Nevertheless, the studio is “hard at work” on the sequel. “Although the release is still a ways off, we cannot wait to get the finished game into your hands. We will continue to work tirelessly this year to deliver an experience that surpasses the expectations of players all over the world.”

Studio head and chief game designer Hideki Kamiya also echoed those thoughts, revealing that the team has “had our noses to the grindstone so thoroughly that before we knew it, another year has passed us by. (Yes, that means we’ve been hard at work on the game, don’t worry!)”

He also chronicled how Clovers had steadily grown two years ago from “just a handful of us sharing a cramped rental office” to a “fully-fledged studio with offices in Tokyo and Osaka.”

“We’ve assembled an elite team of highly-skilled professionals with shared ideals,” said Kamiya. “And while the chaos is as lively as ever, our days are filled with joy and creativity. Ultimately, everyone at Clovers is united around a single desire: to deliver fun to our players. That’s our one and only mission, and it will remain that way this year, next year, and all the years after that.

“With my like-minded comrades at my side, I am truly looking forward to another year of lively chaos.”

The long-awaited Okami sequel was first revealed at The Game Awards 2024. A short trailer confirmed the return of Amaterasu, but nothing is known about the premise (aside from continuing the first game’s story), much less the gameplay. Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi later revealed that it was developed on RE Engine. “We believe that without RE Engine at this point, we wouldn’t be able to realize [director Hideki] Kamiya-san’s artistic dreams for this project.”

The original Okami launched in April 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and then the Nintendo Wii in 2008. An HD version would subsequently release for PS3, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Despite poor sales, which contributed to the closure of Clover Studio, it received extensive critical acclaim. It also received a spiritual successor, Ōkamiden, released in 2010 exclusively for Nintendo DS.

Also, its protagonist, Amaterasu, is indeed returning. It may seem obvious in the trailer, but considering Okamiden featured her son Chibiterasu, there may have been some doubt. As for whether the 2010 Nintendo DS follow-up will be acknowledged, Hirabayashi said, “We know that there are fans out there that like the game, of course.

“And we also know the feedback on the game out there, of how the story was taken and how perhaps parts of the story weren’t aligning with what people were expecting. With that, we also have the sequel now that, as we explained before, is a continuation of the story of the original base Ōkami. That’s how we’re going to phrase it.”

This more or less confirms that the sequel will focus on Amaterasu, but Okamiden’s characters could still be referenced. Time will tell, but it will be a long wait, as the sequel is in “very, very” early development. “It might take a little bit of time before we talk again,” said Hirabayashi.

The next Okami title was revealed at The Game Awards over 18 years after the original launched on PlayStation 2. A release window and platforms have yet to be confirmed.

Producer Kiyohiko Sakata of Machine Head Works (also working on the project alongside M-Two) also revealed its role to IGN, acting as a bridge for developer Clovers. “The way that Machine Head Works is involved now, working together with Capcom and Clovers, is that, of course, we have Capcom as the major IP holder of Ōkami, deciding the major direction of the games. And we have Clovers as the development lead for this project.

“Machine Head Works comes in by having experience working with Capcom previously on several titles, so we know what Capcom needs to create the game. That’s something that Machine Head Works has the experience and knowledge of. We also have experience working with Kamiya-san before as well. So we have both experiences of Capcom and Clovers, and we’re acting sort of like a bridge between Clovers and Capcom.

“In addition to this, we also have experience working with the game engine we are using for this project, RE Engine. So, Clovers’ developers haven’t had any experience using this engine, but Machine Head Works has experience using it. So we’re aiding them. Also under us, Machine Head Works, we have people who have actually had the experience of working with the original Ōkami game and will be aiding us with the development of this title.”

Though Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi couldn’t delve into more details, he confirmed why the company opted for RE Engine. “We believe that without RE Engine at this point, we wouldn’t be able to realize [director Hideki] Kamiya-san’s artistic dreams for this project.”

Director Hideki Kamiya added, “So RE Engine is, of course, famous for showing the best of the games that they have. Very, very good expressively. And so we believe people are also expecting and awaiting the RE Engine level of quality now for this game.”

Sakata also noted, “With today’s technology, we are able to achieve all of this that we were trying to achieve back in the days and perhaps even greater, now that we have the RE Engine as well working with us.”

The results should be interesting because as well as RE Engine has worked with titles like Resident Evil 4 remake, Street Fighter 6 and Devil May Cry 5, it’s struggled with open-world games like Dragon’s Dogma 2. Even Monster Hunter Wilds had some performance and fidelity issues during its betas, though the development team showcased improvements for the final game.

As for the next Okami, it doesn’t have a release date or platforms, so stay tuned for updates.

To kick off the new year, Kamiya has published a message for fans on Clovers’ official website, where he says the announcement of Okami’s sequel and Clovers’ own unveiling last month were “merely the beginning”, and that Capcom is “determined to deliver even more exciting news to you as soon as possible.”

“Looking back, this past year was a significant one, as we announced the establishment of our studio, revealed a new project we’ve got in development, and shared the news of the next chapter in my career,” Kamiya’s message reads. “It feels good to finally be able to bring some exciting news to all of you.

“However, I want to emphasize that these announcements are merely the beginning. This is Clovers stepping up to the starting line. The true test of our value as a newly established game studio begins now. Clovers is a newborn in the games industry, and we’ll only grow and evolve from here. I hope you will keep a close eye on us and follow our journey.

“The rest of our dedicated team and I are determined to deliver even more exciting news to you as soon as possible.”

Of course, there’s not much clarity there on how long the wait until the next update on Okami 2 (or whatever the game ends up being called) is going to be. Early production on the project was about to begin as of its announcement, so clearly, we’re several years away from a release. Presumably, it’ll be a while before there are any new details.

In addition to Okami and the newly announced Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Capcom has said it also intends to revive other dormant properties. Read more on that through here.

To accompany the announcement, on Twitter, Capcom has also shared a message from Kamiya himself. The Okami, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta creator – who left PlatinumGames in 2023 – has expressed his excitement at returning to Capcom, where he will be leading the new studio Clovers to lead development on the Okami sequel.

“I didn’t think that the day would really come, where I’d return to Okami and continue the story with my own hands,” Kamiya’s message reads. “Even at this very moment, my body is filled with a cautious surprise that this is not a dream, and a joy that cannot be described in words.

“Everyone who worked so hard to make this project a reality, the friends who believed in me and gathered at Clovers, and most importantly, the voices of so many of you who have continued to support Okami even after such a long time: all of this has come together to create this miracle, for which I am deeply grateful.

“Like a strong rising sun, this project is finally in motion. But it’s still a small bud that is blossoming. We are ready to fill this new Okami with many colourful flowers, and to do our best to fulfil the promise of ‘next time’ in the best way.”

Additionally, Capcom has also revealed on its official website that the Okami sequel will also receive external development support from M-Two (the studio behind 2020’s Resident Evil 3 remake) and Machine Head Works.

On the website, the company also says that it “will be some time” before it has more to say about the Okami sequel. At The Game Awards, it was confirmed that the game was “about to begin” production, so clearly, it’s several years away from launch.

Interestingly, Capcom has confirmed that in addition to Okami and Onimusha (which was also announced at The Game Awards), it’s also planning to revive other dormant franchises. Read more on that through here.

A message from the director of the project, Hideki Kamiya!

Find more info here:https://t.co/JgFR8F9Mnx#Okami #Okami_sequel pic.twitter.com/X8G5p2g3Qa

— Okami (@OkamiOfficial) December 13, 2024