Capcom is known for pushing out strong franchises like Resident Evil, Dead Rising, and Street Fighter. These series have become staples of the Capcom name, offering quality gaming experiences that keep players entertained, enthralled, and eager for more. According to Christian Svensson, vice president of Capcom’s US branch, western audiences shouldn’t expect brand new franchises anytime soon, but Capcom Japan will be “taking some major IP risks.”
The Capcom vice president furthered his statement by saying that the company would focus on developing new entries in existing franchises for the US. Creating new IPs outside Japan is a “no go.” However, this doesn’t mean Capcom won’t be working on fresh ideas. Svensson stated that there are plenty of existing properties that Capcom wants to revive and rebuild in order to keep gamers interested. “We have loads of things which we’re still noodling which we haven’t touched in years and years and years,” said Svensson. “We really still think there’s value in trying some stuff with them.”
In addition to reworking many of Capcom’s lesser-used franchises, Svensson stated that the company is trying to “avoid brand fatigue” that comes with releasing too many games of any given franchise. By spacing out releases for these series, Capcom hopes to get gamers more excited for them and to keep them occupied with other brands in the meantime: “Obviously we’re heavily reliant right now on a narrower range of core brands. We’re looking at ways to not over-saturate the market with them.”
Capcom’s aim to move forward is certainly intriguing. While I would give my right kidney to see what new and exciting franchises the company can come up with here in the US, I’m just as excited for the future of its existing IPs. Can we expect a new Okami game for home consoles in the distant future? Will we be treated to a new Resident Evil title that dates back to the insanely creepy atmosphere of the impressive Resident Evil 4? Svensson didn’t clarify what Capcom had planned, but it’s fun to ponder.
Capcom Japan will definitely treat its audience with risk-taking endeavors. Meanwhile, gamers in the west will get to play new sequels for existing franchises as Capcom attempts to bring new ideas into the mix. It might be an extremely ambiguous statement, but you can’t help but be curious about what Svensson is thinking: “You may see some other stuff, which we’ve been quite prolific with, take a little rest for a while whilst we update some stuff that hasn’t been looked at for a while.”
