Osaka, Japan based development studio Platinum Games has announced plans to develop a game based on The Legend of Korra, the popular sequel to the critically acclaimed animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The game, which will focus predominantly on “fast-paced martial-art combat” according to a report by IGN, follows in the tradition of Platinum’s previous successful action games such as Viewtiful Joe and Bayonetta.
Platinum Games is taking great care to ensure the upcoming Legend of Korra retains heavy ties with its source material. The game’s cel-shaded graphics look as though they could have been lifted directly from an episode of the series, and Platinum has recruited Tim Hedrick, script writer of several of the episodes from the second season of the show, to lead the game’s story development team. The game’s plot is set during the interim between the second and third seasons of the animated series and will feature combat styles based on each of the four elements wielded by the eponymous main character. While what shape the final product of Platinum’s efforts might take is still anyone’s guess, their plans seem devised to steer them clear of the pitfalls into which THQ’s trilogy of Avatar: The Last Airbender games fell, all of which were critically panned for having generic, uninspired gameplay and graphics that did little more than cash in on the popularity of the animated series. Combined with Platinum Games’ track record of success in the third-person action adventure genre, the upcoming Legend of Korra title seems to have the potential to succeed where so many games within the Avatar and Legend of Korra franchises have failed.
Platinum currently plans to release their Korra game on current generation Playstation and Xbox consoles as well as Windows PCs. The Nintendo market has been cornered by a different developer, Webfoot Technologies, who plans to release a turn-based strategy game set in the Legend of Korra universe for the 3DS later this year. Both announcements come just days before season three of the television series begins, a move doubtlessly calculated to catch Korra fans at a time when they’re paying close attention to news about the series.
Neither Legend of Korra game has set an official release date yet, and both titles still appear to be in the relatively early stages of development. You can watch the official announcement trailer for Platinum’s upcoming game below or on YouTube.