Dynasty Warriors maker finds unmade sequel and Megastar Wars desires

It’s uncommon {that a} online game sequence turns into so widespread it conjures up copycats – however it’s rarer nonetheless that it is so distinctive it kicks off its personal style.

However that is what took place with Dynasty Warriors, a chain which pioneered the so-called “1 vs 1,000” gameplay, by which the participant defeats 1000’s of enemies in each and every degree.

Right through years of building – the sequence has been going since 1997 at the authentic PlayStation – {hardware} barriers intended at its ideal just a few hundred enemies could seem on-screen at anyone time.

However all this is now converting, with the facility of recent consoles enabling as many as 10,000 fighters on-screen without delay.

In different phrases, the “1 vs 1,000” moniker is after all coming true.

And with that new energy comes a brand new recreation – after seven years within the desolate tract, writer Koei Tecmo is again with Dynasty Warriors: Origins.

Right through this era the sequence has confronted an issue – in spite of promoting 21 million copies during its historical past – Dynasty Warriors has all the time offered much better in Japan than within the West.

“It is one thing that we have been seeking to get a large number of other people out of the country to play,” the top of developer Omega Power, Tomohiko Sho, informed the BBC.

However instances is also converting, as the discharge of Dynasty Warriors: Origins in January 2025 has observed encouraging gross sales.

In the United Kingdom, it broke the tip 10 of the retail gross sales charts, whilst on-line it was once the top-selling recreation on PC store Steam – with slightly below 70,000 other people enjoying the sport on the similar time on release.

There were 9 numbered entries within the sequence since it all started in 1997, culminating in 2018’s Dynasty Warriors 9 at the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

However advances in {hardware} imply Mr Sho believes now’s the time for a sequel.

Regardless that he didn’t name it a reboot, the workforce has ditched the numbered titles and easily referred to as the sport Dynasty Warriors: Origins – most likely signalling that the studio believes this can be a turning level for the franchise.

It launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X/S and PC in January 2025, changing into the primary mainline access within the sequence in seven years.

Mr Sho informed the BBC the workforce were running on a sequel – which might were referred to as Dynasty Warriors 10 – however he felt it was once just too very similar to earlier video games, which fanatics have been “beginning to get a little bit bored of”.

As an alternative, the long-awaited recreation was once scrapped as a way to benefit from the brand new {hardware}.

The explanation Dynasty Warriors: Origins seeks to break free from what got here ahead of is inconspicuous, Mr Sho stated – it was once a results of fan response to the ultimate mainline recreation launched within the sequence, 2018’s Dynasty Warriors 9.

“Both you truly preferred it, otherwise you did not,” he stated.

The unreleased sequel was once too very similar to what got here ahead of, he stated, however by the point building was once in complete swing, a transformation within the video games trade in the end halted manufacturing.

Inside two days of one another in November 2020, Sony launched the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft introduced the Xbox Collection X – consoles so tough Mr Sho ceased building to concentrate on the brand new {hardware}.

“The present era permits us to have many troops and armed forces officials at the display screen,” he stated.

“That is one thing I have been in need of to do since Dynasty Warriors 2 and three.”

The ones two video games, which launched on PlayStation 2 again in 2000 and 2001, may just at maximum arrange twenty or thirty enemies on-screen without delay.

The brand new {hardware} can arrange much more – with PlayStation 5 Professional homeowners seeing a good larger soar in efficiency.

“We are in a position to have many troops on-screen – no longer simply 1000’s, however tens of 1000’s,” Mr Sho stated.

“With the present era of consoles, we are in a position to try this.”

However all that energy comes with a price – no multiplayer, which has been a staple of the sequence since its PlayStation 2 days.

“I’m very conscious that it’s observed as an iconic a part of the sequence,” he stated.

He felt multiplayer would lead to a “efficiency loss”, which means fewer enemies on display screen, so he made up our minds in opposition to together with it.

However he stated that can exchange if the sport got a sequel.

“If everybody truly enjoys the sport, then for the following recreation within the sequence, we can for sure have multiplayer,” he stated.

In the intervening time years between the discharge of Dynasty Warriors 9 and Dynasty Warriors: Origins, the workforce has focussed on different issues – particularly spin-offs.

Those are variations of the sport, inside the 1 vs 1,000 style, outdoor of the principle sequence that most often characteristic other characters – similar to how the movie franchise Puss in Boots was once a spin-off of Shrek.

The corporate has discovered luck on this space with video games that includes characters from sequence akin to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda and Sega’s Personality 5.

Mr Sho stated Dynasty Warriors: Origins was once a shift in route because it eager about efficiency – whilst spin-offs have been about being true to the franchises concerned.

“When the groups have been coming near building, they were not interested by the {hardware},” he stated.

“However extra, with Hyrule Warriors and Hearth Brand Warriors being at the Transfer, how would we have the ability to do this ideal as a Warriors recreation?”

He stated Dynasty Warriors’ long term was once about “getting probably the most” out of present consoles – most likely with much more enemies on display screen.

Regardless that he laughed off the advice that most likely the studio will have to believe participating at the final “spin-off” – a Sonic the Hedgehog recreation.

“I additionally if truth be told like Sonic, simply to assist you to know,” he stated.

And Mr Sho stated if he may just make any Dynasty Warriors spin-off, there are two sequence he is massive fanatics of – Megastar Wars and Lord of the Rings.

“If there’s a probability, I might for sure like to take at the problem,” he stated.