It has been announced that the crowdfunded RPG, Eiyuden Chronicle series, will have multiple games coming to Xbox Game Pass over the next few years. The news comes from a trailer for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes that was shown during the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase at E3 2021.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a spiritual successor to the classic JRPG series, Suikoden, and is highly anticipated by fans. A Kickstarter for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was very successful and easily made all of its original crowd-funding goals.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will see players recruiting many allies as they work together to end a war. The game has an art style similar to Octopath Traveler, using HD pixel art blending modern graphics with the look of classic RPGs. Considering that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is being directed by Suikoden's original director, Yoshitaka Murayama, this game is the closest thing to a reboot the series may get. The trailer for the game revealed that the game would be launching on Xbox Game Pass, though fans will have to wait until 2023 to get their hands on the game.
Fortunately, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is not the only game coming to Xbox Game Pass. Another game in the series, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, will also be releasing on Xbox Game Pass. However, fans will still be in for a wait as Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising will release in 2022. While this is definitely closer than Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, fans are a long way from playing a game in the Eiyuden Chronicle series. The games being a ways off will disappoint fans who have waited for a Suikoden-like experience for so long, but the fact that the game is coming and is being strongly supported is a good sign.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is being published by 505 Games, and there is a decent chance that it is this partnership that will bring the game to Xbox Game Pass. While some may argue that a game ceases to be an indie when it joins with a publisher, the fact is publishing deals can do a lot for getting a game noticed. Games like Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes are, without a doubt, niche experiences and benefit from being shown to a wider audience. The fact that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will come to Xbox Game Pass means newcomers to this style of RPG will be more likely to try the game out.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising will release in 2022, with Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes releasing in 2023.