Bandai Namco Hints at Unveiling a New RPG, Sparking Speculation Among Fans

Bandai Namco, the publisher known for distributing FromSoftware hits like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, as well as its own RPG franchises such as Tales, has announced plans to reveal a brand-new role-playing game. The reveal is scheduled to premiere on YouTube this Thursday, March 5, at 3 PM Pacific Time, 6 PM Eastern Time, or 11 PM UK Time. A teaser description for the upcoming trailer reads: 'A serenity soon to be disturbed.'

Speculation is already running wild about the game's identity, with Elden Ring 2 being an early guess—partly because the announcement's font bears a resemblance to Elden Ring's logo. However, such a major reveal might be more fitting for a larger event rather than a surprise online drop on a random Thursday.

What else could it be? There's a strong chance this could be the next installment in Bandai Namco's long-running Tales series, following the well-received Tales of Arise from 2021. With five years having passed, fans are eager for a peek at a fresh adventure. Other possibilities include a new RPG for the Digimon franchise, which Bandai also controls, or titles related to FromSoftware's Armored Core or Bandai Namco's Dragon Ball games.

In IGN's review of Tales of Arise, which scored a 9/10, we noted: 'With an excellent story and cast and a reinvigorated combat system, Tales of Arise is the shot in the arm the long-running Tales RPG series needed to recapture its best moments.' Could this be the moment for another chapter? Keep an eye out for more details later this week.