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[TheOddOne]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=189396

Whole interview is full of win.

From our little one-on-one with Tomonobu Itagaki last week, it looks like the man mainly responsible for the DOA and Ninja Gadien series is at a crossroads in his career.

He told us there'll be no more Ninja Gaiden games. Or Dead Or Alive beat-'em-ups. So what's next for the outspoken Japanese dev? From what he's said, even he doesn't know yet...

Please tell us that the stories of Ninja Gaiden II being the last game in the series EVER aren't true!

Tomonobu Itagaki: Ha, I've done everything I wanted to accomplish with this franchise and all of my closest colleagues are satisfied and agree that we've done as much as we can with it.

What did you think of the PS3 game Ninja Gaiden: Sigma? I'm told you won't even sign copies of the game...?

Itagaki: It was no good.

Why's that? I thought it was pretty good.

Itagaki: All you need to do is play Ninja Gaiden II and then try and play Sigma afterwards and you'll see why.

Despite the fact that it's on a 'next-generation' console there's no evolution whatsoever. That was made not by me, but one of my sub-ordinates who basically tried to copy the success of Ninja Gaiden.

Does that mean we'll never see NGII on PS3?

Itagaki: No because it's a 360 exclusive.

But Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden: Black were Xbox exclusives at the time...

Itagaki: We've announced it as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but I don't own Tecmo the company. But if that were to ever happen it would be a loss of face for everyone involved.

As the NG series is at an end then, what's your favourite memory of the series?

Itagaki: I think it's probably the Attract mode which you might have seen when you leave the screen on without doing anything. It shows a ninja graveyard. That's my most memorable moment.

What would you like the series to be remembered for?

Itagaki: I'd like to be remembered as the black sheep of game design.

So what's next for Dead or Alive?

Itagaki: This is another area that me and my closest colleagues all agree that we were able to achieve the definitive fighting game with DOA4. So we're not looking to extend the series at this point.

What's next then? Where do you go from here?

Itagaki: I'd like to make a brand new action game. Something that no one's ever seen before.

And ideas on what that might be? You're going to take some time off first though, right?

Itagaki: Yes, I'm going to take a few months off before I really get into it. But regardless of what it is I think you'll definitely see violence as a component of that franchise as well.

So the whole 'violence in games' issue doesn't worry you then?

Itagaki: No, it does not bother me because we are following all of the rules in terms of ratings. And I believe we're following morality as well in only showing violence between combatants. I think the 'violence issue' is something that is within each individual who plays the game.

I'm not shallow enough to tell people that they shouldn't be concerned with violence and I don't want to put words in other people's mouths. I just know that I have to follow the ratings and make sure it's not going to offend anybody. I feel there is no issue with that.

If I had any complaints about government regulations it would be the fact that Tokyo recently outlawed smoking in taxi cabs. That's a bigger problem for me right now.

What are your thoughts on Grand Theft Auto IV?

Itagaki: I think it's made extremely well and is a fun game. People always use that as an example of violence in games. I don't think there's anyone who takes their job as seriously as the guys who make that game. You only have to look at all the detail in there.

Worthy of being the biggest game of all time?

Itagaki: I think it's an important argument to make that; how many billions of people in the world are there? And it sold a few million copies. In the overall scheme of things it's not a huge deal.

But it is the biggest entertainment launch ever. And that's a fact. Do you think it's worthy of that headline?

Itagaki: I don't want you to think I'm being cynical, or that I'm trying to dodge the question or anything, but I don't think of those things like that. As far as me thinking it's worthy, I don't have a particular opinion. I mean it sold, people bought it. That's the reality of it.

PR: Time's up.

Itagaki: How did you like the content of the answers?

CVG: Yeah, very good. Better than I thought they'd be through an interpreter.

Itagaki: Laughs

 

[Oni Jazar]

Way to shit on everyone who worked on NGS

 

[PhatSaqs]

Awesome!

 

[Haunted]

:O

Why's that? I thought it was pretty good.

Itagaki: All you need to do is play Ninja Gaiden II and then try and play Sigma afterwards and you'll see why.

Despite the fact that it's on a 'next-generation' console there's no evolution whatsoever. That was made not by me, but one of my sub-ordinates who basically tried to copy the success of Ninja Gaiden.

:bow Itagaki. Undisputed king of trashtalking in interviews.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Itagaki: We've announced it as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but I don't own Tecmo the company. But if that were to ever happen it would be a loss of face for everyone involved.

He'll cut off his own head I suppose. :lol

So what's next for Dead or Alive?

Itagaki: This is another area that me and my closest colleagues all agree that we were able to achieve the definitive fighting game with DOA4. So we're not looking to extend the series at this point.

I think it's pretty refreshing for a dev to say that a series has run its course.

Itagaki: I'd like to make a brand new action game. Something that no one's ever seen before.

And ideas on what that might be? You're going to take some time off first though, right?

Itagaki: Yes, I'm going to take a few months off before I really get into it. But regardless of what it is I think you'll definitely see violence as a component of that franchise as well.

Nice.

 

[Crisis]

Way to shit on everyone who worked on NGS

Pretty much.

Despite the fact that it's on a 'next-generation' console there's no evolution whatsoever. That was made not by me, but one of my sub-ordinates who basically tried to copy the success of Ninja Gaiden.

Has anyone told him that it was supposed to be Ninja Gaiden but in HD?

 

[Prime crotch]

His character is getting too played out.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Way to shit on everyone who worked on NGS

He's right, though. He really nailed it with that singular statement.

 

[pr0cs]

I'm not really a fan of his games but as a designer and a character I like his no bullshit response to questions.

 

[Kyoufu]

despite the fact that it's on a 'next-generation' console there's no evolution whatsoever. That was made not by me, but one of my sub-ordinates who basically tried to copy the success of Ninja Gaiden.

Holy shit :lol I wonder what his subordinate thinks of that?

 

[LiK]

gotta love him for his honesty.

 

[Speevy]

I'm sure your subordinates, the ones who are actually programming Ninja Gaiden 2 appreciated that.

 

[Calcaneus]

Is it weird that I disagree with nearly opinion that he holds but I still love reading his interviews.

 

[ymmv]

He's right, though. He really nailed it with that singular statement.

Why? NGS was exactly what it set out to be: a HD version of the original Ninja Gaiden. Nothing more, nothing less. Itagaki comes off like an arrogant prick by bashing his colleagues for no good reason, just because he hates Sony and doesn't want his games on Sony consoles for some reason.

 

[harSon]

That's pretty fucked

 

[ascii42]

I think it's pretty refreshing for a dev to say that a series has run its course.

Well, it's more like he said that DOA4 is the perfect fighting game...er

 

[Yoshichan]

Itagaki: All you need to do is play Ninja Gaiden II and then try and play Sigma afterwards and you'll see why.

Stupid Itagaki can't compare a four years old game to a new one. Because we're talking about gameplay right?

 

[The Faceless Master]

:lol :lol :lol

threw Hayashi under the bus, then basically said if NGII is on PS3, then it's on Tecmo!

even his own subordinates and employer are not safe from his tongue!

 

[antiloop]

Jackass. I would loose my motivation working for him.

 

[harSon]

I'm sure your subordinates, the ones who are actually programming Ninja Gaiden 2 appreciated that.

Someone's angered

 

[borsdy]

holy crap lots of info here

 

[Kintaro]

The definitive fighting game eh? Pardon me, I have to excuse myself for a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Why? NGS was exactly what it set out to be: a HD version of the original Ninja Gaiden. Nothing more, nothing less.

And yet, there are many issues with the game that prevent it from being the definitive version of Ninja Gaiden. Any well seasoned player of the games is going to tell you this.

I do agree that he shouldn't be comparing Ninja Gaiden II to Ninja Gaiden Sigma, because that's just unfair. That's like someone saying that Resident Evil 4 is better than Resident Evil 3, just because. Ridiculous.

 

[Francias Castiglione]

Just sounds like he didn't see the point of Sigma being on a next-gen console without using the additional available power properly and that Ninja Gaiden II actually does do that.

 

[Speevy]

And yet, there are many issues with the game that prevent it from being the definitive version of Ninja Gaiden. Any well seasoned player of the games is going to tell you this.

What's wrong with NGS?

 

[Monocle]

I'm no fan of Itagaki, but I couldn't help but find that interview entertaining. It's interesting that he feels the Ninja Gaiden series should end with NG2. I would have expected at least one more sequel to round it out as a proper trilogy. It's also interesting he thinks the DOA series has run its course. I expect he'll eventually return to it, but in the meantime I hope he'll release that patch/update for DOA4 that he mentions occasionally. According to an interview on DOACentral it's still on the back burner.

Oni Jazar's right about TI's comments regarding Sigma. That's a hell of a way to disparage a lot of talented people.

 

[British Monsoon]

Has anyone told him that it was supposed to be Ninja Gaiden but in HD?

Exactly, thats what I was expecting when I bought Sigma and thats exactly what I got. Itagaki might not appreciate the effort that went in to porting NG to the PS3, but I certainly do and thoroughly enjoyed the game for the 3rd time. I hope Tecmo go ahead and port NG2 to the PS3 at somepoint anyways, even if Itagaki isn't involved in the slightest.

 

[dallow_bg]

He's right, though. He really nailed it with that singular statement.

No, he didn't, it's exactly like the previous one just prettier and with a couple extras.
Same game.

EDIT: Oh, for SEASONED players. Haha.

 

[Speevy]

Ninja Gaiden II actually does do that.

That's...erm, debatable?

 

[Pop On Arrival]

Goddamn, Itagaki sure does know how to keep employee moral up.

 

[jibblypop]

Beaten already but HAHAHAAHAHA at him saying that dead or alive 4 is the definitive fighting game.

 

[GoldandBlue]

So what's next for Dead or Alive?

Itagaki: This is another area that me and my closest colleagues all agree that we were able to achieve the definitive fighting game with DOA4. So we're not looking to extend the series at this point.

So does this mean Dead or Alive: Code Chronos is no longer in works?

 

[harSon]

That's...erm, debatable?

Why bother? You're obviously not going to agree with anything Xbox slanted :/

 

[Stumpokapow]

If I had any complaints about government regulations it would be the fact that Tokyo recently outlawed smoking in taxi cabs. That's a bigger problem for me right now.

hahahaha what a fucking rock star

 

[DC R1D3R]

LOL

Great interview. Itagaki tells it as it is, simple and plain. Whoever doesn't like it.....TOUGH SHIT!

 

[Speevy]

Itagaki: Virtua Fighter 5 bombed, right? Yeah, so there's no point in making another fighting game. We win.

 

[LiK]

What's wrong with NGS?

the only neg is the camera. they never fixed it from the original versions.

 

[∀ Narayan]

EDIT: Oh, for SEASONED players. Haha.

Pretty much. It really means nothing for the average player.

 

[borsdy]

It's also interesting he thinks the DOA series has run its course. I expect he'll eventually return to it, but in the meantime I hope he'll release that patch/update for DOA4 that he mentions occasionally. According to an interview on DOACentral it's still on the back burner.

Was there anything significant about this supposed update?

 

[soldat7]

That was made not by me, but one of my sub-ordinates who basically tried to copy the success of Ninja Gaiden.

Subordinate: 1: placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position : inferior <a subordinate officer>

 

[Speevy]

the only neg is the camera. they never fixed it from the original versions.

That's not really a negative, just a minor adjustment on the player's part. I don't think people realize how badly games with truly terrible cameras are penalized in reviews. This really isn't a big issue among the game's players.

 

[Emiru]

Itagaki: Virtua Fighter 5 bombed, right? Yeah, so there's no point in making another fighting game. We win.

He doesnt hate VF he hates Tekken with good reason too, it sucks.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

I think he was probably against Ninja Gaiden Sigma from the day he heard it was being made. The fact that he didn't speak out against it until now shows an unusually high level of restraint from our trash talking rockstar developer.

Always worth reading an Itagaki interview, always.

 

[Twig]

Why? NGS was exactly what it set out to be: a HD version of the original Ninja Gaiden. Nothing more, nothing less. Itagaki comes off like an arrogant prick by bashing his colleagues for no good reason, just because he hates Sony and doesn't want his games on Sony consoles for some reason.

I won't pretend to know Japanese culture enough to state this as fact, but it's my understanding that it's not nearly as big a deal to call someone out like that as it is in the Western business world.

Besides, he said his "subordinate" handled NGS. His bitch, in other words. Don't mess.

 

[WrikaWrek]

Take it easy Ps3 fans. He wasn't trashing you people, or the Ps3.

 

[RBH]

nm

 

[diffusionx]

Wow thats a terrible thing to say (regarding Sigma). For one thing, he totally slagged one of his employees (actually the entire staff of that game) in public. For another thing, does the phrase "buck stops here" exist in Japanese? If he's the boss, it's his problem. I usually like Itagaki's no-BS style but that crossed the line.

 

[Speevy]

Pretty much. It really means nothing for the average player.

I have beaten Ninja Gaiden Black 5 times, and I've completed every single mission under every difficulty.

 

[LiK]

That's not really a negative, just a minor adjustment on the player's part. I don't think people realize how badly games with truly terrible cameras are penalized in reviews. This really isn't a big issue among the game's players.

it was still pretty bad. like when it gets stuck during some indoor sections. i wish the God of War camera guys were contracted to work on it. i hope NG2 fixes those problems.

Take it easy Ps3 fans. He wasn't trashing you people, or the Ps3.

that's true. he only talked about Sigma. it wouldn't have mattered what system it was on.

 

[wowfactor]

I've done everything I wanted to accomplish with this franchise and all of my closest colleagues are satisfied and agree that we've done as much as we can with it.

me and my closest colleagues all agree that we were able to achieve the definitive fighting game with DOA4. So we're not looking to extend the series at this point.

So NGII is as good of an upgrade as DOA4.