The development of the Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster took an impressive five years, as the team dedicated themselves to creating a remaster that truly honors the original games. Dive into the details of how the developers approached this project and what the future holds for the Suikoden franchise.
Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster's Development Time Was Longer Than Expected
Developers Wanted To Honor The Originals
The journey to remaster Suikoden 1 and 2 into HD took five dedicated years, reflecting the developers' commitment to delivering a faithful and high-quality product. In a recent interview with Dengeki Online on March 4, 2025, the team behind Suikoden I & II HD Remaster (Suikoden 1 and 2 HDR) shared insights into their meticulous process.
Originally announced in 2022 with a planned release in 2023, the game faced delays and is now set to launch this year. Takahiro Sakiyama, the IP and Game Director for the Suikoden Gensho series, explained that the need for thorough debugging and review led to the postponement.
Tatsuya Ogushi, the Game Director for Suikoden 1 and 2 HDR, emphasized a cautious 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 Series
The remaster is not just a standalone project but a crucial first step in reviving the Suikoden franchise. Rui Naito, the Suikoden series Producer, articulated their vision, stressing the importance of laying a solid foundation for future endeavors.
Naito communicated this vision to the production team, 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, "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 Revealed New Anime, Mobile Game, and More
During the Gensou Suikoden Live event on March 4, 2025, Konami unveiled several exciting projects aimed at revitalizing the Suikoden franchise. Naito described the live event as the second step in this revival process, though he remained uncertain about the total number of steps needed to fully bring back the series.
He elaborated, "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." Naito 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 also announced "Suikoden: The Anime," an adaptation of the story and events from Suikoden 2, marking the first anime project for Konami Animation. Additionally, a new mobile game, "Genso Suikoden: STAR LEAP," was revealed. Both projects have released teaser trailers, though specific release dates remain undisclosed.
As Konami continues to develop more projects and events, the future looks bright for the Suikoden franchise, aiming to recapture its former glory.
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune & Dunan Unification Wars is scheduled for release 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 this highly anticipated remaster by checking out our related articles!
