Release of Koei Tecmo’s Fairy Tail video game adaptation was delayed till the end of July as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gamers just can’t seem to catch a break with several of the year’s biggest releases getting delayed an account of the coronavirus crisis. Koei Tecmo’s upcoming Fairy Tail game is one of the latest titles to fall victim to work-from-home development difficulties.
Fairy Tail is a Japanese RPG based on the best-selling manga of the same name. It was originally slated for a June 26 release, but a joint statement by publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust Studios announced the game’s delay till July 31.
A message from our Fairy Tail Game development team.#KTfamily pic.twitter.com/RZOwdeoHjn
— KOEI TECMO AMERICA (@KoeiTecmoUS) May 21, 2020
The origins of Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail started off as a Japanese manga series penned and drawn by Hiro Mashima—the brains behind the also famous Rave Master manga. The publication was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine and ran from 2006 to 2017.
The manga’s plot revolved around hot-blooded protagonist Natsu Dragneel, a member of the renowned Fairy Tail Guild, as he scours the world know as Earth-Land in hopes of finding Igneel – the dragon who raised him.
#FairyTail Creator Teases Fans’ With An İntriguing Natsu And Lucy Sketch https://t.co/s9bhczQLKt #anime
— Manga Thrill (@MangaThrill) May 24, 2020
The hit manga spawned three separate anime series of the same name, with the first one airing from October 2009 to March 2013. The second series followed a year later and ran from April 2014 to March 2016.
Fairy Tail’s third and final series debuted in October 2018 and continued until September 2019. Aside from the three series, Japanese animation studio A-1 Pictures also developed nine original animations (OAV) and two full-length films based on the manga.
All there is to know about the upcoming game
The anime-inspired title will feature some of the most memorable story arcs from the anime series, but will also include some original content written exclusively for the game.
Natsu and his guild members aren’t the only ones fans will be able to choose from, as the developers made sure the game would boast a wide array of characters from the most powerful guilds in Earth Land.
Natsu Dragneel's Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist utilizes his Dragon Slayer's Secret Art where he rapidly strikes his target with his fist's ablaze which generates a fiery explosion.#KTfamily #NatsuDragneel #FairyTailGame pic.twitter.com/EXRMPS9e5A
— KOEI TECMO AMERICA (@KoeiTecmoUS) May 7, 2020
There are 16 confirmed personalities so far, including fan-favorites Gildarts, Gajeel, and Jellal. Koei Tecmo could also be planning to add more characters in the future as downloadable content.
The video game adaptation will feature various RPG elements, including tons of side missions and the ability to enhance guild facilities to further Guild Rank. Part of the game’s goal is to become the number one guild in all the land.
Fairy Tail is now set for a July 31, 2020 release on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo US/Twitter