I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes it’s necessary. Today, I have to share an unfortunate announcement from the developers of Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood: the release date has been postponed indefinitely.
To be fair, it was already pretty clear that the originally projected launch in March 2025—announced shortly after the games were revealed—was unlikely to be met. Signs of trouble had already appeared on the Kickstarter page. Now, you might be thinking, “Delays happen all the time; this isn’t that big of a deal.” And that’s true. But in this case, the hype was immense—after all, we’re talking about the spiritual successors to two of the most beloved JRPGs of all time: Wild Arms and Shadow Hearts.
The projects have been pushed back to an unspecified date to allow the development team to refine their vision and secure additional partnerships. As a result, Kickstarter updates will now be released every two to three months instead of the previous monthly schedule, allowing the team to focus on delivering meaningful progress reports.
In a statement to backers, Armed Fantasia‘s lead designer and scenario writer, Kaneko, expressed regret over the delay but assured fans that development is still moving forward. While specifics about the new timeline remain undisclosed, Kaneko emphasized the team’s commitment to overcoming the challenges of creating an expansive RPG set in the wasteland of Londenium. He reaffirmed that the team is working tirelessly to shape the game into its ideal form, pushing past its original scope to meet fan expectations.
Despite the setback, the development team remains dedicated to their vision and the support of their backers. As they continue refining both projects, players can expect fewer but more substantial updates detailing significant milestones. While the delay may be disappointing, it signals the team’s determination to deliver a polished and memorable RPG experience when Armed Fantasia finally launches.
