Ever since the announcement that Risen 3 would be re-released on PS4, we haven’t heard much of anything from Piranha Bytes. Though the news of a re-release pleased some folks, many were upset that the German developer wasn’t working on another Gothic or completely new Risen title.

You can imagine then, how fans felt when Piranha Bytes posted this image on their Facebook page. Though it doesn’t say much, for those who understand binary it says “3 days left”. An announcement of an announcement? Yes, but when it comes from one of Europe’s most talented developers, it’s worth taking notice of.

All that there’s left to do is speculate, and there’s been no shortage of that on both the Facebook post as well as the forums.

Using Google Translate, you can peruse one such speculation thread on the World of Players forum. Though the title of the game isn’t known yet, there are a list of features the developers have stated will be included within this new game:

• The new game will run very likely to DX11

• Furthermore, the game will be based on an enhanced version of the house’s own Engine

• It has been suggested that it does not appear for the last gen consoles

• There will be new animations, clothing, heads and faces

• No assets from Risen 3 be recycled

• There will be portable clothes

• There will probably be also movable hairstyles

• It is as normal day and night cycles, and provide a dynamic weather system

• Children are not scheduled because of excessive costs

• The hero this time will have a backstory

• One end is trying this time to make better

• There will be puzzles

• The game is divided into chapters

• It is optional companion show

• The game world is designed differently

• The player can interact with “non-human” characters

Reading the list, it would seem we’re not getting another sequel to their previously made games, but instead a totally new IP…or at least some sort of spin-off game. There is a bit more info on what the future game will contain in yet another translated German forum thread, but it only seems to reinforce the idea that this is a new game rather than a sequel. This is a good thing, since although I enjoyed Risen 3, the sameness of the series has led to sequel exhaustion amongst some of their fans.

Any Piranha Bytes fans excited for this? Any theories as to what it could be? We’ll find out in 3 days, apparently.