During this weekend's BitSummit expo, beloved indie developer Inti Creates announced the return of its acclaimed Azure Striker Gunvolt series (known as Armed Blue: Gunvolt), which started on the Nintendo 3DS in 2014. Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 was announced by none other than Mega Man designer and Mighty Number 9 director Keiji Inafune, who will be participating in this entry's development.
The trailer, which was revealed during a presentation held by Inti Creates during the expo, reveals improved visuals, new music and, most noteworthy, a brand new playable character in the form of Kirin. Kirin seems to specialize in melee combat, wielding a sword while also utilizing electrical attacks similar to the series' protagonist Gunvolt. She is described by the developers as a "Septimal shrine maiden whose ability is to seal others’ abilities. She attacks with a combination of talismans and a sword crafted from a pewter staff."
The announcement that this entry would involve Mighty Number 9 director Keiji Inafune has brought much criticism, given the many controversies surrounding the game's release back in 2015, although it is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Inafune has been involved with a Gunvolt title. In 2014 he was involved in the crossover between Mighty Number 9 and Azure Striker Gunvolt with Mighty Gunvolt on the Nintendo 3DS, and later in the Nintendo Switch and 3DS follow-up, Mighty Gunvolt Burst.
This announcement also comes only a few days after the announcement from ex-Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi that Inti Creates will also be releasing a sequel to the hit 2D platformer Castlevania homage Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2, the second in the spin-off series to Igarashi's Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night game, which launched in June 2019.
Currently Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 does not have any sort of release date, however it is confirmed for release on Nintendo Switch. Previously, the first two titles initially launched for Nintendo 3DS but were later ported to Switch, PC PlayStation 4 in the form of Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack. The 2018 spin-off Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX also released on Switch, PC and PS4, so it is likely that Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 will also come to PC and PS4 at some point.