Chrono Break
A planned Chrono sequel that never entered full production.
Chrono Break was a planned third main installment in Square’s Chrono role-playing game series that never entered production. Although Square never formally announced the title, several Chrono series developers—including Masato Kato, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and Takashi Tokita—have since confirmed that early work was underway, and multiple trademarks were filed under the game’s name. The project was ultimately abandoned, with many team members either shifting to work on Final Fantasy XI or leaving Square to take up freelance roles.
The first U.S. trademark for Chrono Break was filed by Square on December 5, 2001, followed by a similar filing in the European Union a week later. These filings came after press reports that the Chrono Cross development team, particularly Kato, was interested in making another Chrono game. Sakaguchi noted at the time that story and script ideas were being discussed but that the project had not been approved. Kato had earlier expressed a desire to create a direct sequel to Chrono Trigger to resolve lingering plot threads, but concerns about making a direct follow-up led the team to produce Chrono Cross instead. The trademark activity and Sakaguchi’s comments led journalists to believe a sequel was in active development; IGN editor Douglass Perry wrote that he was “almost positive” the game would appear by 2004. The U.S. trademark was dropped on November 13, 2003, and later expired in the European Union on December 14, 2011, and in Japan on July 26, 2012. A similar Japanese trademark, “Chrono Brake,” had been registered in 2001.
Public interest in a new Chrono game became significant enough that Square Enix added an entry to its FAQ page, stating that no new title was in development but that the series was not necessarily dead. In 2006, that FAQ entry was broadened to cover sequel inquiries for any series. After Chrono Cross, several key staff members left Square to form Monolith Soft, a studio initially owned by Namco and now a first-party developer for Nintendo. Other staff stayed and worked on Final Fantasy XI, an MMORPG conceived by Chrono Trigger co-creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. At E3 2003, the development team said they would love to make a new Chrono game but were committed to Final Fantasy XI for the foreseeable future.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Square
- Series
- Chrono
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Release
- Cancelled
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The initial Chrono Break trademark was registered by Square in the United States on December 5, 2001, followed by a similar trademark in the European Union a week later. The registration followed a press report of talks about a new Chrono series game, in which Hironobu Sakaguchi stated that the development team of Chrono Cross, especially Masato Kato, was interested in creating a new game, and that script and story ideas were being considered, but the project had not yet been greenlighted. Kato had previously mentioned wanting to create a direct sequel to Chrono Trigger to wrap up certain story elements, but the pitfalls of a direct sequel prompted them to do Chrono Cross instead. The registration and Sakaguchi's comments led video game journalists to believe a sequel was in full development; IGN Editor Douglass Perry went as far as to say '...we're almost positive that you can expect to see this awaited monster in 2004.' On November 13, 2003, the trademark was dropped in the U.S. It expired on December 14, 2011, in the European Union, and on July 26, 2012, in Japan. A similar trademark was registered in 2001 by Square Enix in Japan as Chrono Brake.
Reader's Guide
Chrono Break remains a notable 'what if' in video game history, representing a planned continuation of a beloved series that never materialized. The game elicited much commentary from Square Enix and the video game press in the years following its cancellation. In 2006, Square Enix's FAQ page noted that no new game was in development, though this did not mean the series was dead. Key staff from Chrono Cross left Square to form Monolith Soft, while others remained to work on Final Fantasy XI. In August 2014, Sakaguchi stated that he had intended on continuing the Chrono series but that problems with Square Enix management prevented it. In December 2015, Kato confirmed that Square Enix had discussed a project called Chrono Break, but that he was personally not involved. In December 2017, Tokita stated that some smaller elements of Chrono Break eventually made it into his Final Fantasy Dimensions II game. As of 2021, all trademarks had expired, with no announced plans to work on the game. The game's legacy persists as a symbol of fan demand and corporate hesitation, frequently cited in lists of most-wanted sequels.
Did You Know?
- The trademark was dropped in the United States on November 13, 2003.
- Takashi Tokita confirmed in 2017 that some elements of Chrono Break were reused in Final Fantasy Dimensions II.
- Hironobu Sakaguchi stated in 2014 that he 'officially lost the battle' with Square Enix management over continuing the series.
- A similar trademark was registered in Japan as Chrono Brake (クロノ・ブレイク).
Elsewhere in Chrono Trigger
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced