When it comes to RPGs in the form of video games, many of us would most probably mouth off Final Fantasy without thinking twice. After all, that is more or less the first thing that comes to our minds, such is the popularity of the title. Well, another name that should also be mentioned without fail is Atlus, as this Japanese firm has come up with their fair share of RPGs in the past, and it looks like the most recent issue of Weekly Famitsu has presented details on an upcoming fantasy RPG from the developer: Project Re Fantasy.

Now Project Re Fantasy is certainly an unorthodox name as any when it comes to a game title, but we are already very excited at the prospect of this new title hitting the market. It will be a totally new RPG built from the ground up, where it is set within a fantasy world as opposed to a modern setting which the more recent Shin Megami Tensei and Persona titles from Atlus depict.

Project Re Fantasy is currently being developed at Studio Zero. If you have not heard about Studio Zero before, fret not -- this is because Studio Zero is a totally new studio that was established by Atlus. There will certainly be heavyweights in this particular studio, where the likes of Persona series producer and director Katsura Hasino, artist Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro are all part of the team. With such notable talents being mentioned, you are sure that anticipation for Project Re Fantasy will run high.

There will be a live stream hosted by Atlus on December 23 at 20:00 JST to talk more about Project Re Fantasy, which would then be followed by opening the floodgates to recruit people who would like to contribute their time and talent to the new RPG project. So far, apart from the game’s title, nothing else has been revealed about Project Re Fantasy, but we suspect that we will be able to hear more about it after the live stream concludes.

In a Weekly Famitsu interview with Atlus company director Naota Hiraoka and Studio Zero creative producer and director Katsura Hashino, here are some outtakes from their conversation. Concerning establishing a new studio instead remaining within the Atlus brand, Hiraoka shared, “Originally, as a mid-term plan of Atlus, we had wanted to establish a studio with the goal of creating a new IP and aim even higher. In these several years, the people whom we could entrust with it always seemed to be busy, but we wondered if we can trust it to Hashino, who finished up Persona 5.”

As for roping in Soejima and Meguro’s involvement, Hiraoka elaborated, “Soejima is an indispensable member of the Persona series staff, but we don’t want his work to stop there. Meguro is the same. Both will continue to participate in the Persona series in the future. We’re steadily developing other titles behind the scenes, including the Persona series. We plan to announce future titles in the new year, without keeping you waiting too long.”

Are you looking forward to Project Re Fantasy already? Needless to say, with the game in its infancy, there is no release date attached to it just yet.