What is the reason for the release date delay? The background behind the change of 'Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes' to November 14th

What is the reason for the release date delay? The background behind the change of 'Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes' to November 14th

1. What is "Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes"

"Inazuma Eleven" is a soccer RPG developed by the Japanese game company Level-5. Since its debut in 2008, it has expanded into games, anime, and manga, becoming a popular series. "Victory Road of Heroes" is a long-awaited completely new installment that has garnered attention as a "culmination" title where former series characters and new characters come together.

Initially planned for release in 2023, after several delays, it has now been officially announced to be released on "November 14, 2025."


2. Main Reasons for the Delay: Full Voice and Multilingual Support

Level-5 cites the following two reasons for the delay:

  • Expansion Beyond Expectations

    • The scale of the story has expanded to 2-3 times the original plan, with an increase in the number of characters, scenario branches, and amount of production.

  • Translation and Voice Recording for Multilingual Expansion

    • In addition to Japanese, the game will support English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Korean, requiring translation and voice recording for these languages.

President Akihiro Hino commented, "A half-baked completion won't be competitive globally," prioritizing time for quality improvement.


3. The Meaning Behind the New Release Date "November 14, 2025"

November 14 is close to the release date of the first "Inazuma Eleven" on Nintendo DS on October 15, 2008, symbolizing a "return to origins" for fans. It is not just a delay but also carries symbolic meaning as a reboot work.


4. Good News for Overseas Fans: Full Multilingual Support

This work, which emphasizes overseas expansion, is important for international fans for the following reasons:

  • With support for English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Korean, players who cannot read Japanese can enjoy the entire game

  • All character voices will be translated and recorded

  • Aiming for simultaneous release with Japan, reducing information disparity

This approach is unprecedented among recent JRPGs and demonstrates Level-5's serious commitment.


5. Increased Volume: The Largest Scale in Series History

The game features not only a "Story Mode" but also a "Chronicle Mode" where past series characters appear, along with new elements such as:

  • Over 1,000 characters appearing

  • Freedom in team formation and position changes

  • Online battles and ranked matches

  • Full voice conversation events for each character

Implementing all of these requires an enormous amount of time for development, translation, and adjustments.


6. Development Progress and Demo Distribution

A demo was already distributed in March 2024 and received positive feedback from fans. Many requests for system and UI improvements have been made, and tuning is currently underway based on these.


The demo allowed players to experience part of the "Chronicle Mode" and the feel of the match part, with many nostalgic characters making appearances.


7. Reactions from SNS and Fans

On social media, there are more positive voices saying, "If they complete it properly, it's welcome," and "Multilingual support is amazing!" rather than dissatisfaction with the delay.


Especially from overseas fans, there are many opinions like "I'm happy that Inazuma Eleven is fully supported in English for the first time" and "Level-5 is trustworthy," raising expectations.


8. Comments from Level-5 President Akihiro Hino (Excerpt)

"We apologize for the wait. However, we are committed to making this the most satisfying content for everyone compared to any previous work. Please look forward to November 14."


9. Conclusion: Delay as Proof of "Evolution"

The delay of "Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes" is not merely a schedule delay but a process of evolution aimed at creating a global and high-quality game.


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