Good news, .hack fans. Bandai Namco has trademarked .hack//G.U. Last Recode in Europe, meaning that not only will the collection not likely be exclusive to Japan but it could also be making an appearance in the West at some point.
.hack//G.U. Last Record is Bandai Namco’s latest “addition” to the .hack series as part of the franchise’s 15th anniversary. Technically, .hack//G.U. Last Recode isn’t a new title, but rather a collection of the three games in the G.U. sub-series: .hack//G.U. Vol. 1//Rebirth (2006), hack//G.U. Vol. 2//Reminisce (2007), and hack//G.U. Vol. 3//Redemption (2007). Each game in the collection will be remastered and enhanced, featuring an abundance of gameplay and mechanical changes that will set them apart from the original iterations.
In the original announcement, Bandai Namco revealed .hack//G.U. Last Recode is part of a larger effort to reboot the series. However, rather than release a brand-new game straight off the bat, the company thought it would be wiser to release a remastered collection of G.U. with modernized gameplay; since the G.U. series came out for the PlayStation 2 between 2006 and 2007, and the last game in the series, //Link, came out for the PlayStation Portable in 2010. Not only does this offer older fans a chance to experience the game with the mechanics that Bandai Namco might use if they plan to move forward with the series, but it also allows newcomers to get introduced to the franchise in general. Lastly, there will reportedly be other projects related to .hack moving forward, but the company has yet to mention what those are.
For now .hack//G.U. Last Recode is only confirmed for release in Japan for the PlayStation 4 and PC, though a release date has yet to be announced.
