A sequel to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is currently in development, it’s been announced.
The original game, developed by Chinese studio Leenzee, was released last year to a generally positive reception, with a Metacritic score of 74 across all formats.
An report from Chinese publication Gamersky in April, however, claimed that the game’s director and producer Xia Siyuan had been fired from Leenzee, and that a large proportion of the development team had been laid off after refusing to switch to an outsourcing model. The same report claimed that Xia had formed a new studio in order to continue making games.
A couple of weeks after the report, Italian company Digital Bros – the parent of 505 Games – announced that it had acquired the Wuchang: Fallen Feathers IP from Leenzee for around €4 million.
Now Digital Bros has announced that a sequel to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is in the works, with 505 Games publishing it and Xia and his new studio Indolphinity on development duties.
“Through this partnership, 505 Games and Indolphinity reaffirm their shared belief in the long-term potential of the Wuchang franchise and their joint commitment to preserving the authenticity and cultural identity of the IP,” a statement from both companies read.
“All future creative development will remain firmly rooted in China through the close collaboration between the original creator and 505 Games, ensuring continuity of vision, quality, and execution.”
“Wuchang’s story is far from over”, director says
In his own statement, Xia said 505 Games understood the importance of making sure developers’ creative values were accounted for.
“We are delighted to embark once again on a deep collaboration with 505 Games under our new studio banner, Indolphinity,” he said. “As a homegrown development team made up of Chinese creators, we have always believed that a rich cultural heritage is the essence of our games and their competitive strength.
“505 Games’s respect for the creative process and its genuine understanding of developers’ needs are perfectly in tune with our own values, and this shared vision gives us confidence in the long-term future of the series.
“We listen closely to the real voices of players and the community, and we remain firmly devoted to our original creative aspirations and cultural foundations, striving to answer everyone’s long-standing expectations with more polished quality and a more complete experience.
“Wuchang’s story is far from over. Together, Indolphinity and 505 Games are set out on a new journey, unfolding an entirely new chapter of Wuchang’s story that is deeply rooted in the Eastern soil.”
The first game received criticism and accusations of censorship from some players after it received a patch which prevented certain historical Chinese figures from being killed, and added new dialogue to ensure the story still made sense now they were no longer dead.
