Well I really hope they still decide to change direction because thanks to the art direction the XB series has switched from "has the potential to revitalize jrpg" to "just another fanservice/waifu/moe series for a niche audience". Even if the audience is here, we could argue that it's good for the series at least, but what it does is it anihilates the potential of the series getting recognition from the mainstream and really going up against western rpgs AS IT SHOULD because mechanically it's clever and filled with idea that SHOULD have a global influence on the genre. Takahashi himself has said it was their ambition but they're not going to do it with this kind of art direction. The only thing they're going to do is they're going to get stuck on their own little market segment.

Oh well if it allows them to get more eyes on them and then do something different I guess that could work. I guess they wouldn't be the only ones to completely wh*re out to gain success.