The return of a 'legendary' Japanese franchise could be the Xbox Developer Direct mystery title

Xbox Developer Direct rumors are getting spicy
The mystery fourth game could be from a "legendary" Japanese franchise
As per Windows Central sources, it's a series with "decades of history"

Things just got a whole lot more interesting with next week's Xbox Developer Direct, as that mystery fourth title could be well worth tuning in for a lot of folks.

According to sources close to Windows Central, the currently-unknown fourth game could be "a new entry in a legendary Japanese IP," one that also has "decades of history" behind it. Now granted, you'd need much more than a single pair of hands to count the number of Japanese-made franchises that could be considered as such. But if the sources here speak true, it does narrow down the possibilities to a degree.

The Xbox Developer Direct itself is airing on January 23. It's already looking like one of Xbox's most exciting presentations in recent memory, hosting deep dives into Doom: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and South of Midnight.

In my original reporting, I speculated that the mystery fourth game could be another Xbox Game Studios title like Fable, Perfect Dark, or Gears of War: E-Day. But I could be very off the mark there if it is indeed the return of a beloved Japanese series.

If that is to be the case, then what can we realistically expect? It'll be a little too soon for Final Fantasy, I imagine, with both Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth both launching within the last couple of years. We do know, however, that Dragon Quest 12 is in development, and there isn't a series out there that fits 'legendary Japanese IP' quite like Dragon Quest does.

As for other games that have been announced but don't have a concrete release date set in, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater fits that bill perfectly. A fuller deep dive followed by a launch date would be extremely welcome here. A potential Resident Evil 9 could also be on the cards, as well as the next entry in the Persona series.

Of course, I'd love for it to be a new Ridge Racer game, but I think there's a better chance of Lance Stroll becoming the next Formula 1 world champion. In any case, this is definitely a Developer Direct worth tuning into next week.