Capcom Dormant IPs

As a longtime gamer and someone who has witnessed the evolution of the gaming industry over the past few decades, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and concern about Capcom‘s recent announcement. On one hand, it’s fantastic to see classic titles like Onimusha and Okami resurface after so many years. These games were a significant part of my childhood and brought countless hours of joy.

Following the delight they sparked among fans on Thursday at The Game Awards with the announcement of new installments for both Onimusha and Okami, which haven’t seen updates for close to twenty years, it appears that Capcom is in a giving mood.

The Japanese development studio has hinted at potentially revisiting and resurrecting more timeless titles, whether this enthusiasm stems from holiday cheer or an unquenchable business drive.

As stated on the Capcom Investor Relations page, the company aims to revive some classic games from dormancy to prevent valuable intellectual properties from becoming obsolete.

Capcom is actively striving to increase their company’s worth by utilizing their extensive collection of content, with the forthcoming releases of “Onimusha” and “Okami” serving as evidence of this approach.

The business rationale is to lean on popular classics to “continuously produce highly efficient, high-quality titles”.

Are Profits Harming Creativity?

If you appreciate video games as an artistic expression and consider them in that light, it can be disappointing to observe how classic games are often praised primarily because of their financial success rather than their innovative qualities.

Indeed, the label ‘video game industry’ isn’t just a name; it signifies a significant sector. However, it’s crucial that we engage in meaningful debates concerning what is acceptable to trade off for immediate success.

2021 seems to be etching a grim chapter in gaming history, with numerous studios, teams, and titles falling by the wayside. As a fan, it’s disheartening to witness this silent execution, as corporate decisions weigh heavily on the fragile upward trend depicted in those quarterly financial charts.

Recent projections indicate that the video game industry is projected to reach an impressive figure of around $455 billion by the year 2024. However, even giants such as Ubisoft are not shielded from financial hardships.

Relying primarily on older IPs to stay profitable could prove dangerous in the long run.

Due to the fact that frequent layoffs often lead to a significant number of creative professionals leaving the gaming sector in search of greater job security, those who continue working in the field may adopt a more cautious approach towards taking risks.

In the past decade, the critically acclaimed game “Death Stranding” was primarily brought to life due to Hideo Kojima’s extensive creative control, a scenario that is growing less common among artists and creators alike.

The concern is that the video game industry might find itself in a similar predicament as the film industry now, with financially successful titles primarily being sequels, reboots, or mediocre live-action versions of popular classics.

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2024-12-15 19:08