Project Draco has been announced by the creator of Panzer Dragoon, Yukio Fatatsugi, and is a Kinect-enabled Xbox 360 game in which you FLY DRAGONS. It releases in 2011.
While the game is NOT a Panzer Dragoon title, it has many things in comnon including flying a dragon, being called “Project D” which not only shares initials with Panzer Dragoon but the “D” could easily be interpreted as “Dragoon”, and it features aerial combat in which the dragon and rider grow a bond as you “nurture and learn to communicate” with it, making the dragon more ferocious in battle.
“Futasugi-san does have a passion for dragons and the interactions between humans and dragons. I think you could say Project Draco is inspired by Panzer Dragoon” – Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer
Despite all this though, Microsoft is being sure to point out that it, is NOT, Panzeer Dragoon.
To quote Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer:
“It’s a Kinect game for one thing, which is going to have its own take on [flying a dragon]. There are some differences between — as a Panzer Dragoon fan — the stuff we’ve seen in the Panzer Dragoon series and [Project Draco]. Futasugi-san does have a passion for dragons and the interactions between humans and dragons. I think you could say ‘inspired by’ and obviously Futatsugi-san’s heritage with that franchise is an important part of his history. But I wouldn’t characterize Project Draco as a Panzer Dragoon game. I think there’s some great things about the mechanic in Panzer Dragoon that can work really well, but we’re not in any way trying to diminish the value of that franchise or steal from it.”
Here is the debut trailer for the game. It’s also worth noting that Yukio Fatatsugi also created the 360 title Phantom Dust.
Via Joystiq