The early 2000s featured a lot of video game franchises that are beloved in the eyes of the young millennial or generation z’er, a time period dominated by innovative titles and mechanics and settings set quite the high standard for that era, and one of the titles many will recognize from those years is CyberConnect2’s .hack video game series. But, after 6 very successful Playstation 2 games and even a few successful anime adaptations the .hack IP has been strangely dormant for several years now. It turns out, as reported by NoisyPixel, the CyberConnect2 VP Taichiro Miyazaki has several ideas in the tank for the .hack name, but it still lacks the go-ahead from Bandai Namco.
Within CyberConnect2, the topic of a new .hack is constantly in the background. However, we need the cooperation of Bandai Namco, the publisher. We have ideas, and if we get the okay, we would love to move forward…North America is our biggest market, so you have the biggest influence. Please send emails and peer pressure Bandai Namco to make it happen.
As funny as a call to action to make Americans petition Bandai Namco to give us another .hack game is, it’s really odd that a new .hack game hasn’t been greenlit. The current generation of games could very well be described as a nostalgia trip for video games from the 90s and 2000s, and .hack was both successful enough to be a recognizable name from that time period while also being niche enough that many people who have heard of the MMO simulator JRPG haven’t actually played it, and would be willing to give such a unique setting and setup a chance with a new release or even a remaster of the older games.
Bandai Namco are a massive, massive conglomerate so it’s only natural that some things will get lost in the shuffle, but it is truly a goldmine they’re sitting on. .hack was a great franchise from a beloved time period, and its setting and overall message about the internet and how people connect through it are arguably much more relevant now than they ever were back then, a revival, or even a small resurgence would likely be a successful endeavor. So, if you’re interested in another .hack game I guess the best advice would be to follow Mr. Miyazaki’s advice and pressure Bandai Namco to make it happen.