Post by: WindyMan on February 19, 2007, 06:08:36 PM
Gamasutra recently talked to Capcom's Charles Bellfield, who is the company's vice president of marketing in the USA. He engages in a rather large interview, but the most interesting part of it is exactly what happened at Clover Studio.
As it turns out, Clover was something of an anomaly at Capcom. The company doesn't normally partition its development talent into teams, but instead puts them where they are needed for however long they are needed on a project-to-project basis. According to Bellfield, the Clover group was a “separate entity" with a “separate identity." They even had a floor in Capcom's 16-story Osaka headquarters all to themselves.
So why did the studio close? By now, the story is clear. Bellfield sums up what we already know:
"Our games need to at least break even and add value back to our shareholders, so it's impossible to make games that are not profitable over and over again. What actually happened is [Shinji] Mikami-san, [Hideki] Kamiya-san and [Atsushi] Inaba-san chose to leave the company and do something else..."
But here's something that people may have not realized:
“...and the rest of the Clover team was just incorporated back into the rest of Capcom's development talent pool. So in fact, while three individuals left, Clover Studios as a separate entity was merged back into the rest of the Capcom teams and today, still, the talent we had, with the exception of three people, is still remaining at Capcom."
There were about 80 people working under the Clover Studio banner, and although the three that left were pretty good, it takes a lot more than three people to make games as wonderful as Viewtiful Joe or Okami. All of those hands are still working at Capcom, and are no doubt working on something else that's really good.
But what of Kamiya, Inaba and Mikami, the three men who defined Clover Studios? You may have heard that they recently created their own independent development studio, Seeds, and are asking for help to make some "preposterously amazing" games. Considering that Clover made some preposterously amazing games of their own, it looks like Seeds will pick up where Clover left off.
Although the closure of Clover Studio can be considered a great tragedy, it's not because we'll never see games the ones they made again. Capcom still has the core of Clover, and the big three that made Clover Studio what it was are looking to bounce back with creations of their own. Let's all hope that this is one step backward and two steps forward in the grand scheme of things.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 19, 2007, 07:02:57 PM
Post by: Dasmos on February 19, 2007, 11:20:21 PM
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 12:23:09 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on February 20, 2007, 03:38:57 AM
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 03:53:19 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on February 20, 2007, 05:02:52 AM
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 05:07:25 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on February 20, 2007, 05:23:40 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Acefondu
And Megaman has had a great run on next gen systems.....
Point made.
It could be ONE person leaving the team but if all of the ingenuity and ideas came out of that person's head then what made Clover Studios is now gone.
But agreed that we shouldn't care anyway. Capcom has been a giant douche about Wii support so if the talent leaves Capcom to do their own thing, it IS better for us Wii owners.
Post by: hudsonhawk on February 20, 2007, 06:47:29 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Acefondu
Name a game Capcom did that was decent that didn't have gore, that didn't have the Clover name. I'm all for games like Mario Sunshine and other pipeline "kiddie" games, but that's not something Capcom does best.
both Phoenix Wright games
both Power Stone games
Marvel vs Capcom
Cannonspike
...ok, there aren't many, but there are some.
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 07:31:03 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on February 20, 2007, 07:50:43 AM
Post by: NWR_pap64 on February 20, 2007, 08:34:07 AM
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Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Wiinix Wright would be awesome, using the engine from Elebits for forensics especially.
I don't know why, but I laughed when I read that...
Maybe its just the idea of Phoenix hunting for Elebits while the middle of a court session.
It won't likely happen, though. The PW series seem to be primarily handheld based. I will be surprised if they update it for the Wii.
Post by: Smash_Brother on February 20, 2007, 08:49:57 AM
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on February 20, 2007, 08:54:20 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Acefondu
Name a game Capcom did that was decent that didn't have gore, that didn't have the Clover name. I'm all for games like Mario Sunshine and other pipeline "kiddie" games, but that's not something Capcom does best.
Lost Planet is another game, I believe it is only rated Teen because it is not even close to being gory unless blowing up bugs is gory.
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 08:58:45 AM
Post by: Acefondu on February 20, 2007, 08:59:59 AM
Post by: Louieturkey on February 20, 2007, 02:13:29 PM
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on February 20, 2007, 02:18:29 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Acefondu
You honeslty think that's the type of game Capcom would consider for Wii after what they've said? Please....
We'll see, it definately is not one of their mature rated franchises. They are already putting RE on the Wii along with at least another M game, so why is it far fetched for Lost Planet?
Post by: Smash_Brother on February 20, 2007, 03:22:36 PM
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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix They are already putting RE on the Wii along with at least another M game, so why is it far fetched for Lost Planet?
Wait, which other game?
Post by: NWR_pap64 on February 20, 2007, 03:26:31 PM
Other than that, I don't recall any other Wii game from Capcom...
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on February 20, 2007, 04:53:02 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherQuote
Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix They are already putting RE on the Wii along with at least another M game, so why is it far fetched for Lost Planet?
Wait, which other game?
I could have sworn I read that Resident Evil and some unnounced game were going to be M rated?
Post by: KDR_11k on February 20, 2007, 07:03:30 PM
Post by: vudu on February 21, 2007, 06:13:23 AM
QuoteDon't we all?
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
I want a Wii version of Phoenix Drive.
Post by: Smash_Brother on February 21, 2007, 06:19:04 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix I could have sworn I read that Resident Evil and some unnounced game were going to be M rated?
Sounds good, if it's true.
And although I'm not a Megaman fan, I'd probably still buy a reinvention of the MM franchise in 3D with the Wiimote.
Post by: Amodaus1 on February 21, 2007, 02:39:09 PM
Post by: KDR_11k on February 21, 2007, 07:41:40 PM
Rockman Dash 3 with Wiimote aiming and enemies that aren't fooled by circlestrafing please!
