During a recent interview with 1UP, ex-Tecmo employee and leather lover Tomonobu Itagaki (along with comrades Hiroaki Matsui, Katsunori Ehara, and Yoshifuru Okamoto) iterated that he is returning to gaming, and will be backed up by a brand new team on a project for a future game. Unfortunately, we won't see anything on this new game at next week's E3, although Itagaki did confirm he would be in attendance.
The new company is tentatively called "Tokyo Vikings" (how ... appropriate) and is largely comprised of ex-Team Ninja staff, including a majority of the folks who worked on Ninja Gaiden 2. Surprisingly, his new team even managed to snag some key character designers from Virtua Fighter 5.
Itagaki was overall pretty tight-lipped about the new team and its mystery project, but did confirm that it wouldn't be a fighting game, as Itagaki is sure he's hit the ceiling there with Dead or Alive 4. He wouldn't comment on whether it would be an Xbox 360 exclusive, or heading to other consoles such as the PS3, but his past affiliations with Microsoft might suggest a likely path for his future games.
Reader Comments (53)
Posted: May 27th 2009 1:18PM (Unverified) said
I know many people don't like Itagaki or his games but I do and can't wait.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 2:34PM (Unverified) said
You weren't bothered by DOA4 or NG2? Those ones are making me cautious of his future stuff. I'll try to keep an open mind though.
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Posted: May 28th 2009 7:17AM Peacefuloutrage said
That comes from being popular. You can't please everybody. I own both NG and DoA and am looking forward to future projects. As long as they are fun, I'm game.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 1:20PM TheDarkWayne said
The guy makes pretty sweet games, but for ffs it's like he's having a mid life crisis for most of his life
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Posted: May 27th 2009 1:21PM (Unverified) said
Microsoft needs to get on the ball when it comes to a future project with him. They need all the japanese talent they can get there.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 1:23PM StormEagle said
"Now you listen Mr. Interviewer Guy. Ain't nothin's changed. My games are still going to be choc full of action and big ass titties. Oh and giant motherfuckin monsters. And monsters, maybe some of them too. But ain't nothin's different and my games are gonna kick you in the balls so hard, you're gonna wish you were a woman. And never you mind what secret game I'm working on, you're gonna buy it anyway."
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Posted: May 27th 2009 3:59PM (Unverified) said
I actually laughed out loud. I can actually see him saying something like that.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 4:00PM (Unverified) said
Posted: May 27th 2009 2:35PM (Unverified) said
That was far less witty than you think it was...
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Posted: May 27th 2009 5:31PM (Unverified) said
look how well that turned out...
Lets think positively, shall we?
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Lets think positively, shall we?
Posted: May 27th 2009 1:28PM (Unverified) said
Itagaki and Kanye West should make-out, they're two of the biggest egomaniacs in the world. The only real difference is that Itagaki has the talent to back up his bullshit... :)
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Posted: May 27th 2009 1:49PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said
Some would say Kanye does too, only difference is that Itakagi is only known in gaming, as far as I know.
Otherwise so many new singers wouldn't see Kanye as inspiration as they do, even if you and I think he's all about the ego.
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Otherwise so many new singers wouldn't see Kanye as inspiration as they do, even if you and I think he's all about the ego.
Posted: May 27th 2009 2:28PM (Unverified) said
Fuck Kanye West! He's the biggest fucking cry baby in the music industry. His name is not worth bringing up here.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 2:30PM (Unverified) said
Fuck Kanye West! He's the biggest fucking cry baby in the music industry. His name is not worth bringing up here.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 2:57PM (Unverified) said
...twice.
Seriously, though. Itagaki is the Kanye of video games.
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Seriously, though. Itagaki is the Kanye of video games.
Posted: May 27th 2009 1:34PM (Unverified) said
@rob,
There is an interview on 1up with Itagaki where he basically says that he's loyal to MS and his new game would be going their but who knows.
I didn't get your comment about MS needing all the Japanese support they can get. As far as I can see they are and have been. They've received more JRPGS than the PS3 (regardless if you like them or not) and on a further note, Japanese developers aren't the power houses that they used to be, and by their own admission. Don't get me wrong you still have your Kojimas, Itagakis, and the like but the god like following that Japanese developers had is gone as developers around the world have stepped up.
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There is an interview on 1up with Itagaki where he basically says that he's loyal to MS and his new game would be going their but who knows.
I didn't get your comment about MS needing all the Japanese support they can get. As far as I can see they are and have been. They've received more JRPGS than the PS3 (regardless if you like them or not) and on a further note, Japanese developers aren't the power houses that they used to be, and by their own admission. Don't get me wrong you still have your Kojimas, Itagakis, and the like but the god like following that Japanese developers had is gone as developers around the world have stepped up.
Posted: May 27th 2009 2:02PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said
@Wages
I think what he meant is that MS needs a steady stream of Japanese content on the 360 for sales purposes. It's not really a coeincidence that whenever an exclusive JRPG releases on the 360 (ToVesperia, E.Sonata, I.Undiscovery, B.Dragon, L.Odyssey, L.Remnant, S.Ocean IV etc etc) sales spike and then sharply fall shortly after the game is released.
I think thats what he was getting it but you never know.
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I think what he meant is that MS needs a steady stream of Japanese content on the 360 for sales purposes. It's not really a coeincidence that whenever an exclusive JRPG releases on the 360 (ToVesperia, E.Sonata, I.Undiscovery, B.Dragon, L.Odyssey, L.Remnant, S.Ocean IV etc etc) sales spike and then sharply fall shortly after the game is released.
I think thats what he was getting it but you never know.
Posted: May 28th 2009 10:24AM Dummy00001 said
"I think what he meant is that MS needs a steady stream of [*CUT*] content on the 360 for sales purposes."
Replace "Japanese content" with "content" and it becomes a common sense, valid for any company in any market.
It wasn't secret that Japs prefer /different/ kind of games (and it is "different" in different sense of word). After load of Western games, giving a treat to Asian games is only logical. It's not that they will be played exclusively by asians.
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Replace "Japanese content" with "content" and it becomes a common sense, valid for any company in any market.
It wasn't secret that Japs prefer /different/ kind of games (and it is "different" in different sense of word). After load of Western games, giving a treat to Asian games is only logical. It's not that they will be played exclusively by asians.
Posted: May 27th 2009 1:48PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said
He should concentrate on Wii titles, his love for boob physics will be even more accessible on Wii :D
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Posted: May 27th 2009 1:57PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said
Look at it this way people ... If Itagaki is still exclusive to MS then thats fine. After he left Tecmo PS3 owners are now getting NG Sigma 2 & an exclusive of their own called Quantum Theory. Everybody wins in the end!
Hopefully he takes some time to polish the new game and gets the camera thing figured out. Other than those technical things his games are awesome.
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Hopefully he takes some time to polish the new game and gets the camera thing figured out. Other than those technical things his games are awesome.
Posted: May 27th 2009 2:08PM R Planteer said
I really dont give a damn what people say about itagaki, I like him. He sticks to his ideals, styles, and opinions regardless of what everyone else says, and hes not afraid to tell it like it is. Its hard to find a developer to actually voice what he thinks of the competition, as they tend to give "politicly correct" answers. If TI doesnt like something, he straight up tells you that its trash and he can do better.
Hes an asshole, his fasion is dated, he drinks a lot, and I have never seen a picture of him without his shades on, but anyone that sticks by their ideals and beliefs with as much vigor as he does has my support.
I cant wait to see what he does with all that talent, but I seriously doubt Tecmo was happy about lose him.
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Hes an asshole, his fasion is dated, he drinks a lot, and I have never seen a picture of him without his shades on, but anyone that sticks by their ideals and beliefs with as much vigor as he does has my support.
I cant wait to see what he does with all that talent, but I seriously doubt Tecmo was happy about lose him.
Posted: May 27th 2009 2:47PM superberg said
Itagaki was always kind of overrated, in my opinion. His work shows promise, but it's always marred by plasticvision and his egomania.
For me, it's always been Street Fighter > Soul Calibur > other fighters. I liked DoA for the PS1 back in the day, but I lost interest after a few weeks.
Oh, and I turned bouncing boobs off, because it just looks fucking ridiculous.
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For me, it's always been Street Fighter > Soul Calibur > other fighters. I liked DoA for the PS1 back in the day, but I lost interest after a few weeks.
Oh, and I turned bouncing boobs off, because it just looks fucking ridiculous.
Posted: May 27th 2009 3:21PM Misfit Toy said
Haha...you can't keep 'The Itagaki' down. No sir...you cannot.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 3:25PM Misfit Toy said
I have to add that it is impressive that his clout is so big as to steal such a large number of Team Ninja's staff.
Though the name Tokyo Vikings...needs work.
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Though the name Tokyo Vikings...needs work.
Posted: May 27th 2009 3:27PM (Unverified) said
@Gehodra Whats wrong with DOA4? In terms of playtime, its probably my favorite 360/fighting game.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 4:03PM (Unverified) said
Behold a true MAN, I bet he designs games by punching programming code in the face.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 4:15PM StormEagle said
Are you implying that he's the Chuck Norris of video games? Because I think Chuck Norris would have something to say about that.
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Posted: May 27th 2009 4:28PM (Unverified) said
Pimp of the gaming industry.
He may act like a douche, but you damn well better respect his douchiness!
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He may act like a douche, but you damn well better respect his douchiness!
Posted: May 27th 2009 8:56PM (Unverified) said
Douce? Look at his face! This guy is a gangsta!
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Posted: May 27th 2009 8:59PM (Unverified) said
Irony of ironies
Douche - slang - negative qualities, specifically arrogance and malice
Douce - North England - sedate; modest; quiet.
:(
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Douche - slang - negative qualities, specifically arrogance and malice
Douce - North England - sedate; modest; quiet.
:(
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