Zero Escape director teases next project

Kotaro Uchikoshi, director of the cult favorite Zero Escape series of visual novels, has another game in the works. Currently referred to as “Project Psync,” the game is in the very early stages, with little else known beyond its name.

Allegra Frank/Polygon

Spike Chunsoft is developing the title, which will be Uchikoshi’s first since completing the Zero Escape trilogy. Zero Time Dilemma concluded the science fiction-heavy visual novels; it launched last June on handhelds and Windows PC. The first two games in the series will make their console and PC debuts with Zero Escape: The Nonary Games on March 24.

During a press event at Game Developers Conference 2017, Uchikoshi prefaced the reveal of “Project Psync” by reflecting on his years working on the three Zero Escape games. The first game, 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, launched on Nintendo DS in 2010, but Uchikoshi said he’s devoted 10 years of his life to the series. Leaving it behind is a huge deal for him, he said.

Moving onto “Project Psync” may be a fresh break from the beloved escape-the-room puzzle games, although the teaser art accompanying its name suggests fans should expect the mysterious game to be as gory and strange as its predecessors.