The landscape of video game sequels presents a complex discussion. Disparities exist between games that receive sequels and those left behind, often stemming from factors such as profit potential or alignment with a developer’s release schedule. Then there’s the case of Okami 2, where Capcom harbored aspirations for a sequel for years, yet struggled to align the necessary elements for its creation.
Released in 2006, the original Capcom title garnered immediate acclaim for its distinctive visuals, narrative depth, and engaging gameplay. However, initial sales figures were underwhelming. Undeterred, Capcom persevered by porting the game across various platforms, including the Wii. The introduction of HD consoles prompted a remastered edition, extending the game’s lifespan and ultimately surpassing 4 million copies sold.
Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi discussed the game’s somewhat unconventional success in an interview with IGN:
I know specifically that people are still enjoying this game, just from the numbers. Normally when we look at games, the sales sort of slow down and they decrease steadily. Sometimes they jump up and down, but normally they go down. But for Ōkami, we see that it’s been a steady stream of people always enjoying the game. So in that way Ōkami is a very, very unique IP.
The extended delay in producing a sequel stemmed from the unavailability of key teams and personnel within Capcom to dedicate to Okami 2. Most notably, Hideki Kamiya, the game’s original director, departed shortly after its release to establish PlatinumGames. He later left PlatinumGames to form Clovers, the development team behind the sequel, together with Machine Head Games, which included key members involved in the original game.
Kamiya also expressed gratitude to fans in that IGN interview for their encouragement in pursuing the sequel:
And so, with everyone cheering on and our desire to create, it was that that led us to the actualization of this project. So without everyone’s voices out there, without everyone cheering us on, we wouldn’t have moved forward with this. So thank you so much.
The dedication of fans, combined with the team’s creative ambitions, was essential to the realization of this sequel.