Earlier this month, Bandai Namco, the “game-in-question”‘s publisher, puts up a website featuring a very fantasy-esque piece of artwork showcasing all the usual tropes: a unique sword, a white horse, white castle towering in the background, sun shining down, etc. In the corner was supposedly the title of the game–City Shrouded in Shadow “Granzella”–but was this just a clever way of hiding the true nature of the game? Let’s take a look at the facts.
Kazuma Kujo, the creator of the original Disaster Report series, has a video game development company named Granzella which oddly appears in the title-in-question in quotations no-less. Not only that, but Kazuma has recently purchased the rights to the Disaster Report IP and have released screenshots on their website showcasing a Disaster Report game in development.
Now, these still could all be odd coincidences and don’t necessarily link these two (supposed) IPs together, but if we continue to look, more oddities appear. Recently, Bandai Namco updated the game’s website to showcase the original fantasy artwork inside of a ruined billboard frame on the side of an equally devastated building, seemingly throwing out all previous notions that this game is a traditional fantasy game and showing the true games setting: devastated Tokyo.
The last sequel to the Disaster Report series, Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories, was canceled in 2011 in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Afterwards, there was no word of the series until Kazuma bought the rights. Upon releasing the images of the new Disaster Report on their website, the developers also stated (according to Google Translate) “新作の発表は、2015年秋を予定しております” or “Announcement of the new work, we have planned the 2015 autumn.” It just so happens to be the Autumn of 2015.
Again, these may be all coincidences of two games coming out at the same time as no official report has been made, but you have to admit the similarities seem infallible. I guess we’ll find out at this years Tokyo Game Show September 17-20th. Stay tuned!