The World Ends With You originally launched over a decade ago on the Nintendo DS. Next month, it launches on the Switch as The World Ends With You: Final Remix, which, according to producer Tetsuya Nomura, is his “final chance” to lay down the elements that he needs to to lead into a sequel.
“I’ve had a chance to attend various events in different countries during the 11 years following the release of The World Ends with You,” he said, speaking to Nintendo. “On many occasions, I have been interviewed by both the fans and the media, who have told me how much they want me to make a sequel for The World Ends with You. We’ve been looking for an opportunity, and there were a few times we tried to get it started, but time passed without it ever coming to realization.
“There are a number of implications behind this Final Remix version. In addition to my intention of making this my last time working with the original game, I think this is the final chance for creating a path to the next step, which I’ve had ideas about since the first launch 11 years ago. Many thanks to everyone for supporting ongoing efforts.”
The implication here seems to be more creative than anything— that Nomura wants to work on a sequel, and that this Switch version is his final chance to be able to include some elements into the game that he feels will be necessary to segue to a sequel. It’s a tactic he has used multiple times, such as with his Kingdom Hearts series.
For long-suffering fans of The World Ends With You, it’s probably heartening to hear that a sequel to the game is something that has even been considered at all. Maybe if the Switch version of the game is successful, then, more than 11 years after the launch of the game originally, a sequel can be greenlit, and fans can finally see a follow-up to this beloved game.
The World Ends With You: Final Remix launches on Nintendo Switch on October 12.