CyberConnect2's 30th anniversary game revealed as .hack//Z.E.R.O. action RPG for consoles

by Kite Stenbuck on 16 February, 2026

CyberConnect2 has revealed .hack//Z.E.R.O. as the new game project that marks the studio's 30th anniversary. The company has also confirmed via a press release that this new game will be an action RPG coming to consoles.

While CyberConnect2 has been particularly credited as the development studio behind the .hack games, of which the IP rights are still owned by Bandai Namco, CyberConnect2 specified that Bandai Namco has given the studio consent to entirely manage and self-publish the new .hack//Z.E.R.O.

The teaser trailer also comes with the key staff list for .hack//Z.E.R.O., which is also codenamed Project Dusk. CyberConnect2's CEO Hiroshi "Piros" Matsuyama will act as the executive producer. Meanwhile, Seiichiro Hosokawa will be the character designer, and Chikayo Fukuda will be the main sound composer, with Taro Hakase performing the theme music.

Shortly after the world premiere reveal, Famitsu published their interview with Matsuyama that was conducted last month, in early January. Some of the new key points from this interview are as follows:

While the trailer shows characters who look like Kite, BlackRose, and Balmung, Matsuyama has specified that Z.E.R.O. will have no connections with any past series entries, so that people who are not well-versed in .hack can still get into this game.
"The World" online game is also returning, but .hack//Z.E.R.O. will take place about 10 years later than the current time, where social media has also become more prevalent.
While prior series games featured emails and forums for depicting real-world communications, Z.E.R.O. will depict more real-world drama between humans in their flesh.
An evil corporation will also appear in Z.E.R.O.'s story, but there will be more emphasis on what the net society looks like in the present era. The current network has two layers, where one shows the public faces of corporations, and the other hosts people's hidden opinions. The story will particularly depict such multiple layers of society as the main enemies.

You can find the teaser trailer for .hack//Z.E.R.O. that premiered on CyberConnect2's channel right below.

CyberConnect2 celebrates its 30th anniversary on February 16, 2026. To commemorate, the company has announced they will begin development of .hack//Z.E.R.O., a new video game for home consoles.
The .hack series has always been developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, but for .hack//Z.E.R.O., Bandai Namco Entertainment has given CyberConnect2 permission to manage the entirety of the project from planning and development to release. It will be a title that is fully self-published by CyberConnect2.
World-renowned violinist Taro Hakase has penned the music, kick-starting the project to the dexterous tune of his violin. .hack//Z.E.R.O. will be a novel RPG experience that blends the series’ trademark duality of fantasy (game world) and reality (real world) with modern expectations, infused with 100% pure CyberConnect2 spirit. The game will be enjoyable for both veteran fans and new players alike. Please look forward to this newest iteration of .hack.