In true Ace Attorney fashion, it seems like the battle for a new physical release in the series isn’t quite over yet: despite previously announcing that the upcoming Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies for 3DS would only be released as a digital download, Capcom USA VP Christian Svensson says that there’s still a small chance the game could get a physical, retail release, but he needs your help to make it happen.
In a statement posted to the official Capcom Unity forums, Svensson revealed that he’s still lobbying for a physical release for Dual Destinies, but Capcom’s Japanese management is still skeptical of the series’ sales potential outside of Japan. In his statement, he said the following:
“In the days after we announced AA5 for the West being digital only, and the requests of others for a physical release, we mobilized our US team to put together possible options that may address the concerns.
As a part of that process, [Ace Attorney series producer] Eshiro-san and I have met mulitple times, including the morning where he gave the interview where he made the statement above. I was not quite ready to open the possibility to folks until we had a few more ducks in a row but Eschiro suggested he mention the potential in an an interview he was having that afternoon.
So, if you’d like to be heard, you can post on this thread (I’ll leave it open), PM me on Capcom-Unity or hit up my twitter (@chrissvensson) as many folks already have. I need some additional ammo and these requests fit that need.”
Svensson also stresses that, despite his personal efforts, a physical release for a niche product like Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies is still a long shot, so even if he manages to get a strong response on Twitter, Capcom management may still chose to keep the game a download exclusive in the West.
Svensson also mentioned that there’s still a chance that Ace Attorney Investigations 2 for the original DS could still get localized (it’s the only game in the series that hasn’t been officially translated,) but he said he couldn’t offer any new details about the game beyond that.