The year 2025 is shaping up to be a special one for Digimon fans across the globe. After a long wait, Bandai Namco has finally unveiled its newest project: Digimon Story Time Stranger. This title appears incredibly promising in many respects.
From its dark narrative tone and immersive world design to its expansive Digimon roster, the game has quickly captured the attention of longtime fans and newcomers alike. As it turns out, the development behind this ambitious title has been going on far longer than expected.
In a recent interview with Japanese gaming outlet GameWatch, the game’s producer Ryosuke Hara revealed that Digimon Story Time Stranger has been in development for at least 7 to 8 years. Development began back in 2017, shortly after the release of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory.
Doing Right by Digimon Story Time Stranger
There were two primary reasons for the lengthy development cycle. First and foremost: the narrative. The team was determined to deliver a story that genuinely explored the central theme of human-Digimon relationships. They aimed to create a story experience that would resonate with both veteran Digimon fans and those new to the franchise. According to Hara, crafting such a narrative required a deep level of care and attention to detail to ensure emotional impact and thematic clarity.
The second challenge? The Digimon roster. The game will feature approximately 450 Digimon, the largest lineup in Digimon game history. Each Digimon will be rendered in full 3D with unique battle animations and movement patterns.
Additionally, the development team has implemented extra animations for Digimon while in towns, as well as for those that players can ride during exploration, adding further depth and immersion to the gameplay experience.
Digimon Story Time Stranger is scheduled for release on October 3 and will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For fans of the franchise, the long wait may finally pay off in the form of one of the most ambitious Digimon games ever created.
