Hideaki Itsuno, a man many would describe as a living game development legend, has shed a little more light on his new project.
Itsuno left Capcom around this time last year, having brought the likes of Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma to life. He was then handed the reins to his own studio, LightSpeed Japan, which falls under corporate Chinese juggernaut Tencent's umbrella.
Ever since then, we've known that Itsuno is working on some kind of action title — of the AAA variety. The project's almost certainly still in its early phases, but that hasn't stopped the director from teasing what's to come in a new interview with Famitsu (as translated by Automaton).
"[My goal is to] create a game that brings together the best of everything I’ve made so far," Itsuno states.
Indeed, it sounds like there's going to be a heavy focus on in-depth combat mechanics here — primarily because Itsuno brings up classic Capcom fighting game series Rival Schools.
But it isn't just the action that'll take cues from his old brawler; Itsuno goes on to reference Rival Schools' focus on distinctive characters, saying: "Characters have always been a crucial part of my work, so I plan to invest a lot of effort into character creation." Interesting.
So, according to Itsuno, we're looking at a game that attempts to combine elements of Devil May Cry, Dragon's Dogma, and Rival Schools — and if that doesn't whet your appetite, we don't know what will.
Perhaps the most promising part of this entire interview, though? Itsuno reveals that his original pitch for the project was approved pretty much without compromise. Given his track record at Capcom, surely that can only be a good thing.
What are your hopes and dreams for Itsuno's new game? When are you expecting it to actually release? Please be patient in the comments section below.