes out of japan, a big project can't stay there, exporting it means that they will make more money from it, so I doubt it stays there. It's like world destruction for the ds, big project, they had to export it to make profit, and only was announced for western audiences recently, and for a december 2009 release, while in japan it was released in july this year.

Kia @ Dec 31st 2008 1:39PM

Hah, Namco, sane? Seriously? Need I remind you of the complete lack of ANY portable Tales localization other than the crappy RM titles, the failure to license opening themes when even tiny companies like XSeed can manage it, the lack of voiced skits until recently, the list goes on? No, I'm not holding my breath. Namco doesn't give a damn about RPGs in the West, other than mothership Tales and ES. Like I said before, though, XSeed has expressed interest in this one so maybe there's still a slim chance we'll get lucky.