The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (Switch) up for preload in Japan (6.3GB) alongside demo

[Hero of Legend]

英雄伝説 閃の軌跡Ⅲ ダウンロード版

任天堂の公式オンラインストア。「英雄伝説 閃の軌跡Ⅲ ダウンロード版」の販売ページ。マイニンテンドーストアではNintendo Switch（スイッチ）やゲームソフト、ストア限定、オリジナルの商品を販売しています。

ec.nintendo.com

Well there's that demo promised (according to the GameSpot announcement article) in Japan at least!

Hope this means it'll be out in the west soon. I'm banking on a date. and the demo, being announced whenever the Direct hits. Only explanation why the JP date was announced like... 1-2 months ago when the western release (again says GameSpot) was supposed to be prior to the JP release.

Also 6.3GB is MUCH smaller than Ys VIII was which is 14.8GB. That asset compressor Durante let Engine use for the Switch port is doing some magic! O_o

 

[PurgeVIII]

Honestly really dumb that the first 2 aren't on switch

 

[Hero of Legend]

Honestly really dumb that the first 2 aren't on switch

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That's XSEED's fault. Worse is that they picked Corpse Party: Blood Drive to port to Switch first... of all games.

At least Codeglue did a good job on that it seemed. Fingers crossed XSEED either get Codeglue on Cold Steel 1 and 2 on Switch, or maybe Engine can do it after they're done with 3 (and inevitably 4 at this point).

 

[Redcrayon]

This was originally listed for the end of March on Amazon UK, but got pushed back to June 30 a couple of days ago. Usually if they have no idea they'll list it as December 31, so I think it's probably just ballparked as a 'Q2' release.

 

[Hero of Legend]

This was originally listed for the end of March on Amazon UK, but got pushed back to June 30 a couple of days ago. Usually if they have no idea they'll list it as December 31, so I think it's probably just ballparked as a 'Q2' release.

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Which is odd if it's ready for Japan. Only concern is if the game is being rushed (likely to beat the fiscal year ending?). Hopefully if that's the case, then Engine is given more time to actually finish the game for the western release (which they can then release a patch based on for JP).

 

[PurgeVIII]

That's XSEED's fault. Worse is that they picked Corpse Party: Blood Drive to port to Switch first... of all games.

At least Codeglue did a good job on that it seemed. Fingers crossed XSEED either get Codeglue on Cold Steel 1 and 2 on Switch, or maybe Engine can do it after they're done with 3 (and inevitably 4 at this point).

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Switch would be the perfect platform for the whole series. If they ported the Trails in the Sky games as well as the other cold steel games it would be amazing. Ports of the crossbill games would be awesome too of course but I don't think those were ever localized.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Switch would be the perfect platform for the whole series. If they ported the Trails in the Sky games as well as the other cold steel games it would be amazing. Ports of the crossbill games would be awesome too of course but I don't think those were ever localized.

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XSEED are really bizarre on their "PC or die" approach where they'll always push for PC ports to where it's rare they don't do one. But Switch is (almost) completely ignored despite how massively successful it is. Do XSEED's PC ports even do well?

 

[Tohsaka]

I kinda doubt XSEED will bother to fund ports of the older games since they're not gonna be localizing any of the current ones.

 

[K Samedi]

As someone who never played the series, what makes it so special?

 

[Deleted member 437]

As someone who never played the series, what makes it so special?

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For me, the characters/ story.

 

[Tohsaka]

As someone who never played the series, what makes it so special?

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The main appeal of the series is that, unlike most long-running JRPG series such as Final Fantasy etc. the games are all directly related and set on the same continent. Each of the three arcs so far (Sky, Crossbell, Cold Steel) is set in a different country and focuses on a new main cast, though there's a lot of interaction with previous characters, references etc. The story is continuous and the arcs aren't stand-alone. There are nine Trails games as of right now, and the tenth is releasing in Japan later this year.

 

[waugh]

XSEED are really bizarre on their "PC or die" approach where they'll always push for PC ports to where it's rare they don't do one. But Switch is (almost) completely ignored despite how massively successful it is. Do XSEED's PC ports even do well?

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Xseed is a localisation company. They don't specialise in porting anything. NISA is an outlier for contracting ports but thats also probably also because they're the western arm for NIS.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Xseed is a localisation company. They don't specialise in porting anything. NISA is an outlier for contracting ports but thats also probably also because they're the western arm for NIS.

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Incorrect. XSEED themselves commission PC ports (and Corpse Party: Blood Drive on Switch). They personally worked with Durante to handle the Cold Steel 1 and 2 PC ports, and also Codeglue specifically list XSEED as a client on their website. Blood Drive on Switch is their only game with XSEED.

 

[waugh]

Incorrect. XSEED themselves commission PC ports (and Corpse Party: Blood Drive on Switch). They personally worked with Durante to handle the Cold Steel 1 and 2 PC ports, and also Codeglue specifically list XSEED as a client on their website. Blood Drive on Switch is their only game with XSEED.

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Yeah that was worded on my part. I meant Xseed is a localisation first, the pc ports seem to be an extension of their previous work with publishing Falcom games on Steam. The Switch port was kind of surprising.

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

XSEED are really bizarre on their "PC or die" approach where they'll always push for PC ports to where it's rare they don't do one. But Switch is (almost) completely ignored despite how massively successful it is. Do XSEED's PC ports even do well?

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It's not bizarre! Games on PC have a borderline endless shelf life. It's worth having that SKU around. I don't know why you have such an issue with the Corpse Party port being their first Switch port btw. Without knowing anything about the development, I can tell you it was a good choice because it runs on Unity.

 

[Tohsaka]

It's not bizarre! Games on PC have a borderline endless shelf life. It's worth having that SKU around. I don't know why you have such an issue with the Corpse Party port being their first Switch port btw. Without knowing anything about the development, I can tell you it was a good choice because it runs on Unity.

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I'd say it was a bad choice to port Blood Drive since it's the final game in a story-heavy trilogy (and also the worst one by far). They really should've ported the first two games first, starting with Blood Drive is a terrible idea.

 

[Hero of Legend]

It's not bizarre! Games on PC have a borderline endless shelf life. It's worth having that SKU around. I don't know why you have such an issue with the Corpse Party port being their first Switch port btw. Without knowing anything about the development, I can tell you it was a good choice because it runs on Unity.

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More because it seemed poorly received as a game. In the announcement thread (hell back in the ESRB leak thread) folks were not too happy about it, Plus there's bound to be far better Unity-ran games they could've picked first no?

 

[Deleted member 30681]

I'd love for this entire series to be on switch and bring the series to a whole new audience. Unfortunately as it stands, I can't see Xseed doing anything more than the bare minimum with Falcom re-releases, since the chances of them ever getting to localize and release the latest Falcom games is slim. It's one of those situations where I imagine Xseed is only agreeing to work on the Kai re-releases that are coming out in Japan and bringing them to the west is because the locs are already done and it's easy money.

One thing I'm curious to see, is once Falcom inevitably brings Sky to PS4, if NISA could potentially get a hold of them and put them on Switch. My understanding of the matter is that while Falcom owns the localizations in the case of CS1/CS2 and Celceta, Xseed owns the VA, which complicates the possibility of NISA working on all 3 of those unless Xseed sells the VA and NISA buys it.

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

I'd say it was a bad choice to port Blood Drive since it's the final game in a story-heavy trilogy (and also the worst one by far). They really should've ported the first two games first, starting with Blood Drive is a terrible idea.

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More because it seemed poorly received as a game. In the announcement thread (hell back in the ESRB leak thread) folks were not too happy about it, Plus there's bound to be far better Unity-ran games they could've picked first no?

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There's no really good reason to delay a game you can port immediately and quickly. That would just mean it would take longer to get that back catalog across in good time. (if indeed that is their intention at all). I seriously, seriously doubt it was ported because it's Corpse Party or indeed with any consideration of the previous games in mind; it was ported because they have a working relationship with the devs and it runs in Unity. I don't know of another game that they've worked on that is also in such an easy state to port to Switch. This is also to say nothing of the devs desire to port it to switch, which I guess none of us really know.

Anyhow, I think its just a matter of time for the other Cold Steel games now that Falcon is doing Switch stuff.

 

[9-Volt]

I thought Japanese release of Cold Steel III will be after the western release? If not, I hope western release isn't much later than Japanese release.

 

[Geobros]

Why the PS4 version of the game is 39.58 GB and the Switch only 6.7GB?

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

Rean Schwarzer découvre un sombre complot menaçant sa patrie. Afin daffronter cette menace ennemie, il devra endosser un rôle dinstructeur au sein dun nouveau campus de section et former une nouvelle génération de héros pour espérer ressortir vainqueurs de ce conflit.

store.playstation.com

 

[night814]

Honestly really dumb that the first 2 aren't on switch

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Yup, would really like to play them and specifically on Switch. Almost bit the bullet a few times on other platforms, the first game is literally 4 bucks on GOG right now but I still want it on Switch lol

 

[Hero of Legend]

Why the PS4 version of the game is 39.58 GB and the Switch only 6.7GB?

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

Rean Schwarzer découvre un sombre complot menaçant sa patrie. Afin daffronter cette menace ennemie, il devra endosser un rôle dinstructeur au sein dun nouveau campus de section et former une nouvelle génération de héros pour espérer ressortir vainqueurs de ce conflit.

store.playstation.com

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*waves hands* Maaaaaaaaaaaaagic!

But seriously, Durante confirmed in a Reddit AMA that he and Engine are sharing code for both the Switch and PC ports, with Engine actually using Durante's asset compressor on the Switch version. This is likely the fruit of that labor. :)

 

[TheMoon]

*waves hands* Maaaaaaaaaaaaagic!

But seriously, Durante confirmed in a Reddit AMA that he and Engine are sharing code for both the Switch and PC ports, with Engine actually using Durante's asset compressor on the Switch version. This is likely the fruit of that labor. :)

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He should shop that around to all those devs putting out a dozen plus gigs games for no reason...

 

[Chie Satonaka91]

Yup, would really like to play them and specifically on Switch. Almost bit the bullet a few times on other platforms, the first game is literally 4 bucks on GOG right now but I still want it on Switch lol

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I feel the same. I have Cold Steel 1 on PS3, have played it a little and really dig the game, but would really want the first two in Switch. I'm hoping NISA is working something out with XSEED for them.

 

[Imitatio]

I can only echo what has been said already: I want 1+2 on Switch as well. I'm really interested in the series as a whole, but I can't bring myself to play the first two on the Vita. I simply don't play on the thing anymore, as much as I loved it.

And playing them on a PC is no viable alternative, as these are handheld games to me...

 

[fiendcode]

I wish Engine & Durante would go back and fix up Ys VIII Switch some. NISA's best selling version could use some nicer IQ and a smaller filesize, in retrospect it probably wasn't the best idea to have the actual Disgaea team do the port.

 

[Oregano]

I wish Engine & Durante would go back and fix up Ys VIII Switch some. NISA's best selling version could use some nicer IQ and a smaller filesize, in retrospect it probably wasn't the best idea to have the actual Disgaea team do the port.

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Engine's track record isn't exactly any better tbh.

 

[Arsene no Kiseki]

XSEED are really bizarre on their "PC or die" approach where they'll always push for PC ports to where it's rare they don't do one. But Switch is (almost) completely ignored despite how massively successful it is. Do XSEED's PC ports even do well?

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Their last PC port Daemon X Machina is doing great, Its like their biggest launch in terms of concurrent player count. Senran Kagura and Fate also did pretty well. Granblue Versus will probably do decently.

Then you have Falcom games. The Ys games did so well on PC it pushed XSEED to port Trails FC and go forward with localizations of SC and The 3rd which were previously on the back burner because FC bombed on PSP. We wouldnt have an English release of The 3rd at all if their previous PC ports didnt do well.

 

[fiendcode]

Engine's track record isn't exactly any better tbh.

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Ninokuni turned out pretty good. I know Caligula Effect was a mess but that was their first "big" effort on the system iirc.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Ninokuni turned out pretty good. I know Caligula Effect was a mess but that was their first "big" effort on the system iirc.

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I also blame them having to do both the Switch and PC ports themselves rather than just focus on the Switch port. Meaning it was likely they spread themselves a bit thin. Plus of course it was their first ever Japanese port IIRC, so they may not have had as smooth communication with the Japanese HQ as they do now? I mean it was why Okami on Wii had a lot of issues, because the code was in Japanese and Ready at Dawn weren't well equipped for that. That or Falcom and Level 5's code is eons easier to work with, who knows. :P

Their last PC port Daemon X Machina is doing great, Its like their biggest launch in terms of concurrent player count. Senran Kagura and Fate also did pretty well. Granblue Versus will probably do decently.

Then you have Falcom games. The Ys games did so well on PC it pushed XSEED to port Trails FC and go forward with localizations of SC and The 3rd which were previously on the back burner because FC bombed on PSP. We wouldnt have an English release of The 3rd at all if their previous PC ports didnt do well.

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Are we sure Marvelous didn't just have First Studio do DXM on PC themselves, or was it farmed out to another developer, and which one?

 

[Oregano]

Ninokuni turned out pretty good. I know Caligula Effect was a mess but that was their first "big" effort on the system iirc.

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NNK is a last gen game and runs at 720p both undocked/docked. It basically met the bare minimum standard.

Wasn't Little Nightmares before Caligula?

 

[TheMoon]

Their last PC port Daemon X Machina is doing great, Its like their biggest launch in terms of concurrent player count.

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ironically also the one that's not "really" theirs, with them basically just distributing the game.

Are we sure Marvelous didn't just have First Studio do DXM on PC themselves, or was it farmed out to another developer, and which one?

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that's what I'm thinking there essentially.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

the first two games not being ported is not really xseed's fault. the series is no longer with them so they don't have much of an incentive to port the games when it's just creating a fanbase for a series that's not gonna profit them any more. i blame falcom for changing their localization partner from xseed to nisa, if they hadn't i think xseed would be more willing to port their falcom back catalog to more system. as it is, i understand why they just stick with their own games from marvelous.

 

[Chie Satonaka91]

the first two games not being ported is not really xseed's fault. the series is no longer with them so they don't have much of an incentive to port the games when it's just creating a fanbase for a series that's not gonna profit them any more. i blame falcom for changing their localization partner from xseed to nisa, if they hadn't i think xseed would be more willing to port their falcom back catalog to more system. as it is, i understand why they just stick with their own games from marvelous.

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Only thing with that is that they did bring the PS4 ports of cold steel 1 and 2 over, even though that only really benefits Nisa.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

Only thing with that is that they did bring the PS4 ports of cold steel 1 and 2 over, even though that only really benefits Nisa.

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that's true, but don't you think we'd have some ports of older ys and trails games on ps4 or switch (even if they had to be digital-only) if xseed was still handling the localization of newer games? they helped make these series popular in the west and create a fanbase for them, but then they were removed from the future of those series in the west. not hard to see why they don't care a whole lot about them now.

 

[Open Wound]

Only thing with that is that they did bring the PS4 ports of cold steel 1 and 2 over, even though that only really benefits Nisa.

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Ports already made by Falcom, with localization already done. It's the closest a project gets to free money as they for the most part only had to bring those ports over.

Switch ports would require XSeed to do them themselves, which while is possible for it to happen, considering they won't get to work on the series anymore, it's likely that it's not high in their priority list.

 

[Asklepios]

XSEED has newer titles to port (Rune factory etc) and promote. It should have been NISA that should have somehow incentivised XSEED to put out CS1 & 2. I mean who in their right minds would play CS3 without having played the other two. Most fans would have got it on ps4/PC before this releases. I think it would be perfect on switch but won't sell well.

Also lol, Its Kiseki! The anal retentive fanbase basically disowns you if you haven't played the previous five, 50 hours each, games before cold steel 1.

 

[Hero of Legend]

the first two games not being ported is not really xseed's fault. the series is no longer with them so they don't have much of an incentive to port the games when it's just creating a fanbase for a series that's not gonna profit them any more. i blame falcom for changing their localization partner from xseed to nisa, if they hadn't i think xseed would be more willing to port their falcom back catalog to more system. as it is, i understand why they just stick with their own games from marvelous.

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NISA handling CS3 is literally the only way we even got a Switch port though.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

NISA handling CS3 is literally the only way we even got a Switch port though.

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there's no way to know if xseed wouldn't have done the same (and for other trails games too) if they were still in charge of the series.

 

[Hero of Legend]

there's no way to know if xseed wouldn't have done the same (and for other trails games too) if they were still in charge of the series.

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Well their history of not exactly prioritizing Switch ports says enough to me. If they had even one other Switch port coming after Corpse Party: Blood Drive, that would help convince me, but there's nothing coming that's not already on Switch in Japan.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

Well their history of not exactly prioritizing Switch ports says enough to me. If they had even one other Switch port coming after Corpse Party: Blood Drive, that would help convince me, but there's nothing coming that's not already on Switch in Japan.

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hm... i guess you have a point
either way, the situation is frustrating for people who want to get into a new story heavy series on a new platform when they get the 3rd (or 8th?) entry first.

 

[SpaceCrystal]

Honestly really dumb that the first 2 aren't on switch

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This, especially given the storyline & plot for each of them in which they are all tied together.

If you immediately jump into 3, you'll won't be able to get a whole grasp on it.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Anyhow, I think its just a matter of time for the other Cold Steel games now that Falcon is doing Switch stuff.

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Falcom isn't doing anything for switch. that's all NISA. and it's not up to NISA to put 1&2 on switch unless they can acquire the publishing rights

 

[Oregano]

Falcom isn't doing anything for switch. that's all NISA. and it's not up to NISA to put 1&2 on switch unless they can acquire the publishing rights

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Even in Japan NIS is the publisher, not Falcom. That's how little their involvement is.

 

[Deleted member 51691]

 

[Asklepios]

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Looks great & seems to run very smooth. Does it have turbo mode? IIRC Japanese ps4 version didn't have it on release.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Looks great & seems to run very smooth. Does it have turbo mode? IIRC Japanese ps4 version didn't have it on release.

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I believe ToraShiro confirmed it does. :)

 

[Arsene no Kiseki]

I also blame them having to do both the Switch and PC ports themselves rather than just focus on the Switch port. Meaning it was likely they spread themselves a bit thin. Plus of course it was their first ever Japanese port IIRC, so they may not have had as smooth communication with the Japanese HQ as they do now? I mean it was why Okami on Wii had a lot of issues, because the code was in Japanese and Ready at Dawn weren't well equipped for that. That or Falcom and Level 5's code is eons easier to work with, who knows. :P

Are we sure Marvelous didn't just have First Studio do DXM on PC themselves, or was it farmed out to another developer, and which one?

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They could have? XSEED is the publisher on Daemon X Machina PC but Marvelous is the publisher of No More Heroes PC instead of Xseed so its hard to tell

 

[TK_Shrodes]

I believe ToraShiro confirmed it does. :)

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Yup. I've seen it in action.