Exciting news for Atelier fans! Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian, the upcoming console and PC title, will not feature a gacha system, a significant departure from its mobile predecessor. Let's delve into the details.
Atelier Resleriana's Console Debut: Gacha-Free!
Ditching the Gacha
Koei Tecmo Europe announced on November 26, 2024 (via Twitter/X) that the new Atelier Resleriana game will forgo the gacha mechanics present in its mobile counterpart, Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator. This means players won't be pressured into in-app purchases to progress or unlock characters.
Furthermore, the announcement highlights the game's offline playability, eliminating the need to own the mobile version. The official website promises "New protagonists and an original story await in Lantarna," suggesting a shared world but a distinct narrative and cast of characters.
Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is slated for release on PS5, PS4, Switch, and Steam in 2025. Pricing and a precise release date are yet to be revealed.
A Look Back at the Mobile Gacha
Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, the foundation for the upcoming title, incorporated a gacha system into its core gameplay. While retaining the series' hallmark synthesis and turn-based combat, it also required players to invest in the gacha to enhance their characters.
The gacha utilized a "spark" system, awarding medals with each pull to unlock characters or Memoria (illustration cards). Unlike a pity system, there wasn't a guaranteed drop after a specific number of pulls. This mechanic, along with the overall cost, drew criticism from some Steam players, despite generally positive mobile reviews (4.2/5 on Google Play and 4.6 on the App Store). The game launched in January 2024 on Steam, Android, and iOS.
The shift away from gacha in the console/PC version is a welcome change for many, promising a more traditional Atelier experience.