S-Game has done a lot of work to make Phantom Blade Zero a complete and original fantasy world; one that stands alone as something unique in the modern action game space. Having spoken to the game’s director, Soulframe (S), about its development during a visit to the studio in Beijing, I also asked if the team has any plans for sequels, expansions, and anything beyond videogames.
“We already have some certain ideas and some things, but let’s see the result of this work first, and that will decide what we proceed with,” S says. He wants to make sure that Phantom Blade Zero is popular and does well commercially before committing to anything else.
He expanded a little on where the team would like to see the series go, saying: “Now we are doing merchandise, and in the future, it’s possible that we [could] make some animations and even movies around it. It’s a great topic, and we would love to take our time to develop the whole universe into an original, great IP.”
In the first six hours of the game I got my hands on, I saw a segment of the game that was 2D animated. I can’t divulge any details, but the sequence was a gorgeous break from the intensely cinematic style of the rest of the game.
“After all, it’s all original and unique,” S says. “You have seen some 2D animations in the game, right? We have other 2D animations in the Year of Dragon celebration [trailer] from two years ago. So before, we’ve made some very high-quality 2D animation. So maybe it’s also possible. Maybe something else. Yeah, we would love to develop it.”
I think the world of Phantom Blade Zero is perfect for an animated series. It’s stylish, visually distinct, and full of drama, so I’d love to see S-Game develop that further. Whether the future of the series is more games, movies, or animated shows, it’s looking bright.