Ever since its debut in 1993, game developer Treasure's library has grown to boast a large lineup of classic games. Now, almost eight years after its last release, the team may finally be ready to reveal its next project, just in time for its 30th anniversary.
The very first game from Treasure, Gunstar Heroes, was an impressively underrated game in its time but gained a second life through re-releases. Along with Dynamite Headdy and Alien Soldier, Treasure continued to impress with its Genesis lineup and continued the pattern into the 32-bit era.
The company's official social media account posted today in commemoration of the company's 30th year in business, but it also included an exciting hint of a future project. The post indicates that an unnamed game may be ready to show off later this year and asks for players' continued support. Currently, details are sparse about this new project, but considering that the company's previous release was a 3DS title in 2014, it could be an exciting return to Treasure's signature style of game design.
Never before in Treasure's history has a hiatus from releasing a game lasted this long; From 1993 to 2014, the company released at least one game every year save for 2010 and 2012, an impressive but surely taxing achievement. Then from 2014 on, all that came out of Treasure was re-releases, mainly classic puzzle-shooter Ikaruga. Even the re-releases are sparse besides Nintendo licensing games for Nintendo Switch Online since Treasure had a tendency to keep modern versions up to modern standards by redoing the graphics, as is the case with Radiant Silvergun and Guardian Heroes' Xbox Live Arcade ports.
Treasure generally stayed away from sequels throughout the 1990s, since the company was founded by ex-Konami employees out of frustration with the company's reliance on sequels. However, the 2000s saw a few sequels to Treasure games, including Bangai-O Spirits, Gunstar Super Heroes, and Advance Guardian Heroes. Treasure being more open to making sequels means the upcoming project has a chance of continuing an older series like manic shooter Bangai-O, though it could also be an entirely new property.
The gaming landscape has changed a lot since Treasure's previous releases. The standardization of control schemes across most consoles means it could be harder to make a modern Sin & Punishment-style game control as smoothly as Star Successor did, but it also seems like exactly the kind of challenge Treasure would take on. Even though little is known about the new project, sequel or not, it will be a major return for Treasure if done right.
Treasure's unnamed title is currently in development.