Project Life is RPG, Project Magia, and Daemon x Machina sequel announced by Marvelous
Publisher Marvelous' 2023 Games Showcase brought game announcements for projects so early into development that they don't yet have a proper title. At least one of them, though, is called Project Life is RPG.
Currently, Project Life is RPG only exists publicly as a project logo and several pieces of concept art. According to Director Ittetsu Suzuki, the game is a brand-new title from Marvelous, one that is "very ambitious". He said that the game's keyword is "Life", and that because RPGs represent "life itself" to Suzuki and the team, creating a fresh new RPG inspired by the classics of old is their primary goal.
Suzuki also said that one goal of the team was evoking a sense of exploration and adventure akin to selecting one's next destination on a map or sailing on the open sea. The pieces of concept art shown emphasize an oceanic or water theme, with prominent use of coral, ships, and imagery of the sea. That, as well as the seafarer-like character silhouette in the logo, may hint as to Project Life is RPG's setting or aesthetic. No other details, such as its release window or platforms, were available.
Marvelous also had other games on hand to announce that aren't quite RPGs themselves. One is Project Magia, which involves the input of manga artist Hiro Mashima. Mashima created Fairy Tail, Rave Master, and Edens Zero. Project Manager Takehiro Ishida said that Mashima's involvement aligned with the project's goal of "expanding horizons" and exploring "a brave new frontier. Project Magia has a large cast of characters, and its story would "explore the villains' point of view" as well as the heroes'. No other information was available, besides character concepts for three as yet unnamed characters.
Though Marvelous shared details on the next two Rune Factory games, it's also working on new entries in the core Story of Seasons series. A concept video for one of the games showed off animals, the changing seasons, and the familiar farming setup. Series Manager Hikaru Nakano said that the new game doesn't have a title yet, but its keyword is "Experiences". The team has put extra effort into the "visual presentation" of the farm and of the surrounding natural areas.
Nakano also announced another new Story of Seasons game, one that appears to still be in the concept stage. The team's goal with this new game is to produce a Story of Seasons game that players can play "with everyone", implying heavily that it is multiplayer-enabled by default. Nakano remarked that the concept of playing Story of Seasons with other people is a direction that's new to the series, but he hopes it'll give fans new experiences they can share.
Marvelous also shared a look at Fashion Dreamer, a game it's publishing from Style Savvy and Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai Xcross Blade developer syn Sophia. Fashion Dreamer casts players as an up-and-coming fashion influencer. Players can create their avatars and their own outfits, while exploring the game world and encountering the avatars of other players. Players can then "Like" other players' outfits, and even take a crack at suggesting outfits and variations to those they encounter. As they amass Likes, they'll unlock more items and options, spreading their style to others. Fashion Dreamer is coming in 2023. Marvelous didn't specify the game's platforms, but the gameplay footage included Nintendo Switch button prompts.
Marvelous closed out its showcase with an announcement of Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion. No footage of the game was shown besides a CG teaser of one of the game's Arsenal mecha, but it is presumably a sequel to the original Daemon x Machina, which was first released on the Switch under Nintendo's banner.
