Square Enix has made a major announcement that has RPG gamers all across the globe buzzing with chatter. Octopath Traveler 0, which is the most anticipated prequel to the beloved HD-2D series, is getting its release in exactly one month. The developers have announced the social game and the players have been showing off their landscapes on all platforms.
The HD-2D Games account of Square Enix went into a celebratory mood and shared the countdown along with three ways players could get ready: playing the first two Octopath Traveler games, immersing themselves in the mobile game Champions of the Continent, or just doing nothing and starting anew. The replies in the community are surely mixed but they all highlight the extent of the Octopath community’s loyalty.
The new game launch hasn’t even happened yet and lots of players are already playing in completionist mode. A user with an unusual name for instance laughed very loud and said, “I HAVE ALREADY PLAYED COTC, 1 AND 2, WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN I CANNOT WAIT FOR OCTO 1?1?111??1” which really depicts the mood very accurately. Another one called Eisner is saying he is doing a series replay and looking forward to “another 100-200-hour long session” – what a dedication!
The physical release situation though is where the whole issue gets a bit complicated – there is a lot of drama around it. Some players have been voicing their displeasure as it is reported that the Switch 2 version will only have a digital download code and no physical cartridge. Zephiros, one angry player, expressed his frustration by saying, “Fu you for not having it as a real physical game for switch 2” and is opting to buy the Switch 1 version instead. Another gamer, Jim___92, is unsure whether to “buy the inferior Switch 1 copy” or break their Nintendo tradition by getting the PS5 version. The digital versus physical media issue has really become quite heated, my friends.
Also, the languages the game will support has been a popular topic among gamers. Numerous Spanish-speaking players have asked for full translation, with one of them being Juanjo, who simply states, “Translate it into Spanish.” The Knight Rabbit, however, is also wondering whether there will be a Spanish translation at all. Meanwhile, Nicow XXL flooded the comments section with French flags that read, “WE WANT 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷” – clearly, the international gamers are calling for the localization.
In addition to this, the release timing is also a reason for JRPG fans’ schedules to overlap. A gamer named Midwest Dad highlighted the unfortunate reality of “Not the same day as Metroid 😭😭 I’m suffering from success” – too many fantastic games and not enough time to enjoy them. Another user, KeziaTv, had the one most relatable reaction when she exclaimed, “WHAT THE HELL, THIS GAME COMES OUT IN ONE MONTH?!?!” and besides that, she has expressed her hope that if the quality of this game is on par with Octopath 2, it will get the Game of the Year award.
Nonetheless, some of the players are not getting too excited. For example, Johnny Noodles is just “Waiting for a demo. 👀.” On the contrary, Luqman admits he is “Glued to daily re-watching of Octopath Traveler 0 previews because I am too impatient to play.” The excitement is certainly there whether gamers are catching up with previous titles or simply waiting for the day to come.
In fact, the devs’ involvement in the conversation is also through playful responses to community comments. Someone who referred to the game as “gamechanging news” received a comment from the official account about the possibility of “switching it depending on your needs” – an intelligent pun that conveys the message that they are attuned to the community’s concerns.
It’s truly unbelievable how many gamers have completed the previous titles and are just waiting in a very impatient manner. Kurisu mentioned that he pre-ordered 0 after having “fully completed the first 2 games” and is now “praying for an Octopath 3 if this one does well.” The commitment to the series is indeed amazing – these are not just casual fans but hard-core RPG lovers who have already spent hundreds of hours in the saga and are still going.
A mix of feelings, on one hand, excitement about the new release and on the other hand, frustration regarding the physical release, and demands for better localization, one can say that the Octopath community has turned out to be very passionate. With just a month to go until the launch, players either binge-play like it’s exam week or take it slow and steady to avoid the excited burn-out. Either way, the countdown is on, and the Xbox genre is about to receive another superb game.
