Final Fantasy 15 director's mysterious new "cutting-edge" RPG based on One Thousand and One Nights temporarily on hold, with "no further development" in sight

Project Shallah or Project Jewel — (Image credit: JP Games)

Just over a year after it was initially announced, a new RPG from Final Fantasy 15 director Hajime Tabata's studio JP Games has been put on pause.

JP Games, the company founded by Tabata after his departure from Square Enix, first lifted the veil on "Shallah" last February. The mysterious project's original description can still be found on the studio's official website, where it's dubbed a "new cutting-edge RPG for adults" that features "a fierce battle of magic and sorcery and a love story between a human and a goddess in an epic world that incorporates the tale of One Thousand and One Nights."

Although it was set to release worldwide eventually, Shallah (later codenamed "Jewel) now seems to be up in the air. As reported by GameBiz and translated by Automaton, the joint project between JP Games and AI development company Quantum Solutions has temporarily been placed on hold after the latter team's evaluation of its demo. According to the report, Quantum Solutions has requested JP Games change things up to better suit market needs.

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However, the company has stated that JP Games has yet to provide "a clear response" to this request, hence the pause in Jewel's development. As of now, Quantum Solutions states that it's still evaluating the demo received from JP Games and its assets, carefully considering their future potential and how, or whether, they'll be utilized. However, "no further development or investment is expected to progress at this stage."

There's no telling where Jewel's fate lies until more news comes from either company, but Quantum Solutions will post a separate announcement should any formal cancellation of the project go through – although I'm personally hopeful that won't happen.

Looking for something to play right now? Here are some of the best RPGs available to check out and get lost in while you wait for more news on Jewel.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.