Classic PSP RPG Trails in the Sky — the first game in Falcom's now renowned Trails saga — is getting a full-on remake. The surprise reveal was part of yesterday's Nintendo Direct, where the project was afforded a bafflingly short amount of time during a montage of upcoming releases. Trails fans were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
The good news is that the remake — titled Trails in the Sky the 1st — looks incredible. Again, it's a completely rebuilt revival of the original adventure, utilising 3D visuals and borrowing the fantastic combat system from the much more recent Trails through Daybreak.
The bad news is that it seems to be a timed Nintendo Switch exclusive. It's set to release worldwide in 2025, but the developer is being frustratingly vague when it comes to additional information. At the time of writing, the remake's official website boasts a Nintendo Switch logo and nothing else.
In search of answers, Gematsu got in touch with Falcom and was told that "a release on PlayStation and PC platforms is 'to be determined'", with a potential announcement coming "at a later date".
The plot thickens when the developer also reveals that a Western publisher is "to be determined". Apparently, there's a chance that Falcom itself will handle things — which would be a first for the company — but from the outside looking in, it's a strange decision. Indeed, most of the more modern Trails titles have all been published in the West by NIS America, and it's a partnership that's worked really well up until now.
It's possible that there's some kind of complication with the Sky games in particular. The PSP versions were published — and localised — by XSEED Games, which may still own the rights to the Western incarnations. It's all a bit complicated.
Anyway, it's looking like Trails fans on PlayStation will have no choice but to play the waiting game. A real shame, considering how popular the Trails series has become thanks to its availability on PS4 and now PS5.