Zero Escape Volume 3 Announced, Set for First Half 2016

First of all, here's is a piece of explosive news that may make Zero Escape fans reel off the back of their chairs:

Zero Escape Volume 3 has finally been revealed.

Now, as I am typing away at this article, my inner voice is partying and screaming with joy at the announcement.

To add fuel to the joyous fire, the direct sequel of the visual novel Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Escape: Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors will be released in the first half of 2016 for the 3DS and PlayStation Vita for North America. For once, North Americans don't have to wait a year or so for a localization, because the North American version is currently being developed alongside the Japanese version.

To confirm the announcement, Aksys Games' sales and marketing manager Daniel Miscevich stated on IGN:
 

"We're working very closely with our Japanese development team to crank this out together and on time."

Oddly enough, the release window for the Japanese version of Volume 3 hasn't been announced yet, but the title will feature dual-audio, a first for the series.

Many fans of the series feared that the third game would never come to light, as back in February 2014, Zero Escape creator Kotari Uchikoshi stated that the third entry was "put on hold" due to poor sales in Japan.

However, fans were going to have "none of it," and instead launched Operation Bluebird to support the creation of Zero Escape 3. And it just so happened the anticipated title was announced during Anime Expo 2015.

Granted, many fans probably want to see the conclusion of this warped tale, because, without spoiling anything, the ending of the second title is so mind-blowing and baffling that it may have caused several brain meltdowns, especially when the story teetered at a cliffhanger.