One of the most ambitious ongoing narratives in JRPG history is finally approaching its end. In a landmark four-page interview published in Weekly Famitsu to mark Nihon Falcom’s 45th anniversary, company president Toshihiro Kondo confirmed that the final entry in the long-running Trails series will be announced in 2031 and completed in 2032. For fans who have followed this series across two decades and more than a dozen games, this is one of the biggest pieces of news in the franchise’s history.
Falcom 45th Anniversary Interview Overview
| Detail | Info |
| Source | Weekly Famitsu (March 2026 issue) |
| Falcom Current Anniversary | 45th (2026) |
| Final Game Announcement | 2031 (Falcom’s 50th anniversary) |
| Final Game Target Release | 2032 (Falcom’s 51st year) |
| Series Ending | Already decided |
| Final Protagonist’s Profession | Roughly determined |
| Trails Beyond the Horizon II Plot | Already complete |
| Trails Series Lifetime Sales | Approximately 8.8 million copies |
| Next Ys Game | Development just begun |
| Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Theme Song | Recording complete (“Silver Will, Golden Wings”) |
| 2026 Major Releases | Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, Kyoto Xanadu |
What Toshihiro Kondo Confirmed?
Speaking to Weekly Famitsu in a four-page interview tied to Falcom’s 45th anniversary, president Toshihiro Kondo shared several significant updates spanning both the company’s long-term plans and its immediate 2026 lineup. The most headline-grabbing revelation is the confirmed roadmap for the Trails series finale.
Kondo confirmed the following:
- Falcom plans to announce the final Trails game in 2031, timed to coincide with the company’s 50th anniversary.
- The final game targets a 2032 release, during Falcom’s 51st year.
- The overall ending of the Trails series has already been decided.
- The plot for Trails Beyond the Horizon II is already complete.
- Falcom has a rough idea of the final protagonist’s profession, though no further details were shared.
- Recording for the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter theme song “Silver Will, Golden Wings” is already complete.
- A new Ys game is in early development. Kondo noted that Adol may be the oldest he has ever been in this entry.
- The Dragon Slayer Project has been announced for console as of March 9, 2026, though Kondo declined to confirm whether it is a remake or a new game, asking fans to wait for future announcements. The official teaser site is live at falcom.co.jp/dsp.
- Falcom is now capable of releasing two major titles in a single year, something the company has not achieved in decades, with both Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter and Kyoto Xanadu targeting 2026.
Falcom’s Two Big 2026 Releases
The same Famitsu interview also covered Falcom’s two major titles launching in 2026, both of which were discussed alongside the long-term Trails news.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
The remake of Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is one of Falcom’s flagship 2026 projects. The theme song “Silver Will, Golden Wings” has already completed its recording phase. Kondo discussed combat refinements and difficulty options as part of the game’s development updates, though full details on changes are expected closer to release.
Kyoto Xanadu
Kyoto Xanadu is the sequel to Tokyo Xanadu and represents a notable shift for the series, moving to full 2D action gameplay. Kondo acknowledged that this change received both positive and negative reactions from fans but assured players that the game is enjoyable. The title features four difficulty options and is set in Kyoto, a city Kondo described as representative of Japan.
What Is the Trails Series?
The Trails series, known in Japan as Kiseki (meaning “miracle” or “trail”), is a long-running Japanese RPG franchise forming part of The Legend of Heroes lineup. Unlike anthology RPG series, Trails tells a single continuous story across all its games, set in the same world of Zemuria, with recurring characters, persistent consequences, and an overarching plot spanning decades of releases.
The first game, Trails in the Sky, launched in 2004. In the more than twenty years since, the series has accumulated approximately 8.8 million copies sold across all entries and grown into one of the most narratively ambitious franchises in gaming history. Events from the earliest games carry direct consequences in titles released years later, and minor NPCs from one arc frequently return as major protagonists in another.
The series currently consists of four main interconnected story arcs:
| Arc | Setting | Protagonist |
| Trails in the Sky (trilogy) | Liberl Kingdom | Estelle Bright |
| Trails from Zero / Trails to Azure (duology) | Crossbell State | Lloyd Bannings |
| Trails of Cold Steel (tetralogy) | Erebonian Empire | Rean Schwarzer |
| Trails through Daybreak / Beyond the Horizon (trilogy) | Calvard Republic | Van Arkride (plus Rean Schwarzer and Kevin Graham in the most recent entry) |
The final games are widely expected to feature a pan-Zemurian arc, bringing together major cast members and storylines from every previous arc into a single culminating conflict.
What Comes Before the Final Game
Before the final arc begins, Trails Beyond the Horizon II sits next in the release pipeline. Kondo confirmed that the plot for this game is already complete, suggesting development is well underway. The sequel is widely expected to arrive in the late 2020s, with the final arc then expected to span two to three additional games before the 2032 conclusion. No official release date or title has been confirmed for either the sequel or the final game.
Kondo’s roadmap implies that Trails Beyond the Horizon II will likely be the last entry before the final arc begins, making it a pivotal bridge between the current Calvard storyline and whatever pan-Zemurian conclusion Falcom has planned.
Why Falcom Is Planning a Definitive End
The announcement reflects a combination of internal intent and external realities. The Trails series has seen declining sales in Japan in recent years, widely cited by fans and analysts as a contributing factor in Falcom’s decision to set a firm timeline. Community feedback has also pointed to concerns around pacing and writing quality across the more recent arcs.
Additionally, several developers at Falcom have reportedly expressed greater enthusiasm for the ongoing Trails in the Sky remake series than for continuing new mainline entries. Kondo’s decision to publicly announce a specific conclusion timeline, something Falcom has never done before for this series, points to a genuine internal commitment to ending things on their own terms rather than letting the narrative drift indefinitely.
Falcom also separately announced the Dragon Slayer Project, widely interpreted by fans and analysts as the company beginning to lay the groundwork for a new flagship franchise to carry Falcom forward after Trails concludes.
Community Reaction
Fan reaction has been a mix of relief, excitement, and healthy scepticism. Many long-time series followers welcomed the news as confirmation that the story they have invested years in will receive a proper, planned ending. However, a significant portion of the community noted that Kondo has a well-documented history of underestimating scope, pointing to previous arcs that expanded well beyond their originally planned game counts.
The broader consensus is that while the 2031 announcement and 2032 release target may shift, the directional intent to bring the Trails series to a conclusion is genuine and welcome. Simply knowing the end is in sight is itself meaningful news after more than two decades.
Key Takeaways
- Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo confirmed in Weekly Famitsu (March 2026) that the final Trails game will be announced in 2031 on the company’s 50th anniversary and released in 2032.
- The ending of the Trails series has already been decided, and Falcom has a rough idea of the final protagonist’s profession.
- The plot for Trails Beyond the Horizon II is complete, placing it next in the release pipeline before the final arc begins. No release date has been confirmed; it is widely expected in the late 2020s.
- The recording for the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter theme song “Silver Will, Golden Wings” is already finished.
- Kyoto Xanadu, the sequel to Tokyo Xanadu, launches in 2026 with full 2D action gameplay and four difficulty options.
- Falcom is releasing two major titles in 2026 for the first time in decades: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter and Kyoto Xanadu.
- A new Ys game is in early development, with protagonist Adol potentially appearing at his oldest age yet.
- The Dragon Slayer Project was announced on March 9, 2026 for console. Falcom has not confirmed whether it is a remake or a new game. The teaser site is live at falcom.co.jp/dsp.
- The Trails series has sold approximately 8.8 million copies across all entries since 2004.
- The final arc is widely expected to be a pan-Zemurian convergence, bringing together major characters and storylines from every previous arc.
- Declining Japanese sales and growing developer interest in the remake series are widely cited by fans and analysts as factors behind Falcom’s decision to plan a definitive series conclusion.
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