Square Enix has announced both a new RPG and an entirely new studio, headed by none other than former Tales of series producer Hideo Baba.
The new game is tentatively titled “Project Prelude Rune,” and its being developed by their new Tokyo-based studio Studio Istolia. It’s worth pointing out that Baba is president of the new studio.
Here’s a rundown on the new game, via Square Enix:
The project aims to build a new RPG with a new fantasy: unfolding across a vast land teeming with life. Nurtured by the earth, the many peoples of this land dare to dream, fighting for what is just—and this is their tale.
Square notes the studio’s name, Istolia, comes from the Greek word for “story,” which they’re heavily emphasizing is “central” to the studio’s core tenet. The now-forming studio will be poised to create “unforgettable stories that will inspire players in their own lives, and bring new game experiences to everyone around the world.”
This seems to be a totally newly formed studio, as they’re hiring a number of key positions, including: battle planner, map planner, battle programmer, ui designer, and more. You can read more about the studio over on their official website.