Dark Auction: Hitler’s Estate announced for Switch, Hotel Dusk writer involved

IzanagiGames, Inc. (located in Koto-ku, Tokyo, and led by CEO/Producer Shinsuke Umeda) has announced the company will be crowdfunding for Dark Auction: Hitler’s Estate, a brand new “authentic mystery adventure” game with an original story/scenario written by Rika Suzuki (Trace Memories, Hotel Dusk: Room 215), and character design by Kohske (GANGSTA.). The title is due for release on Nintendo Switch in 2024.​

The game is a mystery adventure centering on the idea of a historical figure having surreptitiously bequeathed a fictitious estate, following the drama that plays out among the characters faced with an enigma extending all the way into their modern world.

The tale unfolds in an ancient castle in 1981, 36 years after Hitler’s death. 18-year-old protagonist Noah is determined not to turn out like his father, but, beyond that, he has no idea of the kind of person he wants to be. Noah takes part in a mysterious auction held at the old castle, and, as someone living in the 1980s, comes to terms with the absurdity of the trauma the war left behind, learning of the truths hidden deep within those affected, ultimately closing in on the big secret his father has been concealing.

Throughout the long flow of time, certain individuals are predestined to make history—a projection of, and projection onto the times in which they lived. Hitler was one such individual—an evil specter at the heart of the tumult of the Second World War.

What if, behind the scenes, as a final act, he sought to bequeath something to the next generation?

In the 1980s, in a Germany still haunted by this dark specter, how did the youngsters who found themselves entangled with his estate react? How did their perceptions of the future change?

If you’d like to see more about this game or read up on the crowdfunding details, you can check out the official campaign page here.