In the gaming space, there are plenty of teams who are “content” with getting put on a popular franchise and then cranking out sequels and follow-ups to that franchise for as long as possible. Others, though, want something a bit more “original.” Those teams will want to create games that excite them and push them to be even better creators than they were before. One Hideki Kamiya is on the latter side of this equation. He left PlatinumGames because of his desire to remain creative and make incredible games, and now, his new Clovers team is fulfilling a personal dream of his: making a sequel to Okami.
Many people are excited about this for various reasons, but Hideki Kamiya wants you to know that sequels aren’t “his team’s only focus.” He did an interview with GameSpark alongside his friend Kento Koyama, and the latter noted that while sequels are fine, his team is all about making “interesting” titles, no matter what kind of game they are:
“Basically, I don’t think that we limited the methods we use in our approach to our policy of creating interesting games.”
Kamiya added onto this with:
“But of course, if we get a project proposal that we really want to work on, and the desire to go with it grows, then we’ll do an original work too. So I think it’s appropriate to say we won’t close off any possibilities – in the end, it all comes down to whether or not we get a ‘wow’ feeling from it.””
A totally fair thing, and as noted before, Kamiya has a connection to this franchise, as he helped make the original game for Capcom and has wanted to follow up on it for many years. He’s gotten this chance with his new team, and he won’t waste it. Yet, in the interview, he made it clear that this isn’t the “peak” of what his team can do and will do:
“The fact that we’re attracting attention because of that expectation is something we’re grateful for, but I want to reiterate that just because this is our first shot, it doesn’t mean that this is all we have to offer.”
Indeed, many will undoubtedly be curious about what Kamiya and the rest of the Clovers squad will do once the sequel is made. If it goes well, tons of publishers will undoubtedly want a piece of what he and his crew make next.
