In April 2021, after an eleven-year serialization, Attack on Titan finally reached its conclusion. Whether you were satisfied with the ending or not, it was author Hajime Isayama's complete account of the fates of all characters in the story.
But on the other hand, Koei Tecmo'sThe game version of Attack on Titan 2, released in 2018, remained stuck on the plot of the first two seasons of the TV anime.
Therefore, Attack on Titan3》's release naturally became the biggest concern for fans. We took this opportunity to interview two core members of the development team at "Tokyo Game Show 2026": Development Producer Hideo Suzuki and Director Hayato Iwata, asking them questions that fans might be interested in.
Hideo Suzuki (left) and Hayato Iwata (right)
Q: Besides including the latter half of the original story, Attack on Titan 3 will also reorganize and remake content already covered in the first two games. For veteran players who played the first two games, what will be different when replaying the earlier stories? Besides updates to the combat system, are there new contents in plot events or levels themselves?
Suzuki:The biggest selling point this time is bringing the latter half of the main Attack on Titan story into the game for the first time. However, we've also added new看点 (points of interest) for veteran players regarding the earlier parts. Let's start with changes to combat, and then discuss the story.
Iwata:The previous game deliberately kept action difficulty and control complexity low to lower the barrier for casual players. This time, we actively increased operable elements, reconstructing the action to better reflect Omni-Directional Mobility and allow freer combat. The previous game was basicallyThe simple loop of 'firing hooks and attacking' from the previous title has been expanded in this installment. We've added continuous attacks and combined movement elements to create more spectacular, acrobatic attacks—for example, using Titans as stepping stones to jump to higher places and then swinging onto trees. Titans occasionally expose weaknesses, and we've added gameplay focused on targeting these weak points. These expansive elements, which were not possible in the previous game, constitute the core appeal of the action mechanics.
However, the foundation still targets players of the previous game: retaining the setting where Titans can be defeated with simple controls—Using L2 to activate Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and the Square button to attack allows you to complete takedowns with just these controls. On top of this, various new operations are layered, expanding the ceiling for more acrobatic and satisfying gameplay.
Not just for the player side, but also the Titans' attack methods andAI, which have all been redone this time. Players have new actions like defense and evasion, including the familiar Perfect Guard and Perfect Dodge. Titans will clearly target the player and perform various actions, requiring players to observe Titan movements and respond appropriately. The basic aspects of offense and defense have been refined again in this installment.
Additionally, in the game, ordinary'minion' Pure Titans can be defeated by directly attacking the nape; higher-level, more challenging Boss-tier Titans require players to actively create openings—using various new actions to expose weaknesses, making the nape vulnerable to attack before completing the takedown. This offense-defense mechanism makes Titan takedowns deeper than in the previous game.
Suzuki:For the story part, the most important thing is to depict Attack on Titan from beginning to end, which was the highest priority in development. Regarding how to present the story, we hesitated—whether to use anime characters directly like other anime adaptations, or continue using an original protagonist as the player's avatar. The previous game received very positive feedback for using an original protagonist to guide players through the original story, so we decided to follow this approach again.
But the resulting problem was: if we let the original protagonist play through from start to finish using the same formula as the previous game, players would find it boring and need fresher storytelling. To address this, we changed the settings of the original protagonist—The protagonist of the previous game was of the same generation as Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, joining the Training Corps and Scout Regiment to fight alongside them; the protagonist of this game is set one generation above them, closer to Levi and Hange's generation, observing Eren and others from the perspective of their seniors and experiencing the entire Attack on Titan story. Therefore, even identical story segments are significantly reconstructed due to the different protagonist perspective, offering fresh experiences for veteran players. Additionally, the Final Season content of the anime, which was not included in the previous game, is being gamified from scratch this time. This should be the only console game where players can experience this part, and we believe fans will be delighted.
Q: This title covers Everythinggj from the opening to the finale of the Final Season, encompassing so much content. Will the narrative focus mainly on stories that haven't been gamified before? Or will it condense and recreate highlights from the first three seasons? What is the approximate distribution ratio? Also, in the Final Season, the Scout Regiment fights against Eren. From the perspective of the anime and manga, the cast is fixed. In this situation, what position does the original protagonist hold? What role do they play in the final battle?
Suzuki:Basically, we base the experience on the anime story, allowing players to enjoy the plot on top of that. Besides this, we have also prepared original game stories. These original contents were developed through repeated communication with the Kodansha editorial department—We wanted to include such stories, what do you think?—Original events and plots confirmed through back-and-forth confirmation and official approval, like playing catch, will be solidly included in this title, many of which should be experiences available for the first time only in this game.
As for the proportion of each part, this was actually a point that troubled us greatly during development: we positioned it from the start as a comprehensive work depicting the entire story from beginning to end, without considering selling it based on the latter half while rushing through the first half, as that would be disrespectful to both new and old fans. We didn't focus only on certain segments or omit others, but carefully crafted Everythinggj from start to finish. One more point: since games are an interactive medium requiring operation and feedback, we paid close attention to not letting passive viewing sequences last too long, adjusting the game's pacing accordingly.
Iwata:This title experiences the anime story through the perspective of an original protagonist, so we organized and adjusted how best to present the experience from the protagonist's viewpoint—When necessary, some details will be omitted or streamlined, and the plot will be adjusted through the protagonist's first-person narration to ensure the smoothest experience.
Suzuki:Regarding the position of the original protagonist in the final stages, we can state directly here—He always belongs to the Scout Regiment, from beginning to end. He will fight alongside Erwin, Levi, Hange, and others as a soldier of the Scout Regiment. When comrades sacrifice themselves one by one along the way, he will carry on their beliefs and continue fighting.
Q: The original work's finale features significant casualties among major characters. Will the original plot include IF scenarios hoped for by fans? Or will it focus on completing psychological descriptions from other characters' perspectives?
Suzuki:As mentioned earlier, the main story is a retelling of the anime story and will not includeIF plots, always experienced from the protagonist's perspective. Side stories other than this are the original game plots mentioned earlier. There will be no situations where the anime plot diverges because of the protagonist's actions, nor will there be content that changes the story direction, such as characters who were supposed to die surviving.
However, since this is a game gathering many popular characters, we will prepare a special place where players can meet and reunite with characters who have already sacrificed themselves later on. We cannot reveal too many details about the specific format at this moment.
Q: This title's story runs from beginning to end, including battles against the Nine Titans—how do these parts differ from ordinary boss battles and regular combat? Can you give some examples?
Iwata:The Nine Titans are quite special and unique entities in the original work, each with distinct fighting styles, so we used various gimmick mechanisms to add flavor. Their attacks also differ significantly from ordinary Pure Titans, being quite tricky. For instance, the War Hammer Titan switches between various weapons to fight, while the Cart Titan is much faster than ordinary Titans, using unexpected movements to keep players on their toes.
Please rest assured that every Titan in the story has been given characteristics and mechanics consistent with their portrayal in the original work.
Q: Regarding the Outside-the-Walls Survey gameplay, there doesn't seem to be much specific explanation yet. What exactly do players do during these surveys? You mentioned establishing supply bases and expanding humanity's area of activity; are these supply bases facilities for resupply or upgrades? Could they serve as save points within the activity range, or offer further development opportunities?
Iwata:The main purpose of the Outside-the-Walls Survey is to gradually establish supply bases outside the walls. To achieve this, players need to defeat Titans blocking the path; sometimes, they must bring resources collected outside back inside the walls to strengthen their corps. By repeating this process, players gradually expand their area of activity, ultimately securing a route to the target location—This is the main content of the Outside-the-Walls Survey.
And newly established bases outside the walls can be chosen as starting points for the next Outside-the-Walls Survey—essentially what is commonly known as fast travel points. Players will establish bases further ahead step by step, advancing forward gradually.
Q: This title includes the complete content from the beginning of the story to the ending, including the final battle. Are there any plans for DLC? As fans, we still have many unresolved feelings, such as whether Eren could survive in the end. Although you mentioned earlier that there are no IF routes and the ending is the same as the original work, we still want to ask if there is any possibility for this in the future?
Suzuki:RegardingDLC, to be honest, there are currently no plans at all. We have devoted our full efforts to depicting the complete anime story from beginning to end, and we truly have no intentions regarding DLC, which we can state clearly. However, after the game's release, if calls from fans for more such content gather momentum, such as the 'happy ending' style IF stories you just mentioned—we will certainly reconsider at that time.
Q: Finally, do you two have any words for Chinese players?
Suzuki:In short, this title will allow players to fully understand the story of Attack on Titan through gameplay. For old fans, it will be a suitable game when they want to revisit the story. For those who wish to learn about Attack on Titan in the future, it can serve as an introduction, and it is enjoyable enough as a game in its own right. The game will be released inDecember. We hope everyone will support us by purchasing it then. It's perfectly fine to start with this title; you don't need to play the previous games. Playing Attack on Titan 3 alone is sufficient.
Iwata:To supplement the answer to the initial question—Although the combat system has undergone comprehensive evolution with various command attacks added, the game also provides rich simple controls and assist functions, so players who are not good at action games can still play comfortably. Additionally, the daily life parts spent by the protagonist at the Corps headquarters in the previous game are retained in this title, and the elements for interacting with various characters are more substantial than before. Even players hesitant due to lack of skill in action games can fully enjoy this title if they like the original work. We hope more people will eagerly try this game. Thank you.