Between Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom has some impressive titles lined up for next year. However, its most intriguing is Pragmata, a sci-fi shooter where players must simultaneously hack targets as the android Diana for Hugh to shoot. Recent showings have been positive, but the project has suffered numerous delays since its reveal.
Speaking to The Gamer at Tokyo Game Show, director Cho Yonghee finally revealed the reason: Nailing the hacking mechanic. “It’s a big reason for it [the delay]. There was so much trial and error and back and forth just to see what could land and what works best.”
“Having the two mechanics, Diana’s hacking and Hugo shooting, has been one of the causes for us to put more time into that game,” added producer Naoto Oyama. “We took our time to balance it all out.” Of course, the team also mulled over the amount of screen real estate occupied by the hacking screen.
Nevertheless, there are no regrets about revealing Pragmata so early. “Putting the game out there so early served as motivation for us. If we didn’t put that trailer out back then, Pragmata might not be the same game it is today,” said Yonghee.
The delay also contributed somewhat to the hype, per Oyama. “Whenever there was a digital showcase, people were always expecting Pragmata.” Whether that ends up justified remains to be seen.
Pragmata launches next year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the latest trailer here, showcasing the Shelter where players can craft hacking nodules to grant new abilities and upgrades to Diana.