Remember Project Phoenix? If you backed the real-time strategy JRPG hybrid back in 2013, you might have assumed the project had joined the graveyard of abandoned Kickstarter campaigns. For seven years, the project remained dark, with no updates from director Hiroaki Yura. That silence has finally ended, with Yura releasing a candid update explaining the years of radio silence and the project's current status.
The Long Silence Explained
The Kickstarter campaign for Project Phoenix was a massive success in its early days, raising over $1 million—more than 10 times its initial goal. With a team featuring veterans from The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Final Fantasy, Diablo, and LA Noire, the project promised a painterly art style and a unique genre blend. However, after missing several release windows, the updates stopped, and in 2019, communication ceased entirely.
Yura admits the silence was his mistake. "That silence is mine to answer for," Yura wrote in his update. "I made myself a rule that I stuck to even when it cost me: I wouldn't post an update unless I had something worth showing. For a long stretch I didn't, and instead of filling the gap with mock-ups and promises, I went silent. That was the wrong call."
According to Yura, the development stall was compounded by personal issues and the departure of a key programmer upon whom the technical side of the game depended. Rather than burning through the remaining funds, Yura chose to step back and build a separate business to create the capital necessary to finish the game properly.
Funding and the Path Forward
Addressing the criticism regarding his work on other studios and games while Project Phoenix sat dormant, Yura clarified that those projects were the engines funding the revival of Phoenix. "The money has only ever moved in one direction, from that work into Phoenix, never the other way," he stated. He noted that the original $1 million in crowdfunding was used for early character and creature designs, base models, scenario development, Uematsu’s music, and the much-criticized 2014 gameplay demo.
Yura acknowledges that not every dollar was spent as efficiently as it could have been, but maintains that all funds went toward the game's production. He also admitted that at the start of the project, he lacked the experience required to manage a game of this scale. He views his recent years in the industry as the necessary training to return to the project with the skills to finish it correctly.
What to Expect in 2031
The project is now larger in scope than originally planned, and Yura has set a new target to wrap up production by the end of 2031. He is intentionally avoiding a specific release date to avoid the cycle of missed milestones that previously eroded trust. To improve transparency, a new Project Phoenix Discord is being established, where backers will be able to follow development progress and engage directly with the team.
Whether the promise of a future release is enough to satisfy the long-waiting community remains to be seen, but Yura insists his intent is to honor the original backers. "To everyone still here after all this time, thank you," Yura said. "I don't take it lightly, and I intend to earn back the trust you put in me."