Sega’s first free-to-play title for the 3DS, Initial D: Perfect Drift Online, is scheduled for release in Japan this winter. Players will be able to purchase points to speed up the unlocking process, but the game’s content can be earned for free with enough success in its on and offline gameplay. The project is led by Yakuza series lead Toshihiro Nagoshi, and a recent Famitsu interview translated by Siliconera explored Sega’s possible future with F2P games.
“We don’t intend to stop with this title, and after looking over its results, we’ll think about what to do next,” Nagoshi said.
While Nagoshi acknowledges smartphones would provide a wider install base, he’s “very interested in seeing what happens” with Initial D on the 3DS. Aside from the 3DS’ popularity with grade school students, Nagoshi believes there’s also a chance on the platform with the older market.
Should Initial D’s performance please Sega, Nagoshi also teased that the team has been thinking about what would work best for additional F2P titles on the 3DS.
