Last week, Koei Tecmo’s studio Gust initiated an interesting player survey regarding Atelier Karia: The Night Kingdom & the Guide of Memories, a fresh mainline installment in the Atelier series that serves as the follow-up to Atelier Yumia.
Given Karia’s passion for food, the gameplay in Atelier Karia will place significant emphasis on an “eating mechanic.” The protagonist will enhance her abilities and alter her appearance (featuring over 100 distinct forms) depending on her diet, and she’ll have the ability to consume nearly anything in the game.
As a natural progression of this mechanic, Gust’s development team is contemplating the inclusion of an alternate, more rotund appearance for Karia, which she could adopt after indulging in large quantities of food (similar to Rorona in Atelier Resleriana). The primary aim of the survey is to gauge player enthusiasm for this potential feature and gather suggestions for its refinement.
As anticipated, the response to the concept of a plumper Karia has been overwhelmingly positive across both English-speaking and Japanese-speaking communities on X. Beyond the GTA San Andreas references, it appears that the majority of players—and even those newly acquainted with the game through the viral survey—are inclined to vote in favor of Karia gaining a more rounded figure.
“Of course we love it!! Now make her legs even fatter!”
“God-tier mechanic!?”
Notably, a recurring critique regarding the proposed chubbier Karia design, voiced in both communities, is: “Not enough tummy; Not enough thighs.” “If you’re going to make her plump, I’d like her to be a bit plumper,” expressed one Japanese user in a comment. Others have even advocated for Gust to fully embrace the concept, suggesting additional curves in her neck, upper arms, and fingers.
It’s important to note that the illustration featured in the survey is still in the conceptual phase, and the final design may differ. However, given Gust’s reputation for being receptive to player input, there’s a possibility that if demand for an even chubbier Karia is strong, the studio might incorporate it later. This hinges entirely on the survey’s outcomes, so those who wish to see the new Atelier protagonist gain a few extra pounds are encouraged to cast their vote.
The survey will remain open until August 23.
Atelier Karia: The Night Kingdom & the Guide of Memories is slated for an Early 2027 release on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.