TL;DR
Square Enix and Claytechworks released a 13-minute behind-the-scenes "making of" video for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, an HD-2D action RPG. This matters because it reveals the technical and artistic processes behind the HD-2D style, a visual technique Square Enix is aggressively expanding across multiple titles, and signals a deepening partnership between Square Enix and the smaller studio Claytechworks.
What Happened
On Thursday, June 4, 2026, publisher Square Enix and developer Claytechworks released a 13-minute behind-the-scenes "making of" video for the upcoming HD-2D action RPG The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. The video, first reported by Gematsu, offers an unprecedented look at the fusion of pixel-art sprites with 3D environments that defines the HD-2D aesthetic, and provides concrete details on the game's production pipeline, art direction, and technical challenges.
Key Facts
- The video runs for 13 minutes and was published on June 4, 2026, by Square Enix and Claytechworks.
- The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is an HD-2D action RPG, a visual style combining pixel-art 2D sprites with 3D polygonal environments and dynamic lighting.
- The game is being developed by Claytechworks, a studio previously known for supporting roles on titles like Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy.
- The "making of" video covers art direction, character design, environment construction, and technical implementation of the HD-2D style.
- This marks one of the first major original IPs from Claytechworks as a lead developer, not just a support studio.
- The HD-2D style was pioneered in 2018 with Octopath Traveler, and has since been used in Triangle Strategy, Live A Live, and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake.
Breaking It Down
The release of a 13-minute "making of" video is unusual for a mid-tier RPG. Most behind-the-scenes content for games of this scale is either a 2-minute developer diary or a 45-minute GDC post-mortem. Square Enix's decision to release this length of material — specifically focused on technical and artistic process — suggests the company views The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales as a flagship demonstration of how HD-2D can evolve beyond its turn-based JRPG roots into an action-RPG framework.
The video's most significant analytical point concerns Claytechworks' role. The studio has historically been a support house for Square Enix's HD-2D titles, contributing assets and code but rarely taking creative lead. The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales represents a major escalation: Claytechworks is now the primary developer on an original IP using Square Enix's proprietary visual style. This is a deliberate strategy by Square Enix to incubate internal talent and reduce reliance on external partners like Acquire (which co-developed Octopath Traveler).
The 13-minute runtime is roughly 3.5 times longer than the average "developer diary" video for a comparable mid-tier RPG, indicating Square Enix is treating this game as a technical showcase, not just a commercial product.
The video also reveals key technical details about the HD-2D pipeline. The "making of" footage shows Claytechworks using a combination of Unity Engine with custom shaders for the pixel-art upscaling and lighting effects. The action-RPG combat system requires real-time hit detection and animation blending — capabilities that the original HD-2D engine, designed for turn-based battles, did not natively support. Claytechworks had to rebuild the animation system from the ground up, a fact the video emphasizes through side-by-side comparisons of turn-based versus action-runtime animation skeletons.
What Comes Next
The "making of" video is a pre-release marketing push. Based on Square Enix's typical HD-2D release cadence, the following developments are likely:
- Release date announcement within 60 days. Square Enix usually drops a release date 3–6 months after a "making of" video. Given the video's June 4 release, expect a date between August and October 2026.
- A playable demo at a major event. The next likely showcase is Tokyo Game Show 2026 (September 24–27). Square Enix historically demos HD-2D titles there. A demo could also appear at Gamescom 2026 (August 21–24).
- A Nintendo Direct or PlayStation State of Play appearance. Square Enix has strong relationships with both platforms. The game is expected on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5, given the HD-2D style's multi-platform history.
- Potential Claytechworks expansion. If Elliot performs well, Square Enix may acquire Claytechworks or fund a second team to handle multiple HD-2D projects simultaneously, similar to how Acquire was scaled up after Octopath Traveler.
The Bigger Picture
This story connects to two major trends in the Japanese RPG development space and the retro-inspired graphics movement. First, HD-2D as a platform, not just a style. Square Enix is systematically turning HD-2D into a reusable engine and pipeline, much like how Capcom uses the RE Engine. By training Claytechworks as a dedicated HD-2D studio, Square Enix can produce multiple titles simultaneously without overloading its internal teams.
Second, the video reflects the growing transparency in Japanese game development. Historically, Japanese studios — especially Square Enix — were secretive about production processes. A 13-minute technical deep dive, with specific tool names and pipeline explanations, is a cultural shift toward the kind of developer openness more common in Western indie studios. This transparency is partly a response to the success of Octopath Traveler's "making of" content, which was widely praised by aspiring developers.
Key Takeaways
- [Claytechworks' Promotion]: The studio has moved from support role to lead developer on an original HD-2D IP, signaling Square Enix's strategy to internalize the HD-2D pipeline.
- [Technical Innovation]: The 13-minute video reveals a rebuilt animation system for real-time action combat, a significant departure from HD-2D's turn-based origins.
- [Marketing Timing]: The June 4 release of a detailed "making of" video strongly suggests a release date announcement within 3–6 months, likely at Tokyo Game Show 2026.
- [Industry Trend]: Square Enix's transparency about development tools and pipelines marks a shift toward Western-style developer communication in Japanese AAA publishing.
