Team Asobi Could Pay Homage to Japan Studio By Reviving a…

In the 1990s and 2000s, Japan Studio, formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, was a core pillar of the PlayStation brand. It was the first video game development company that Sony ever owned, and as a result, it played a significant role in the success of the PS1. Initially, Japan Studio served as a co-development team tasked with helping other companies get their games to market exclusively for PlayStation; most of the titles the firm worked on in its early years were primarily created by third-party studios. Under the guidance of PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, Sony eventually started establishing dedicated development teams within Japan Studio during the PS1 generation.

The internal divisions at Japan Studio developed dozens of great games over the years, including Gran Turismo, Shadow of the Colossus, and Ape Escape. Later divisions established under Japan Studio, such as Team Gravity and Team Asobi, created other series like Gravity Rush and Astro Bot, respectively. Many of the iconic franchises from Japan Studio probably won't receive new installments for the foreseeable future, though, as Sony shut its storied first-party developer down in 2021. Japan Studio's only remnant that still exists to this day is Team Asobi, which was spun off into a standalone PlayStation developer. Although its expertise lies primarily in making 3D platformers, Team Asobi can pay homage to its legacy by bringing back one of its predecessor's classic video game properties, The Legend of Dragoon.

The Legend of Dragoon Deserves the Sony Remake Treatment

The Legend of Dragoon was an underappreciated masterpiece in its time and should return through Sony's first-party remake treatment.

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By Brie Hoban

Even Though Japan Studio is Gone, Team Asobi Could Still Bring Back The Legend of Dragoon

The Legend of Dragoon Was a Charming JRPG Inspired By Final Fantasy

Developed by Japan Studio, The Legend of Dragoon was a Japanese role-playing game that came out on the original PlayStation in 1999. It took a lot of inspiration from the popular RPG franchises of its era, in particular Final Fantasy. The game was set in the Endiness, a high fantasy world where humans, dragons, and hostile, angel-like beings referred to as Winglies co-existed together. Players were placed in the shoes of a warrior named Dart who, with his team of allies, had to save the world from the forces of evil. The general premise of The Legend of Dragoon admittedly wasn't all that unique, but in many fans' eyes, it was the compelling characters and the execution of its plot that set the game apart.

The combat system in The Legend of Dragoon was a bit more multi-faceted than the ones in other PS1-era RPGs. Though it was primarily turn-based, it featured real-time elements, like quick-time events, as well. This gameplay was accompanied by extensive CGI cutscenes, which were very realistic for their time. In large part because of these cutscenes, The Legend of Dragoon became one of the most expensive projects that Japan Studio had ever worked on and cost around $16 million to produce. These days, $16 million dollars is nothing compared to the game development budgets of the modern era, but back in 1999, it was a lot of money.

Despite Popular Fan Reception and Commercial Success, Sony Hasn't Made a Sequel to The Legend of Dragoon

The Legend of Dragoon wasn't well-received by critics when it first made its debut and was labeled as an underwhelming Final Fantasy knock-off by some. But, as time went on, the game garnered a cult following among diehard JRPG fans. Even though it was a commercial success and is beloved by many these days, Sony has shown little interest in making a sequel to The Legend of Dragoon or, frankly, any other role-playing game from its portfolio of dormant IPs.

PlayStation Lacks First-Party JRPGs, and a Legend of Dragoon Sequel Made By Team Asobi Could Fix That

At the moment, there aren't really any PlayStation first-party studios that are experienced in the JRPG genre, and there are even fewer that are located in Japan. The Tokyo-based Team Asobi is probably the most qualified studio under Sony to take on the development of a new The Legend of Dragoon game, especially since it's made up of former Japan Studio employees. If the Astro Bot developer does bring this IP back in some form, it will fill the JRPG-shaped gap in PlayStation's current first-party lineup.

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