Konami spent five years remastering Suikoden 1 and 2 because the devs knew their attempts to revive the iconic JRPG series "would be over" before they began if they "were to release a half-baked product."
Speaking to Dengeki Online, producer Rui Naito reveals that planning for the remasters began in 2020 before an announcement came in September 2022. While an initial release window of the following year was missed, Naito says it was for a good reason. Even with a remaster, you only get one chance to make a first impression.
