PlatinumGames’ shift toward modern game development didn’t sit well with Hideki Kamiya—so he walked away.
In 2023, prolific game developer Hideki Kamiya left PlatinumGames to explore new ventures. In an interview with IGN at the time, Kamiya said: “I decided to leave because I felt that the direction the company was heading in was different from my beliefs as a developer. Without that element of trust, I couldn’t continue working there, and so I left so that I could continue working in what I consider to be the right way,” stating clearly, “I don’t think of games as products, but rather as works of art,” when describing how he views his work.
Today, a new interview has surfaced in which Kamiya clarifies what he meant when he left PlatinumGames. In an interview with Japanese outlet GameSpark (translated by Automaton and found by Eurogamer), Kamiya discussed his new studio, Clovers, and the major influence Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami has had on his career.
Kamiya said: “The reason I left PlatinumGames was because the company’s way of thinking was gradually shifting toward a modern model of game development that doesn’t place importance on the creators’ individuality,” continuing, “Even if it meant the end of my career as a creator, I couldn’t allow myself to kill my soul in order to work in an environment that I didn’t agree with.”
Kamiya’s catalogue includes many titles with an artistic flair, ranging from Viewtiful Joe to Ōkami, as well as Bayonetta and Devil May Cry—IPs to which the developer has lent his talents. Just last week, Kamiya clarified that Clovers is not a company focused solely on “developing sequels,” but rather on taking on projects the team finds interesting. He made this statement after an Ōkami sequel was announced from Clovers at The Game Awards 2024. The announcement can be seen below.
Hideki Kamiya appears to have moved on with the recently announced Okami sequel, and PlatinumGames is currently working on Ninja Gaiden 4.
