The New Professor Layton Game Was Almost Abandoned

Professor Layton and The New World of Steam wasn’t originally in the works, but thanks to Nintendo's influence, the project came to life. When the game was announced for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, it was met with great enthusiasm. Before this, the only Layton-related title on the Switch was Layton’s Mystery Journey, which was a port of the 2017 3DS game that released on the system in 2019.

As fans eagerly await an official release date for Professor Layton and The New World of Steam, speculations continue to swirl around the game’s development. After an eight-year hiatus, many have wondered why it took so long for the beloved franchise to make its return. Recent insights from Level 5's CEO shed light on the reasons behind the delay.

In a conversation at the Tokyo Game Show with Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, Level 5 CEO Akihiro Hino revealed that the Layton series was initially considered complete. The team felt it had reached a natural conclusion and didn’t plan on continuing the series. However, according to Hino, pressure from several key industry figures—particularly one he referred to as "a certain Company N"—encouraged them to bring the franchise back. Many fans believe this company to be Nintendo, which had previously published all of the Professor Layton games for the DS and 3DS outside of Japan.

What This Could Mean for the Future of Professor Layton

While it hasn’t been officially confirmed that Nintendo was the driving force, the outcome is clear—thanks to this push from industry giants, Level 5 went ahead with Professor Layton and The New World of Steam. Given that Layton’s Mystery Journey was the only prior Layton title on the Switch, this new installment serves as a perfect opportunity to reintroduce the franchise to a new generation of players. Some fans have even speculated whether Katrielle Layton, the protagonist of Layton’s Mystery Journey, could make an appearance in The New World of Steam.

The excitement surrounding this new title also presents another opportunity for Level 5 and Nintendo: the potential to bring the earlier Professor Layton games to the Switch. Fans would love to see collections featuring the DS and 3DS titles, giving both longtime enthusiasts and newcomers a chance to experience the full series.

Considering the success of collections like the Castlevania Dominus Collection, the Nintendo Switch has already shown that it can handle DS-era games, even with the necessary adjustments for modern hardware. If Level 5 continues to invest in the Professor Layton franchise, it could pave the way for more releases and possibly future installments.