The Zero Escape series, which features the puzzle-based visual novels 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors on the DS and Virtue's Last Reward on the 3DS and Vita, has always included the carrying of hope in desperate times as a theme. Series director Kotaro Uchikoshi is now finding himself trying to maintain a similar sense of hope as he tries to find a way to greenlight the next game in the continuing story.

Uchikoshi has created an English Twitter account to explain the situation to more fans. According to his tweets, while the series has its fans, the games have apparently not turned enough profit for funding sources — likely including previous Japanese publisher Spike Chunsoft — to invest in the third title:

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The director expresses regret to players anticipating the third game, saying he feels "ashamed of his own inadequacies," but he has not thrown in the towel. Crowdsourcing has been considered, and a call out to other potential investors has been made. Uchikoshi also believes creating a successful project outside of Zero Escape could turn the tide in his favour when proposing its continuation in the future.

Uchikoshi ultimately remains hopeful, saying he believes the game will "definitely be released somehow, someday!" Fans, in turn, have returned a great deal of their own hope and encouragement to the director:

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Do you want to see a conclusion to the saga of the Zero Escape series? Let us know below.