Resident Evil Creator To Form New Studio, Explore 3D
Shinji Mikami wants to Tango with Japan's rising stars.
Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami has plans to start a brand new games studio once he's done with Vanquish for Platinum Games.
Mikami spoke of the move from Osaka to Tokyo in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine (via 1Up), where he also said the new studio - named Tango - would be used as a platform for up-and-coming developers to work on significant projects. The first project from Tango won't be seen for "about three years," but Mikami said he would like to explore 3D gaming.
"I'd like to make a true-3D horror game, something where you'd use glasses like in the Avatar film," he said to Famitsu. "It's been my goal since the original Resident Evil to be the first in the industry to make a 3D game. There needs to be a large 3D television-owning userbase before that can happen, but I always like trying out new things first."
"One of the reasons I'm building a company is to raise the game makers of the future, people who haven't gone pro yet," Mikami continued. "Game development is often overseen from a pure business perspective here, which is unique to Japan, and I have the impression that environment tends to prune away young talent. I really want to make Tango a company run from a creator's perspective, one that expands upon new talent."
His current studio, Straight Story, will close following the completion of Vanquish and Mikami will spend his time with Tango, which currently consists of 13 people. Among them are art directors Ryosuke Aiba (who worked on Final Fantasy XI) and Naoki Katakai (of Okami fame), along with sound director Masashi Takada from Grasshopper Manufacture.
Mikami spoke of the move from Osaka to Tokyo in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine (via 1Up), where he also said the new studio - named Tango - would be used as a platform for up-and-coming developers to work on significant projects. The first project from Tango won't be seen for "about three years," but Mikami said he would like to explore 3D gaming.
"I'd like to make a true-3D horror game, something where you'd use glasses like in the Avatar film," he said to Famitsu. "It's been my goal since the original Resident Evil to be the first in the industry to make a 3D game. There needs to be a large 3D television-owning userbase before that can happen, but I always like trying out new things first."
"One of the reasons I'm building a company is to raise the game makers of the future, people who haven't gone pro yet," Mikami continued. "Game development is often overseen from a pure business perspective here, which is unique to Japan, and I have the impression that environment tends to prune away young talent. I really want to make Tango a company run from a creator's perspective, one that expands upon new talent."
His current studio, Straight Story, will close following the completion of Vanquish and Mikami will spend his time with Tango, which currently consists of 13 people. Among them are art directors Ryosuke Aiba (who worked on Final Fantasy XI) and Naoki Katakai (of Okami fame), along with sound director Masashi Takada from Grasshopper Manufacture.
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