Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies sparked some controversy in Europe when Capcom decided to launch it as a digital-only, English language title, and were accused again some months later when the publisher reoffended with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (which, worse still, had previous localisation work already in place).
Now the Japanese company has just announced the development of a new Gyakuten Saiban game for Nintendo 3DS, specifically the sixth main numbered entry, and it has already confirmed that it will launch in Western markets.
The game has the working title of Ace Attorney 6 and, given the silhouette appearing on the official logo, it will once again feature the best-known lawyer in the industry, and thus it could well end up being called Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6 outside of Japan. Capcom has not commented as yet on any translation plans for Europe.
Additionally, Shacknews informs that the entry will include "a new game system that enables quicker gameplay", and reveals that AA6 will be playable at this months' Tokyo Game Show (September 17-20), so more details will be made known in the coming days.
Though English-reading Phoenix Wright fans will no doubt celebrate this announcement (and people from France, Italy, Spain, etc hopeful as they await details regarding localisation), the news however also leaves another anticipated entry in the series, the previous The Great Ace Attorney, further behind.
The spin-off was directed by Shu Takumi, the original franchise creator, right after the brilliant Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright. While it's true that the style of the game was different (inspired by Sherlock Holmes and traditional 19th century Japan), the idea of getting to know Wright's ancestor during the Meiji period had already generated some interest. However, this announcement could well mean the final nail in the coffin for a Western version.
The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies team is developing the new Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6, which should take the stand and be available for judgment next year.