Beloved RPG series makes a comeback with a new installment after 14-year hiatus.

Fourteen years after the last entries in the .hack series, CyberConnect2 is marking its 30th anniversary with the announcement of .hack//Z.E.R.O., also known as “Project Dusk.” While a release date is still under wraps, this action RPG is being developed exclusively for consoles by the studio renowned for titles like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and various games based on popular anime franchises, including Naruto and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

So far, CyberConnect2 has released a teaser that showcases the game’s “real world,” a contemporary society filled with delivery drones and social media, juxtaposed against the digital fantasy MMORPG “The World,” the setting for the .hack universe. The teaser concludes with credits for some of the key team members, including Hiroshi Matsuyama, the executive producer with a history in the .hack series, and Seiichiro Hosokawa, the character designer.

In a recent interview, Matsuyama shared that in .hack//Z.E.R.O., the events occurring in the real world will hold as much significance as the adventures within the digital realm. He also reassured fans that while this new installment is linked to previous games, newcomers will find it accessible and enjoyable, just like long-time fans.

Back in the early 2000s, the .hack universe was a major player, pioneering the multimedia storytelling approach set within an MMORPG—a concept that has since gained immense popularity. The series, which includes anime, light novels, and multiple games, has been dormant since 2012’s .hack//Versus. Until the release of .hack//G.U. Last Recode in 2017, all previous titles were published by Bandai Namco. However, for .hack//Z.E.R.O., Bandai has granted CyberConnect2 full control over the project, from planning and development to release.