Drakengard 3 director hasn't got the budget for next-gen, promises something new this year

Drakengard 3 director Yoko Taro has been quite upfront about the reasons he can't answer fans' prayers for a next-gen entry in the dark RPG series.

In a series of tweets and Facebook posts, Taro sounded enthusiastic about the Drakengard series but was frank regarding the difficulties of giving it the kind of treatment its fans would like.

"I hope to make the game for PS4 but I can't have enough money for development," he said in response to a request for Drakengard 3 on PlayStation 4.

The budget for the new game, which apparently doesn't extend to next-gen development, comes from publisher Square Enix. Because the publisher owns the IP, Taro noted that this means he can't turn to Kickstarter.

Before you start writing angry letters to Squeenix, remember that the publisher got many of the original development team back together and is funding a third entry in the series despite middling sales of previous entires and tie-in Nier, and the collapse of developer Cavia.

Writing on Facebook, Taro encouraged fans to let Square Enix know they like the series.

A fan suggested that Taro create a spin-off on Vita using the same engine, to which the developer replied: "I will make spin off game someday. If I will get a chance."

In the meantime, he also confirmed that he "will make something new this year".

Taro was the director of the original Drakengard and spin-off Nier, and in collaboration with close colleagues is therefore responsible for one of the most intricate and twisted RPG franchise plots ever produced.

Drakengard 3, known as Drag-On Dragoon 3 in Japan, is a PS3 exclusive coming west sometime this year after releasing in Japan in December. It's the third game in the series but serves as a prequel to the first two, and features a blood-soaked songstress determined to hunt down and murder her sisters with the aid of a dragon.

Thanks, Gematsu.