WolfOD64
That Guy Who Hates Fox McCloud
In an interview with GameSpot, Itsuno clarified a statement he made recently that worried the DMC fanbase, where it was implied that the series' continuation was riding on the success of DMC4's Special Edition. Here's his recent revision of that misunderstanding:
So breathe easy, guys. The series isn't dead.
He also made a very positive, and somewhat optimistic statement about DmC, and how it's NOT replacing or was ever made with intention of being a replacement of the original series:
Something I read, and I wanted to confirm with you, is there a survey within the game for fans, which will help determine the future of the franchise?
I think it's a bit of a misunderstanding. At the time of Devil May Cry 4, I spoke to an interviewer in Japan and I had given a message to the fans at the end of the interview saying "Let us know what you want to see in the future of DMC." I spoke to the same guy this time around for the special edition and I kind of just made an off-the-cuff comment along the lines of, "We're always listening to your feedback, please buy the special edition." So I think the fans with internet have taken that there is a literal survey somewhere with check boxes that will feed into a future game, but it was just a general comment on my part saying that Capcom values fan feedback.
Because that headline read as the future of the franchise is dependent on this, and that's not the case, is that correct?
No, I have never said anything along the lines of holding anything in the future hostage to sales of this title.
I think it's a bit of a misunderstanding. At the time of Devil May Cry 4, I spoke to an interviewer in Japan and I had given a message to the fans at the end of the interview saying "Let us know what you want to see in the future of DMC." I spoke to the same guy this time around for the special edition and I kind of just made an off-the-cuff comment along the lines of, "We're always listening to your feedback, please buy the special edition." So I think the fans with internet have taken that there is a literal survey somewhere with check boxes that will feed into a future game, but it was just a general comment on my part saying that Capcom values fan feedback.
Because that headline read as the future of the franchise is dependent on this, and that's not the case, is that correct?
No, I have never said anything along the lines of holding anything in the future hostage to sales of this title.
So breathe easy, guys. The series isn't dead.
He also made a very positive, and somewhat optimistic statement about DmC, and how it's NOT replacing or was ever made with intention of being a replacement of the original series:
The Devil May Cry series has a very dedicated fan base who are still playing Devil May Cry 4 to this day. What do you want to say to them in regards to what they can look forward to with the Devil May Cry series?
After Devil May Cry 4 came out and then Ninja Theory's DMC: Devil May Cry followed it, some fans were disappointed and felt the main series had ended. But I'm glad that the message is out there with Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition that the main series is not over, and that DMC: Devil May Cry did not kill it. But that isn't to say that the latter was just a one shot, that game also got it's own next-gen re-release earlier this year.
Speaking of Ninja Theory and DMC: Devil May Cry, at the time you had said that part of the reason you went with them was that you wanted a different sensibility around the franchise. What were your overall thoughts on the final product and the game?
I think I'm happy with the performance of the game. If it had been a world changing hit, it might have changed the course of the series by becoming the new DMC. But at the same time, if it was a lot less successful than it was, it might have just been a flash in the pan failure that never got followed through with the definitive edition this year. In a way, I'm actually really pleased of where we were able to hit between those two separate extremes.
So you see those, I guess, those two series games as fairly separate?
Yeah, they are a little bit apart in that sense that if you didn't look at it that way you couldn't release the DMC 4: Special Edition, for example.
Do you see yourself sort of taking that on internally again, or working with partners to develop?
I honestly don't know. I don't really know, to be honest, at this stage.
DmC, for all intents and purposes, is not a forgotten bastard child. It's not being pushed under the rug, and is still viable for a sequel. But as Itsuno says, the prospect of the game being handled by another outside studio like Ninja Theory is a dubious one.After Devil May Cry 4 came out and then Ninja Theory's DMC: Devil May Cry followed it, some fans were disappointed and felt the main series had ended. But I'm glad that the message is out there with Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition that the main series is not over, and that DMC: Devil May Cry did not kill it. But that isn't to say that the latter was just a one shot, that game also got it's own next-gen re-release earlier this year.
Speaking of Ninja Theory and DMC: Devil May Cry, at the time you had said that part of the reason you went with them was that you wanted a different sensibility around the franchise. What were your overall thoughts on the final product and the game?
I think I'm happy with the performance of the game. If it had been a world changing hit, it might have changed the course of the series by becoming the new DMC. But at the same time, if it was a lot less successful than it was, it might have just been a flash in the pan failure that never got followed through with the definitive edition this year. In a way, I'm actually really pleased of where we were able to hit between those two separate extremes.
So you see those, I guess, those two series games as fairly separate?
Yeah, they are a little bit apart in that sense that if you didn't look at it that way you couldn't release the DMC 4: Special Edition, for example.
Do you see yourself sort of taking that on internally again, or working with partners to develop?
I honestly don't know. I don't really know, to be honest, at this stage.