Zero Escape's third entry is stalled, but director has hope

The future of the Zero Escape series is uncertain, according to a series of tweets by director Kotaro Uchikoshi.

The series kicked off with 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors in 2010 and continued with Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward in 2012. Uchikoshi wrote on Twitter in late 2012 that a third entry in the series was in development.

He took to Twitter yesterday to update fans on the game's future, writing that "it is difficult to realize it 'at this stage' yet, although we have done all we can."

"A lot of budget is needed to make ZE series," Uchikoshi wrote. "We have to persuade the managers in order to obtain it."

He revealed that series sales haven't become profitable in Japan.

"But, 'in Japan,' 999 and VLR are in the red," he wrote. "They are not selling more than people think."

The series lack of financial success evidentially makes that persuasion difficult.

"I'm so sad, but all the companies exist for profit-making purposes," he wrote. "If the profits can't be expected, naturally, the project isn't approved."

Uchikoshi wrote that he is "very sorry to all the users who are expecting ZE3" and that he feels "ashamed of my own inadequacies."

Despite this, he hasn't given up.

"For example, if the title which I make next bring about a good result, the wind might shift to another direction."

"Or," he wrote, "if someone with executive ability (financer [sic], producer, publisher or millionaire!) propose the investment, everything could go well."

Despite the game's current state, Uchikoshi thinks it has a future.

"I believe there is still hope," he wrote. "ZE3 will definitely be released somehow, someday!"