Based on a mysterious countdown featured on the game’s website, there seems to be a new project on the horizon related to the beloved franchise Dot Hack (often stylized as .hack). The timer is set to conclude on March 31, 2024, at 8 p.m. EST, and the website showcases a countdown that meticulously tracks days, hours, minutes, and even seconds against a backdrop of fading hexagons, which is a big tell for us Dot Hack fans, and the site’s icon bears a striking resemblance to the classic series logo—a white hexagon with “DOT” inscribed within it.
It’s hard to tell, at least at this moment in time, how excited or skeptical I should be with this countdown. For one, there’s an absence of any official statement from the series’ publisher, Bandai Namco, or its developer, CyberConnect2. To add to my uncertainty, the current official dot hack site doesn’t provide any clues or hints about what might be in store.
The Legend Returns?
Dot Hack holds a special place in the history of “isekai” (narratives in which the hero gets transported to another world), particularly for its role in pioneering the concept of a virtual “game within a game” MMO scenario. This narrative structure, which involves characters being trapped within a virtual world, gained popularity in the past decade or so, notably in franchises like Sword Art Online.
Dot Hack is a precursor to Sword Art Online in several ways. It introduced audiences to a unique blend of storytelling that explored the challenges and mysteries of virtual worlds, long before this theme became widespread in the isekai genre. The last entry in the franchise was New World Vol. 1: Maiden of Silver Tears, an Android and iOS game released in Japan in 2016. Nothing new has been released in the western part of the world since 2007.
I’m a huge fan of Dot Hack. It’s one of my all-time favorite game series. It can be quite complex to get into with its multitude of entries and intricate timeline, but much like the Marvel multiverse, the time invested in it is worth it.
Dot Hack is centered around an MMO called The World. The overarching story suggests that The World is a highly advanced and thrilling MMO (we’re talking within the game now, you following?). However, it has also been the center of numerous strange occurrences, ranging from power outages to players falling into comas. Are these events a consequence of the game’s technological sophistication, or is there something more enigmatic lurking behind the scenes?
In each of the games, anime, or manga adaptations, you assume the role of a player who creates a character within The World. This character serves as your guide, leading you through the various mysteries that arise in the narrative. The lore of The World encompasses multiple iterations, such as the original version, The World R2, and The World Rx, each offering distinct storylines and experiences for players and viewers. Additionally, there is The World Force Era, although it is characterized by limited representation in comparison to the other iterations.
My journey into the Dot Hack universe began with .hack//SIGN, an anime that introduced me to The World. While some might label it a bit slow-paced, I found myself captivated by the cerebral nature of the story, focusing on two central characters: Tsukasa, a closed-off player, and Subaru, a much more empathetic character. Their evolving connection, as they delved deeper into the digital world, formed the emotional core of the series.
Love Evolves With The .Hack//G.U. Trilogy
However, my true love within the Dot Hack universe began when I ventured into the .Hack//G.U. series on the PS2. G.U. was a nice departure from the previous quadrilogy – .hack//Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine.
The original four games had a great story but featured a very clunky combat interface. Fighting meant dealing with menus upon menus to get to different spells and attacks. Imagine having to heal yourself multiple times and jumping through several menus to do so in rapid succession. G.U. featured a quicker and more reactive combat system. Not to mention your AI controlled allies were more responsive.
The GU trilogy tells the story of Haseo, a character I felt connected to. His initially closed-off personality resonated with my own experiences during my 20s, aligning with that sense of searching for identity and purpose in a vast and mysterious world. As the story unfolded, I became deeply invested in Haseo’s evolution, and it was during the final battle in Volume 3 that a particular quote stuck with me:
“Alright, this is it. It’s time. All of the feelings that I’ve carved deep into The World are going into this one attack!”
— Haseo
This quote encapsulated the essence of MMO gaming – the camaraderie, the shared experiences, and the sense of purpose that blooms when players band together. Little did I know that this sentiment would find a larger canvas in my gaming journey years later when I joined the world of Final Fantasy 14 (which I also love) during the beta phase in 2013.
Dot Hack//G.U. Last Recode, released in 2017, had players spending more time with the enigmatic Ovan, who was notably absent from the original trilogy. Beyond this, the graphics were overhauled to look crisper on modern flat screens, gameplay was rebalanced to be more forgiving to new players, and everything runs at 60 FPS on the PS4. I remember it being a grind back on the PS2, turning on my iPod, listening to music while I played hours of combat to get to the right level. This time around, I was way too overpowered by the time I got to Vol. 3.
What The Future Holds For The .Hack Series
The franchise holds a special place in the hearts of countless players such as myself, and a new installment would feel like a long-overdue return. A remaster of the original quadrilogy would be awesome, though the combat would need to be overhauled far more than G.U.
A new entry would probably be best, though; a fresh start for a new generation. I’d love to see the MMO meta-narrative come into the modern era, taking on different societal issues like //Sign did. Combat could take on something either akin to the Xenoblade series, in which it sticks to its MMO roots, or maybe revamped to take on a Tales of Arise style action format. I just hope that they keep the story-focused nature of the series.
As I eagerly await the possibility of a new game, or even a remaster of the original quadrilogy, my heart remains tethered to The World.