Koei Tecmo has announced their dark fantasy action title “Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty”, which sets its background in the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. The project is led by two famous producers, Fumihiko Yasuda (“Nioh” series) and Masaaki Yamagiwa (“Bloodbourne”).
On June 15th, Fumihiko and Yamagiwa were invited to Bilibili Summer Game Carnival. They revealed more information on the game, saying that apart from Xbox, “Wo Long” would also be brought to Steam and PS4/5, and with official Mandarin dubbing.
Here is the full interview.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Does the title have a special meaning?
Yasuda: The Chinese characters of “Wo Long” are the nickname of Zhuge Liang, but the ones in the game title actually mean “The hidden dragon”, to correspond with the still obscure protagonist and those Three Kingdoms heroes who will leave a legacy in the future.
Yamagiwa: Team Ninja chose “Fallen Dynasty” because the game is set in the turbulent days of the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Enemy monsters and the summoned mythical animals are derived from traditional Chinese myths like Classic of Mountains and Seas, also known as Shan Hai Jing.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Is there a connection between "Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty" and the "Nioh" series?
Yasuda: When the story of "Nioh" went to a closure, we formerly planned to develop a Three Kingdom game on the extension of the original timeline. However, the action system, monsters and elements such as the Japanese background and the samurai protagonist are very unique. So if we want to coordinate those contents with the Three Kingdoms, we should set up another title and make it a fresh start.
Various elements of traditional Chinese culture will appear, like the magnificent Han Dynasty architecture and enemies wearing the yellow turban. Players will also have a chance to wield the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Sword of Heaven used by Guan Yu and Cao Cao.
We've heard the voices from Chinese players that they wanted a Three Kingdom Nioh, which became a motivation for us to develop the game.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
What other Chinese elements will appear in the game?
Yamagiwa: As a Three Kingdom game, the background setting of “Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty” is not totally separated from the history. Many renowned battlefields and generals from the Three Kingdoms period will appear. Besides, Team Ninja also rebuilt the combat system and designed a brand new action pattern featuring the Chinese Kungfu. Various weapons, including the large blades and the twin swords, will be selectable.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
In your opinion, why are the Three Kingdom stories fascinating? And how does the game convey those charming points?
Yasuda: The charm of the Three Kingdoms period comes from characters with strong personalities. Charismatic Cao Cao and Liu Bei, valiant Lü Bu and Zhang Fei and resourceful Guo Jia and Zhuge Liang… Their stories fascinated me when I was in primary school. Koei Tecmo has published a lot of great games set around the Three Kingdoms period, but it is the first try for Team Ninja, which makes us very excited!
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
What similarities and differences will "Wo Long" possess compared to "Bloodbourne", the former game produced by Mr. Yamagiwa?
Yamagiwa: Since it is a game about fighting and killing, the difficulty and players' sense of fulfillment is of great importance. Players can switch from defense to attack in the blink of an eye with flowy movement. Another eye-catching feature is the strategy element focusing on swinging the balance. All those features mixed with our game level and combat design brought up the unique gameplay of "Wo Long", which we hope the players will enjoy.
And of course, because the background of "Wo Long" is ancient China, the game may appear more familiar and provide a better experience to Chinese players.
To what extent will the Chinese localization be?
Yamagiwa: The game is based on Chinese history. In order to give Chinese players a more pleasant experience, "Wo Long" will support not only both Simplified and Traditional Chinese subtitles but also Mandarin dubbing.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
In the end, please say something to players on Bilibili and China!
Yasuda: Thank you for your long support for Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja!
Yamagiwa: The Three Kingdoms period was in China. We will devote every effort to the localization works and hope Chinese players will love it! At the same time, apart from Xbox, the game will also be available on Steam, PS4/5 and Microsoft Store to let more players enjoy "Wo Long". We hope you can wishlist it now and wait for its launch with patience.
Yasuda: More info will be revealed in the future, don't forget to stay tuned with us!
“Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty” will be released in early 2023 and available on Steam, Xbox One/Series, PS4/5 and Microsoft Store.
Steam Page: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Review the interview here: Bilibili Summer Game Carnival