No details about the new game, including its name, have been revealed so far. Itsuno has, however, described the game as one that will make players say “I’ve never seen that in a game before.” The title is slated to feature new experiences that will make use of cutting-edge technology.

“We’re building a creative environment that combines diverse cultural perspectives with cutting-edge technology,” said Itsuno in a statement. “Our focus is on developing gameplay elements that offer players entirely new experiences – the kind of innovations that make players say I’ve never seen that in a game before.”

Alongside this announcement, LightSpeed Studios VP Steve Martin also spoke about how the company is strengthened by featuring developers with a vast array of experience. For context, LightSpeed Studios features developers that have previously worked on major games under Rockstar, Naughty Dog, Obsidian, and Sony Santa Monica.

“Every developer’s true ambition lies in developing original games,” said Martin in a statement. “The creative freedom of creating your own lore from scratch, building a compelling narratives and characters, and all the ideation and inspiration that explodes from this, this is the dream of any creative, and that’s why LightSpeed Studios is the place to be.”

Itsuno had announced that he is joining LightSpeed Studios back in January. Back then, Itsuno said that work on a new project had already begun, with the developer looking forward to a proper announcement for the game. Itsuno’s joining of LightSpeed Studios came around half a year after his departure from Capcom back in August 2024.

The last major title Itsuno worked on during his long tenure at Capcom was Dragon’s Dogma 2. He has also worked on other major titles in the franchise, including Devil May Cry 3, 4 and 5. Itsuno spent more than 30 years at Capcom, and in that time, he has worked on quite a few games, including Star Gladiator and Rival Schools: United by Fate.

Along with this new project with Itsuno, LightSpeed Studios has also been working on a narrative open-world title dubbed Last Sentinel. Set in a futuristic Tokyo, the development of Last Sentinel is being led by Martin, who has previously worked on major open-world franchises like GTA and Red Dead Redemption.

Last Sentinel is being developed using Unreal Engine 5, and puts players in the shoes of Hiromi Shoda. While not too many details have been revealed so far, with even its announcement trailer not featuring much in the way of gameplay, we do know that the protagonist will be a peacekeeper. How her role as a peacekeeper will come at odds with the game’s central storyline is currently unknown, however.

Along with announcing that a new game is in development, Itsuno’s post also acts as a sort of recruitment post, with him outright saying that LightSpeed Studios is actively looking for new developers to work on the project.

“A new project has already started,” posted Itsuno on X. “We will do our best to announce it to everyone as soon as possible. We are also looking for people to join us in developing the game!”

Itsuno announced his departure from Capcom back in August 2024, revealing that he would be working on a new game in a “new environment” during the announcement. Itsuno spent more than 30 years at Capcom, having worked on major projects ranging from both Dragon’s Dogma titles, Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, and even fighting games like Rival Schools: United by Fate.

He announced joining LightSpeed Japan Studio, a studio under Tencent’s umbrella, back in November. While work on the new project may have begun, Itsuno hasn’t revealed any details about the title’s genre or gameplay.

A new project has already started. We will do our best to announce it to everyone as soon as possible. We are also looking for people to join us in developing the game!
開発者募集中です！#LightSpeedStudios #ライトスピードジャパンhttps://t.co/Xi5gKHSwTd pic.twitter.com/YHypnTxEP1

— Hideaki Itsuno (@tomqe) December 31, 2024

The game will recreate the main Final Fantasy 14’s story, while also retaining similar social systems and gameplay mechanics (including, of course, the Job system). Things such as fishing, Triple Triad, chocobo racing, weather and time of day systems, and more will also be retained.

“It has been 11 years since FF14 2.0: A Realm Reborn launched, and this new mobile game will be a sister to FF14, aiming to recreate the grandeur of the original’s story and combat mechanics on mobile devices,” says Final Fantasy 14’s director and producer Naoki Yoshida. “Non-combat features, such as Disciples of the Land and Hand, will also be faithfully implemented and we look forward to growing alongside the passionate FF14 community.”

Final Fantasy 14 Mobile will launch first in China, beginning with multiple demos and play tests, followed shortly afterwards by a global launch. Currently, however, no specific release dates have been announced. Check out the game’s announce trailer below. 

Final Fantasy 14 is currently available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. According to Yoshida, Square Enix is also “working towards”, “having discussions” about, and “making progress” with Final Fantasy 14 on “Nintendo’s consoles”. Read more on that through here.

Tencent’s LightSpeed Studios has announced that it has recruited Itsuno, who will be serving as the head of LightSpeed Japan Studio. The studio will focus on developing AAA action titles, and has also started recruiting, with the aim of building a “global” team.

In addition to Dragon’s Dogma 2, Itsuno also served as the director on another relatively recent major Capcom project in the form of Devil May Cry 5. Previously, over the course of his long career at Capcom, he also directed Devil May Cry 2, Devil May Cry 3, Devil May Cry 4, and Dragon’s Dogma, among others.

What exactly his next game is going to look like is anyone’s guess right now, but given his track record, it’s fair to say that fans of action games are probably going to want to keep an eye on the project, whatever it turns out to be.

🎉 嬉しいニュースです！ 伊津野英昭氏を LightSpeed Japan Studio の責任者として迎えることができ、大変嬉しく思います。30 年以上の経験を持つ @tomqe は、当社のグローバル チームと共にAAAアクションゲームの開発をリードします。グローバル人材採用に是非ご参加ください！🚀 pic.twitter.com/2NHWYUalhc

— LightSpeed Studios (@__lightspeed___) November 12, 2024

Promising a living world with “mature storytelling” and “sophisticated player-driven gameplay,” Last Sentinel is 70 years after rising floodwaters from a global warming disaster. Some parts of Tokyo have been submerged and are separated by a wall, making up the old city. Every above sea level is comprised of various futuristic buildings, creating a major divide between the old and new world.

Players control Hiromi Shoda, though her role beyond that of a peacekeeper (though her methods are questionable at best) is unknown. Per VentureBeat, the trailer is pre-rendered and doesn’t show any gameplay, so there should be more to look forward to in the coming months. Stay tuned in the meantime for more updates.

Lucid made the announcement on Twitter, where it confirmed that it will “continue to enjoy full independence in the games that we create and the operation of the studio”. Lucid says it will also receive “support from LightSpeed Studios’ global network and technology capabilities.”

Lucid Games has also provided development support on a number of major titles in recent years, including the likes of Apex Legends, Sea of Thieves, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and the upcoming Nightingale.

In 2021, leaks also claimed that Lucid Games was developing a reboot of the Twisted Metal franchise, though in early 2022, it was reported that the project had changed hands and been taken over by Firesprite.

We are thrilled that Lucid Games is now part of LightSpeed Studios family.

We'll continue to enjoy full independence in the games that we create and the operation of the studio, while having the support from LightSpeed Studios' global network and technology capabilities. pic.twitter.com/uLJW3vI3PI

— Lucid Games (@LucidGamesLtd) July 13, 2023

Billed as a tribute to the author and based on the world created by him, Code: To Jin Yong will feature slick melee combat and swordfighting duels, though it looks like some fantastical elements will also find their way into the experience. The gameplay footage shown off in the game’s debut trailer shows two characters going up against each other, and while their encounter is largely melee-based, we see some magical and elemental abilities used by both sides as well. Check out the trailer below.

Code: To Jin Yong is being built on Unreal Engine 5, and developed by Lightspeed Studios, the team behind PUBG Mobile and Apex Legends Mobile. There’s no word yet on when the game will launch or what platforms it will be available for.