Namco Bandai considering future US releases of "Tales" titles

Following confirmation of a February 2012 US launch for 3DS RPG Tales of the Abyss, Namco Bandai has said it's pondering the franchise's stateside future "much longer term".

Namco Bandai's 3DS port of its PS2 RPG Tales of the Abyss launched in Japan earlier this year and is set for a November 25 release in Europe and February 14 2012 launch in the US.

Speaking to Siliconera, VP of marketing Carlson Choi first explained the decision to delay the launch of Tales of the Abyss until the post-Christmas rush

"It was more timing in terms of a market perspective. The holiday season in the States, it’s pretty risky," explained Choi. "Any game you put in the holiday season you have to make sure you have a good followers behind it. Because there are only so many dollars out there. We want to make sure we get a nice window and there is an upcoming announcement. When consumers hear it they will go ‘Oh, that’s why’."

This announcement presumably concerns upcoming PS3 title Tales of Graces, which launched in Japan last year and will be coming to Europe and the US sometime in 2012.

The good news for US Tales fans is that Choi went on to mention the future of the franchise.

"We’re actually looking at a much longer term beyond those two titles of what we can to do bring the Tales series to the fans in the States," said Choi.

Those dates again: Tales of the Abyss launches for 3DS in Europe on November 25 2011 and in the US on February 14 2012.