There will be a 3rd season of Higurashi sometime in 2008.
From ANN
"The official blog for the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni franchise on the Japanese Animate.tv website has announced that a third season has been greenlit for production. The blog entry says that no details have been decided, but it also says that people can look forward to Higurashi no Naku Koro ni in 2008. A live-action film had been previously announced for 2008."
That's... interesting. It seems like the story should be pretty much over by the end of this season... there are only two episodes I haven't seen. I mean, I know there are more arcs in the manga and so forth, but they don't seem necessary if the main issues are resolved...
I really don't see how that's possible unless:
1) They're going to do that one arc where everyone is saved, but Rika is the only one who is unhappy.
2) They are going to go into what if scenarios, such as if the story continued after so and so died...
3) They are going to do the new 7th expansion game
4) They are going to write a whole new plot where Rika and Friends go to Tokyo to weed out the corruption.
How is that possible? Isn't that going to be overkill? O.o?
well, there is one arc that is in the original game and the PS2 remake that is considered the true end to the series. That alone is worth animating, but if they do it...keep it as 13 episodes TV or OVA. that makes more sense than do it as a full 26 episode series.
There might be anime-exclusive content. You never know.
Also, Makou, the new game is Umineko no Naku Koro ni. I'd imagine if it got an anime adaptation, it wouldn't be under the Higurashi label.
Considering the latest released episode... it does rather seem that they are going to continue over the current story arc. Unless they just suddenly end it. X.x;
If so, ep.24 is looking to be rather over 9000.