The journey to remaster Suikoden 1 and 2 into the highly anticipated Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster took the developers a dedicated 5 years, aiming to honor the original games faithfully. Dive in to discover the meticulous process behind the scenes and what lies ahead for the Suikoden franchise.
Developers Committed to Honoring the Originals
The Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster, also known as Suikoden I & II HD Remaster (HDR), demanded a painstaking 5-year development cycle. In an insightful interview with Dengeki Online on March 4, 2025, the developers shared their journey towards creating a high-quality remaster. Originally announced in 2022 with a planned release in 2023, the project faced delays, pushing its launch to this year.
Suikoden Gensho series IP and Game Director Takahiro Sakiyama explained that as they approached the end of development, ongoing debugging revealed the necessity for a thorough review, leading to the postponement. Suikoden 1 and 2 HDR Game Director Tatsuya Ogushi emphasized their approach, saying, "Rather than being bold, we started by grasping the situation. After confirming and discussing with Sakiyama, including the quality line, it became clear that there were many areas that needed to be worked on, and that we needed to deal with them firmly."
Reviving the Suikoden Series
The remaster isn't just a standalone project; it's a crucial step in the broader effort to revive the Suikoden franchise. Suikoden series Producer Rui Naito highlighted their long-term vision, stating, "The most important thing was that this was the first step in reviving the Suikoden IP, so we needed to make sure we didn't stumble here. So, ‘make it solid’ is the basic order." He further emphasized the importance of quality, saying, "In the case of Suikoden I&II HDR, I told Sakiyama and his colleagues to ‘make something solid’ because if we put out a half-baked work at the starting point that will be the flow of reviving the series, it will end here."
Gensou Suikoden Live Unveils Exciting New Projects
During the recent Gensou Suikoden Live event on March 4, 2025, Konami unveiled several exciting projects aimed at revitalizing the Suikoden IP. Producer Rui Naito described the live event as the second step in this revival process, though he remained uncertain about the total number of steps required to fully restore the franchise's glory.
Naito shared, "For this reason, we have been reworking Suikoden I & II HDR and pursuing a strong commitment to the upcoming mobile Suikoden STAR LEAP and Suikoden II anime." He added, "After we have been able to deliver this accumulation well, I think we will be able to think about what to do next."
Konami announced "Suikoden: The Anime," an adaptation based on the events of Suikoden 2, marking the first anime project for Konami Animation. Additionally, a new mobile game titled "Genso Suikoden: STAR LEAP" was revealed. While teaser trailers for both projects have been released, official release dates are yet to be announced. More projects and events are in the pipeline as Konami endeavors to bring the beloved Suikoden franchise back into the spotlight.
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune & Dunan Unification Wars is set to launch on March 6, 2025, across multiple platforms including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on the Suikoden I & II HD Remaster by following our comprehensive coverage below!
