This is not a drill! The ‘Trails in the Sky’ remake is really, truly happening

Whenever a Nintendo Direct is announced, every localized version is released at the same time. But that doesn’t mean that all the presentations are the same.

The most hair-tearing example came earlier this year when the Japanese Nintendo Direct got an announcement for Mother 3 coming to the Switch—whereas the game has still famously never been officially translated into English.

The biggest difference between the Japanese and English Directs in August wasn’t quite so frustrating, but it did cause some jaw-dropping and many dramatic gasps. In a “blink and you’ll miss it” nine-second spot during a sizzle reel, the English Direct announced a major remake: Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky.

In fact, the reveal was so fast, fans second-guessed that the announcement was what they thought it was. But the Trails in the Sky remake got a full trailer in the Japanese version, and developer Falcom has since released an even longer trailer on YouTube. It’s definitely real, and it’s definitely happening next year.

Why you should care (and when)

The Trails series is a beloved, fan-favorite JRPG series, comparable to more “household name”-level series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. But it’s unique from those two series in one very intriguing way: whereas each Final Fantasy number entry takes place in an entirely different world, all of the Trails games are connected. Ones with the same titles are direct sequels to each other, but all of them inhabit the same world, around the same-ish time. They even brush past each other from time to time.

When you consider that, it’s no wonder Trails is considered a “fan-favorite.” If you’re in deep, there’s a lot to look for and be rewarded with. But that doesn’t mean casual players won’t enjoy them. The battle system has rewarding depth, and the games’ stories are genuinely engaging on their own.

Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is the very first entry in the Trails series, which makes it the ideal place to dip your toe in. The game was first released in Japan in 2004 but wasn’t localized into English until 2011. The upcoming Switch remake looks gorgeous, and the music sounds incredible.

Even after watching the extended trailer, all we currently know is that the Trails in the Sky remake will come out sometime in 2025. There’s also been no announcement as to whether the other two entries in the Trails in the Sky trilogy are also receiving remakes. But if our ocarinas play loud enough, perhaps we can get Falcom’s attention.