However, the fact that Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne didn’t show up at the Nintendo Direct might worry some fans. The Direct was specifically supposed to be about Switch games releasing in the first half of 2021, which is a category Nocturne falls comfortably into. However, Atlus and Nintendo didn’t have anything to say about the remaster. No news is supposedly good news, but fans in the west are still waiting on a proper release date for this game. If Atlus is being quite, does that mean Nocturne is getting delayed? Alternatively, if it’s still on track for its previously scheduled release, why hasn’t it come up?
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An Uncertain Release For Nocturne
Atlus has typically released Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games in Japan months before they get an international release. SMT3: Nocturne HD Remaster already released in Japan last year as scheduled. International fans of Shin Megami Tensei are used to this schedule, and are more than willing to wait a little longer for the game to come out. However, one would expect that Atlus would roll out a more specific release date by now. About two months of 2021 have already gone by, so the remaster theoretically could be coming out any day now.
It’s possible that the international release might need more time than expected. It’s much easier for the game to release in Japan alone than it is to release all over the world. As the COVID pandemic continues to create complications for all kinds of industries, it’s hard to predict when it might suddenly become an obstacle. If Atlus needs more time to get Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne to its international fans, they’ll will surely understand. The community would appreciate that kind of communication. If that’s what’s going on, though, then Atlus passed over an opportunity to update fans on the game’s status.
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SMT 3: Nocturne - A Bit More Patience
However, fans have reason to believe that this isn’t what’s going on with Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne. Persona 5 Strikers is about to get its international release, which is happening right on schedule and seems poised to go off without a hitch. It’d be odd if Atlus had suddenly run into an obstacle releasing Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne, especially considering the game has already seen partial release. It’s more likely that the game’s release date is just a little farther away than expected. Maybe its release date will be more closely tied to the equally mysterious Shin Megami Tensei 5, which plans to break franchise convention with a simultaneous worldwide release.
One of the best ways to keep hype for a game alive is to release information about it on the regular. Atlus has largely done the opposite, keeping quiet about the game and leaving fans full of uncertain anticipation. Even so, lots of people are waiting to hear something about Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne. It’s really starting to push up against its promised release window, so Atlus should say something about it soon. It may have skipped one recent opportunity to talk about the remaster, but that doesn’t mean Atlus can’t come forward with an announcement in the near future.
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster is planned to release internationally for Switch and PS4 in spring 2021.
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