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A major part of the Square Enix Presents showcase revolved around Life is Strange. After detailing the next installment in the series, the publisher had one more thing to share with fans: a remaster bundle for Life Is Strange and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is coming this year. The game that kicked off the franchise, Life Is Strange, was developed by Dontnod Entertainment and initially released six years ago. Though the game hinges around the protagonist, Max Caulfield, discovering her inhuman powers, the game’s supernatural elements primarily serve to support her very human story – a formula that would become the cornerstone of the series. Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, a prequel that took place three years before the first game came out in 2017 and was developed by Deck Nine.

The two studios would go on to alternate developing the next few titles in the series with Dontnod behind the creation of 2018’s Life is Strange 2 and Deck Nine developing the newly announced Life Is Strange: True Colors. Reports that the Life Is Strange: Before the Storm team would be taking over the franchise’s future began to emerge earlier this year. One industry insider claimed that the long-time Life Is Strange publisher parted ways with Dontnod sometime before 2021. Today’s announcement seems to have confirmed that going forward, Deck Nine will act as the primary developers for Life Is Strange titles.

Square Enix debuted the remaster collection containing both Life Is Strange and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm with a short, beautiful trailer that highlighted important scenes and characters from the two titles. Though the details for the new Life Is Strange: True Colors were leaked shortly before the presentation, the remaster remained a surprise until the show aired. As expected from a remaster, the Life Is Strange Remastered Collection will contain improved graphics and animations. No specific release date was revealed, but the team is targeting Fall 2021 for the bundle’s release window. The collection will be available as a standalone product but will also be included in the Life Is Strange: True Colors Ultimate Edition.

While seemingly no longer at the helm of the Life Is Strange franchise, Dontnod fans can expect several new titles from the developers in the future. In November of last year, the team explained Dontnod had been juggling six different projects at the same time, only two of which have since released. The company’s new studio in Montreal has even been working on a brand-new IP.

It is great timing to get bundled, updated versions of Life Is Strange and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm to help fans get reacquainted (or acquainted for the first time) with the games before Life is Strange: True Colors releases in September. Though some may be hesitant about Deck Nine taking over the series – Life Is Strange: Before the Storm was not universally embraced by fans – hopefully, Deck Nine will carry the franchise into a successful future.

Life Is Strange Remastered Collection is slated to release in Fall 2021.