<s>
Ciconia	B-Application
When	I-Application
They	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
is	O
an	O
episodic	O
visual	O
novel	O
game	O
series	O
in	O
development	O
by	O
07th	O
Expansion	O
,	O
collectively	O
considered	O
the	O
fifth	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
When	O
They	O
Cry	O
series	O
,	O
following	O
Higurashi	O
When	O
They	O
Cry	O
and	O
Umineko	O
When	O
They	O
Cry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
released	O
episodically	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
by	O
07th	O
Expansion	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
by	O
MangaGamer	O
internationally	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
planned	O
to	O
be	O
four	O
episodes	O
long	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
,	O
"	O
Phase	B-Application
1	I-Application
:	I-Application
For	I-Application
You	I-Application
,	I-Application
the	I-Application
Replaceable	I-Application
Ones	I-Application
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
October	O
2019	O
;	O
the	O
second	O
was	O
planned	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
2020	O
,	O
but	O
delayed	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
different	O
from	O
Higurashi	O
and	O
Umineko	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
larger	O
world	O
compared	O
to	O
their	O
isolated	O
settings	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
the	O
intent	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
choose	O
to	O
just	O
enjoy	O
the	O
story	O
or	O
optionally	O
try	O
to	O
solve	O
the	O
mysteries	O
themselves	O
,	O
a	O
change	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
1995	O
anime	O
series	O
Neon	B-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Evangelion	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ciconia	B-Application
When	I-Application
They	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
is	O
a	O
visual	O
novel	O
set	O
after	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
World	O
War	O
III	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ciconia	B-Application
When	I-Application
They	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
is	O
developed	O
by	O
07th	O
Expansion	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
scenario	O
,	O
original	O
character	O
designs	O
and	O
illustrations	O
by	O
Ryukishi07	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
decision	O
was	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
1995	O
anime	O
series	O
Neon	B-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Evangelion	I-Application
,	O
which	O
both	O
presents	O
a	O
straightforward	O
narrative	O
and	O
hints	O
at	O
larger	O
mysteries	O
of	O
its	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2019	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
07th	O
Expansion	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
been	O
delayed	O
until	O
late	O
September	O
2019	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
then	O
delayed	O
again	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
first	O
episode	O
,	O
"	O
Phase	B-Application
1	I-Application
:	I-Application
For	I-Application
You	I-Application
,	I-Application
the	I-Application
Replaceable	I-Application
Ones	I-Application
"	O
,	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
4	O
,	O
2019	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
macOS	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2020	O
,	O
Ryukishi07	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
delayed	O
again	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
considered	O
too	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
catastrophic	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
him	O
to	O
release	O
Phase	O
2	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
,	O
describing	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
situation	O
akin	O
to	O
if	O
the	O
monster	O
Godzilla	B-Device
had	O
attacked	O
while	O
the	O
1954	O
film	O
was	O
in	O
production	O
.	O
</s>
