KOEI Tecmo 's Gust brand and NHN Play Art announced on Friday that they are delaying their planned Atelier Online ~Bureseiru no Renkinjutsushi~ (Atelier Online: The Alchemist of Blasel) smartphone game to 2018. The game was originally planned to launch this winter.

The companies stated that the delay is so the developers can expand the game's features for a wider range of players, strengthen the infrastructure technology, and improve the overall quality of the game.

Gust originally revealed the game during its "Atelier Series 20th Anniversary Presentation" event in June. NHN Play Art is planning, developing, and running the smartphone game for iOS and Android devices.

The game will allow multiple players to play cooperatively in combat and exploring the world, but a player can also play alone. As in other Atelier games, players will be able to wander the world and collect items and ingredients that they can then mix in alchemical recipes to create new items. Players are also able to change the costume, appearance, and equipment of their characters, as well as change and gain skills.

[Via Gematsu]