Home News Layton's Return: Nintendo Revives Beloved Professor

Layton's Return: Nintendo Revives Beloved Professor

Author : Owen Dec 11,2024

Professor Layton Was Supposed to End Until Nintendo Stepped In

Professor Layton is polishing his magnifying glass and honing his intellect for a new adventure, and it’s all thanks to Nintendo. Read on to learn more about what LEVEL-5's CEO said about how the long-awaited sequel materialized.

Professor Layton’s Puzzle-Solving Adventures Aren't Over YetIt’s All Thanks to ‘Company N’, said LEVEL-5 CEO

Professor Layton Was Supposed to End Until Nintendo Stepped In

After nearly a decade-long intermission, Professor Layton is finally making a comeback, and it appears we have a certain mustachioed gaming behemoth to thank. During Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024, LEVEL-5, the studio behind the aforementioned puzzle-adventure series, unveiled some behind-the-scenes choices that led to the announcement of Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.

In a conversation with Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii at TGS 2024, LEVEL-5 CEO Akihiro Hino disclosed that while they felt that the series had reached a "lovely" conclusion with the prequel game Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, the ever-influential "Company ‘N’"—widely understood as Nintendo—encouraged the studio to revisit the Steampunk world of Professor Layton.

"There hasn’t been [a new title] in almost 10 years. The series concluded briefly," said Hino, according to AUTOMATON. "Certain individual(s) from the industry truly desired us to release a new game… we had a strong impetus coming from company ‘N’."

Professor Layton Was Supposed to End Until Nintendo Stepped In

Nintendo’s role in the game’s revival makes sense given their strong association with the franchise, which flourished on the Nintendo DS and 3DS platforms. Nintendo not only published numerous Professor Layton titles but also values the series highly as one of the DS’s prominent exclusive titles.

"When I heard this feedback, I began to think it would be beneficial to create a new game so that fans could appreciate the series at the standard of quality offered by the latest console," Hino said.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam Overview

Professor Layton Was Supposed to End Until Nintendo Stepped In

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, set a year after the events of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, reunites the titular professor and his faithful apprentice Luke Triton in Steam Bison, a thriving American city filled with steam-powered technology. Together, they'll embark on a new adventure to solve a perplexing mystery, and according to the game’s latest trailer, it involves Gunman King Joe, a "phantom gunslinger lost to the relentless march of progress."

The title will maintain the series’ tradition of challenging puzzles, this time crafted with assistance from QuizKnock, a team renowned for creating inventive brain teasers. Fans are particularly enthusiastic about this collaboration, especially after the previous game, Layton’s Mystery Journey, which featured Layton’s daughter Katrielle, received mixed reviews due to its altered focus.

Check out our article below to learn more about Professor Layton and the New World of Steam's gameplay and story!

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