MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
Please finish 999 and Virtue's Last Reward before reading.

Kotaro Uchikoshi, the director of the series has confirmed a sequel to VLR.
So what (and who) do you think will appear in the 3rd game?

Speculated release date:
I'm expecting the game (japanese) to be released by 2014 or maybe late 2013.
The gap between the Japanese release of 999 and VLR is 26 months, however I have reason to believe that it'll be shorter...
(1) VLR wasn't planned when 999 was released, but ZE3 is.
(2) Some of VLR's voice actors might be brought over, saving some time casting.
(3) The same game engine (VLR) could be used to build ZE3, saving time from building the engine from scratch.

Speculated content:

Nevada Test Site (Mars Simulation)
With so much said about it in VLR, I'm 99% sure this will be the location of the next (previous actually) nonary game.

Nonary Game
With women's voice saying 6 dead, 3 living, it's the magical number 9 again.

Nonary Game Players
Sigma - As explained in the game, Sigma will have to figure out what went wrong.
Phi - So little is told about her in VLR, then there's the "Perhaps the truth will be revealed at the Nevada test site...", I'm 100% sure she'll return.
Junpei/Tenmyoji - He KNOWS about the Nevada Test Site, of course he's in it.
Unnamed Girl - There should be at least 1 girl in the game which Sigma will rescue at the price of his hands and right eye. She might even be the one who "killed the other 6".
& finally
The Player/Protagonist
- Old Sigma will have to do a lot of talking in this game, he'll give a lot of advice to be the player. On top of that, Old Akane didn't actually mention that Sigma will directly save the world.
- I believe the unnamed person in Kyle's body in the secret ending of VLR will be the player, such is because
(a) There are things Phi couldn't tell him because it would change History.
(b) Old Akane directly said he'd save the world.
© He seems to have abilities greater then the other espers who can "travel freely through time and space", not to mention how he "eavesdropped" on Sigma.
(d) Perhaps Kyle's mission back in time was to bring the player's body into the Nevada test site so he could participate in the Nonary game.

Other Cameo/Mentioned Characters
Akane - She co-made the AB game, but doesn't seemed to be involved in the Nevada site, seems important enough for mentioning.
Clover & Alice - There was talk about body time travel, perhaps they might make an appearance.
Kyle - Kyle's back in time, so why not at least mention him?
Dio/Left Clone - A clone of Left might already been created at this time, in fact, he might even be a player.
Brother - The leader of the Free of Souls may directly be involved in the outbreak, who else better to bring the Radical-6 into the test site?

Endings
One ending will definitely be in the timeline where the women "killed" 6 of the participants.
Perhaps one ending will be where the world is saved.

So what do you think? Anything I missed?

This post has been edited by Mapax: Dec 29 2012, 01:02 AM

IINM, young Junpei is already confirmed to be in the sequel....

Ah ?? 3rd announced ? Damn, I need finish up virtue as fast as possible

Uchikoshi announced it via his twitter..... and the ending for VLR is really leading to the 3rd entry