Prior to the start of PAX West 2017, Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. CEO Goichi Suda aka Suda 51 revealed that he will be making a return to his popular No More Heroes series when Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes launches on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. Travis Strikes Again is a 3D action title that takes place seven years after the events in No More Heroes and revolves around a deadly showdown between Travis Touchdown and Badman.
On the second day of PAX West 2017, I had an opportunity to sit down with Suda 51 and participate in a candid conversation about what fans can expect from Travis Strikes Again. Below is my in-depth interview along with a photo gallery featuring concept art from the upcoming title.
How long has Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes been in development?
Suda 51: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes has been in development for about 4 months now. We’ve been using Unreal Engine 4 to create our prototype and the overall process is moving along quickly with excellent results. We’re currently on track to release the game for Nintendo Switch sometime next year.
Why did you take a long break from the No More Heroes series and was this departure planned?
Suda 51: Many changes have taken place within the company over the last several years. We’ve been busy on several other titles ranging across all the various platforms. Due to this long hiatus, I felt it was necessary to begin a new series within the No More Heroes universe. However, the key component to me doing this is that it had to be the right time to fully pursue the project. Given the recent success of the Nintendo Switch and the tremendous amount of support from the fans over the years, I feel like that right time is now. I have a unique vision for this game and am hopeful that the fans will enjoy it as much as I’m enjoying making it.
Will this game have any Switch specific features?
Suda 51: Yes, Travis Strikes Again can be played entirely from start to finish using only one Joy-Con controller. I have several other Switch specific features planned but can’t comment on them publically at this time.
Is it possible that we may see other characters from No More Heroes or any of your other titles make an appearance in Travis Strikes Again?
Suda 51: This is an interesting question. I just had an idea that came to me all of a sudden the other day about one or two other characters that could make an appearance in this game. I obviously can’t go into any further details right now but never say never.
Speaking of revisiting other franchises, how likely are we to see another Lollipop Chainsaw game down the road?
Suda 51: Lollipop Chainsaw is a franchise that I would love to revisit someday, but we face a few hurdles that may prevent that from happening. Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment and Kadokawa Games own the rights to the series. There’s always a chance that we can all work together again in the future but for now that seems uncertain.
What is the overall goal that you hope to achieve by creating Travis Strikes Again?
Suda 51: Travis Strike Again: No More Heroes is a new series focused entirely on Travis Touchdown’s adventure. I’m hoping that this title can provide the perfect stepping stone needed towards creating No More Heroes 3 down the road.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes launches on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. Stay tuned for more information on this title over the next several months.
This concludes my interview with Suda 51 on his latest project Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes. Are any of you looking forward to this game? Please feel free to let me know your thoughts on the No More Heroes series and more in the comments section below.
