After more than a decade since the character last appeared in his own game, expectations will likely be high for Level-5's upcoming Professor Layton and the New World of Steam set to release sometime during 2025. Though the titular Professor Hershel Layton has featured in crossovers and spin-offs like Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney or Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam will finally see the professor return as the lead in his own game. Moreover, the upcoming game could be hugely significant for the Layton franchise as it reestablishes itself on the Switch.
With the professor's last official game, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, concluding its 3DS prequel trilogy in 2013, The New World of Steam marks a shift for the series, ranging from a change in visual design to an all-new Layton saga set after the DS trilogy. Given that The New World of Steam is slated to launch in 2025, fans can expect to have its release date potentially confirmed later during the year alongside more news and updates. However, players should also expect The New World of Steam to be different from past games in the series due to changes in settings, voice actors, and puzzle designers.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam: The Case to Bring Back Katrielle
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam could be an opportunity for Katrielle Layton to return to the franchise in one way or another.
Professor Layton and the World of Steam Could Be an Important Step for the Franchise
Putting aside Layton fans' anticipation of a new Layton game so many years after The Azran Legacy and its Layton's Mystery Journey spin-off, The New World of Steam could be the most significant game in the franchise. Besides officially introducing the titular protagonist to the Switch, The New World of Steam will be the first in the series to have its puzzles designed by QuizKnock following the death of its former designer, Akira Tago, in 2016. Additionally, Layton and Luke Triton's reunion in The New World of Steam will also debut Mio Imada as Luke's Japanese voice actor after Maki Horikita's retirement in 2017.
This could mean that players should expect The New World of Steam to potentially set a different tone to past Layton games, as alongside QuizKnock's puzzle designs, the upcoming game will take place in an American western-inspired town called Steam Bison. With trailers for The New World of Steam showcasing Steam Bison's steampunk aesthetic and the game's cowboy-like villain, Gunman King Joe, it should be expected that The New World of Steam will establish itself away from the series' original British influences. As a result, this could even indicate that Level-5 is preparing players for a third trilogy of Layton games on the Switch.
Predicting Professor Layton and the New World of Steam's 2025 Release
Currently, neither Nintendo nor Level-5 have specified an exact date for the upcoming game, though it was confirmed a few months after its announcement in 2023 that The New World of Steam had a planned release window in 2025. While it has also been confirmed that The New World of Steam will be available worldwide, based on past Layton games, it remains unclear if there will be delays between a Japanese release followed by an international one. But given when these past Layton games were launched, fans should expect The New World of Steam to get an official release date of late 2025, such as October or November.
Anticipating Future Updates for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam
As The New World of Steam's release is still planned for 2025 and while players wait for an official launch, it's more than likely Level-5 will continue to reveal more about the game in order to build interest ahead of its release. Should this include another trailer, then it could coincide with Nintendo Direct later on in 2025, though this could prove problematic given the interest surrounding the all-but-confirmed Switch 2. However, if Nintendo does unveil the Switch 2 in 2025, then the "new" in The New World of Steam might help Level-5 seize the opportunity with its next Layton game being available on both Switch platforms.
