Prerelease:Yo-kai Watch 3
 | To do: *There's a handful to do:
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This page details pre-release information and/or media for Yo-kai Watch 3.
Developed after the overwhelming success of the previous entry, Yo-kai Watch 3 was intended to be the franchise's secondary jewel in the crown, and to appeal to western audiences. Details for the game have been obscure, as little-to-no prerelease material surfaced until near the game's release in 2016.
Reception and sales were...less than satisfactory from Level-5's point of view, selling just over a million copies in total unlike six million compared to Yo-kai Watch 2 in Japan. Despite that, fans consider this to be the best game in terms of jam-packed content and/or the last great entry before Level-5's unexpected downfall.
Contents
Development Timeline
2014
- Jul. - A third mainline Yo-kai Watch game is teased in an issue of Famitsu July 24, 2014.
2015
- Jan. 9 - When asked about Yo-kai Watch 3 on variety show Ohasuta, Akihiro Hino refuses to respond.[1]
- Mar. - At an awards conference, Hino is eager to reveal the "next title" of the series.
- Apr. 7 - Yo-kai Watch 3 is revealed to the public, with a TBD release.[2]
- Apr. 10 - Yo-kai Watch 3 is teased in Corocoro April 2015.
- Apr-May - Some of the new Yo-kai teased in the trailer are revealed via media.
- Jul. 9 - Level-5 reveals that Yo-kai Watch 3 will be set for a "summer 2016" release.[3]
2016
- Apr. 15 - The website for Yo-kai Watch 3 was updated showing the new mascots and versions.
- Jul. 16 - Yo-kai Watch 3 was released in Japan.
Early Development (2013-2014)
| To do: Prototype Tomnyan design that was submitted and won in a contest.
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They wanted to do a more westernised setting to they can appeal to the overseas market.[4]
Designing Usapyon
Usapyon started to be designed in April 2014, after the franchise's initial success. He was to be a mascot alongside Jibanyan, as the "Next Yo-kai Star". He was designed to be "like a rabbit, but not a rabbit", where such features include "having a dislike for carrots" and "rabbit ear headgear". [5]
Location Artwork Concepts
St. Peanutsburg
Drafts
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| The suburbs of Southmond, where Nate's house is located. | A steamboat departing from Northbeech. |
Several drafts for the location itself.
Early Layout
Though this artwork was revealed later on, it's vastly different layout-wise, even predating that of the first trailer!
- The whole location originally seemed to be one big district rather than being split up.
- There was originally a highway instead of a road, in place of Meadowbrooke Farm in the final.
- There was originally a church located where Southmond would be, matching that of the one seen in the unused test map.
- There was originally a gas factory on the bottom-left corner thatt would uld end up being removed.
- The Northbeech marina was a lot smaller.
- There originally always seemed to be a circus present in town.
- The northwestern area was completely different; it originally had a baseball stadium, some kind of greenhouse and a secondary marina.
- The forest area in East Pine originally had a row of houses which are replaced with a singular abandoned house in the final.
Northbeech
This piece of artwork was also revealed at Level-5 VISION 2015 event, with some layout differences a little closer to the final.
- The marina was smaller.
- The parking lot was bigger.
- The pathway to the garage seemed like it was going to be separate as it's not seen in the artwork.
- The row of buildings near the arena were removed to make room for the big marina.
- The alley behind the Star Burger place had one entrance.
- There was no pathway leading to the north-east pier.
East Pine
Artwork of East Pine. Oddly, in Degenki Online, it was referred to as "Old Town" (オルドタウン) rather then East Cashew (イーストカシュー), likely as a placeholder name.
- There wasn't a Wayfarer Manor-like building.
- There was no graveyard at the church.
- The Tempura restaurant wasn't present.
- The Supermarket bunny mascot was blue instead of yellow.
- The pathways leading to the Abandoned Mansion and Gloombell Forest originally seemed to be roads.
Scrapped Locations
A handful of scrapped locations were shown both at the revelation, and even later on in the game's release;
Sakura Airport
Likely intended to be used in the scene where Nate departs to BBQ, only the airplane from the airport itself appears, and the location doesn't physically appear in the final. It would eventually be used in episode 170 of the Yo-kai Watch anime series, where The Last Nyanmurai would be introduced as a secondary character.
NASU Johnson Space Center Lab
One notable location that was completely removed from the game was the NASU Johnson Space Center Lab. It was likely supposed to appear in Usapyon's backstory because he was an experimental otter that was to be sent into outer space, but that is reduced to flashback artwork.
2014
August
Mezamashi Broadcast
On August 5-6, 2014's broadcast of Mezamashi's Koko-chō, a hint was dropped on Usapyon.
2015
April
Level-5 VISION 2015
Yo-kai Watch 3 was fully unveiled at Level-5 VISION 2015 event on April 7, 2015, along with many other stuff for the franchise's "second season" branding. Despite the rather negative reception from Hailey and Usapyon's revelation, the trailer was met with positive response. They also revealed that the game will have four major updates.
Trailer
There are plenty of differences to be found in the trailer;
- Nate is wearing his original clothing, despite his redesigned outfit being revealed.
- The Hip Hopping Avenue is full of people while in the final it's completely deserted.
- Two pieces of artwork shown halfway through the trailer is a location that does not appear in the final game, which is the NASU Space Station.
- Some of the cars lack shadows underneath.
- A cutscene of Nate running in the alleyway is not seen in the final.
- Notably, Nate and Hailey uses the Yo-kai Watch Model U Prototype appears in the trailer. The final replaces the starting Yo-kai Watch moedel with the Yo-kai Watch Model U-1 and Yo-kai Watch Model U-2 respectively.
- The battle system appears to use the "turning state" from Yo-kai Watch 2, and Yo-kai Watch, judging from the positions of the Yo-kai and not having space for "two boards" in the battlefield.
Unseen Trailer Screenshot
An unseen image from the trailer can be found on the bottom-left corner during the LEVEL-5 VISION 2015 presentation, confirming that Gloombell Forest was going to appear.
July
On July 9, the official website for Yo-kai Watch 3 confirms that the game will be released in "summer 2016". It also revealed that there will be four major content updates.
2016
April
Official Website
After months without concrete information, Yo-kai Watch 3's website was updated on April 15, 2016, showing the new mascots and versions. It also confirms that the game was goingt o be released on July 16, 2016.[6]
PV2
Closer to the final game, there are still some differences.
- The cutscene of the Koma Knomads introducing themselves take place in Meadowbrooke Farm instead of Southmond.
Corocoro May 2016
Released on April 15, 2016. Reveals new Yo-kai. https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01DKWWH8C?tag=gamepedia-22&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1
Resources
References
<references>
- ↑ http://blog.livedoor.jp/lesss/archives/1017408165.html
- ↑ https://youkai.gamepedia.jp/yw3/archives/4
- ↑ https://japan.cnet.com/article/35067159/
- ↑ https://style.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO87295390W5A520C1000000/
- ↑ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFDW3HkUMAAANrQ?format=jpg&name=small
- ↑ https://youkai.gamepedia.jp/yw3/archives/240
