Who you bring along changes the story you experience. And only the protagonist, who wields the power of fire, can retry a battle as many times as needed. Director Takafumi Noma revealed these details about DAWNGAZER in an interview.

Monochrome Corp. and Good Smile Company announced on September 25 the launch of a new IP brand, IGNISPHERE, and its first title, the action RPG DAWNGAZER. It’s set for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam), with a release planned for 2028. Noma left Vanillaware in March 2025 and started IGNISPHERE at Monochrome. The name covers both the brand and its development studio, IGNISPHERE Studio. Noma directed Unicorn Overlord and worked on 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Dragon’s Crown Pro, and Odin Sphere Leifthrasir while at Vanillaware.

The protagonist is a man who failed to protect the royal family, and the story begins when tragedy strikes the royal family of the country at the center of the world. Only this fire-wielding protagonist can retry battles as many times as needed, according to Noma. Each attempt yields new clues, bringing the story closer to the truth.

Swapping out party members changes the story itself, Noma explains.

A single playthrough is designed to be short, and the game offers many possible endings.

The world of IGNISPHERE spans 12 nations, each home to a different people. Noma has said he doesn’t want to confine this world to a single game. Alongside figures from Good Smile Company, multiple novel projects set in this world are underway at KADOKAWA’s Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. On the action side, Noma has stressed the importance of controls that feel satisfying from the moment you start playing, and says the game won’t be built only for players skilled at action games: it will also offer the fun of developing characters and choosing how to fight.

According to Noma, the team behind the game numbers around 10 people, including outside collaborators. As supervisor, Noma has said the plan is to personally review and finalize every design.