Ex-Team Ninja Lead Itagaki Speaks About What’s Next

@Bubbleman!: haha DOA better than Tekken, LULZ

pandafresh

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: i don't like Papa John's...

pandafresh

@Shinta: If it was so awesome, he woulda made Kasumi Gaiden by now.

It was in an interview about Ninja Gaiden. He says making a game with male lead is soo much easier...

xyzl

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: that's not the first time Pizza Hut was used for video game advertising. remember the PSOne demo discs? It came with MGS, FF8, and other titles? it was badass...

@atrimus: Um, unless you count anything written by a guy who has an editor. I like Kojima and Metal Gear as much as the next guy, but seriously overly dialogue heavy with a lot of it being unecessary.

@SoulSiphon is rollin' with Saget: look into a mirror. see that confused face? that's what that comment made me look like.

SoulSiphon is rollin' with Saget

@SoulSiphon is rollin' with Saget: my bad, that's not for you. something weird going on with my page.

SoulSiphon is rollin' with Saget

@xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx: VF sucks? you non-fighter, you.

SoulSiphon is rollin' with Saget

@XForce: I would buy it...

uzivatel

Man, I'm glad we'll be seeing something new from him and (part of) the team, but I really wanted to see more of DoA. Hopefully Tecmoei won't mess it up. :(

@Bubbleman!: Can't agree more (other than the tekken part cos I think Tekken is okay, virtua fighter sucks though). I'm glad he's got a new company though cos Tecmo were money hungry d*cks clearly and they didn't care if they pushed around the people who made the games. Itagaki makes great stuff with DOA and Ninja gaiden so I'm heavily anticipating what he'll make next.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

@CommentatorHatman: You can ignore the tits and the controls were never crap. Sorry if you failed on it though. NG had awesomely smooth controls but there was frequent complaints about the camera.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

@Madeira: Oh honestly, what is a Kotaku post about Itagaki or Gabe Newell if we can't joke around at their expense? Besides, have you SEEN this guy's face? I'm surprised it hasn't been eaten by some rabid fan yet.

Ugh....

I really, really dislike Itagaki.

-Xehanort

Tokyo Vikings?

I totally had $20 on his new team going to be themed on pirates. Damn it.

I mean, seriously, that would be the best move ever!

@atrimus: The boob shots in Resident Evil 5 = masterpieces.

Rockabully

Itagaki truly is one very open 360 fanboy.

Oh well, he getting out of Tecmo worked for me. This way I can actually get a shot at Ninja Gaiden 2 on my PS3.

His mouth may be more open than what's good for him at times, but his katanakake is displaying the swords correclty (assuming he's not at war). Guy knows his stuff.

Cavefish

Urgh, him again?

kiddoblivion

@Shinta: Him doing the next Castlevania??? That struck a nerd...:) That woul be bat-shit bananas! But he'd be accused of skinning Ninja Gaiden with Alucaurd as the hero. -_- you know how people are.

Plus, he was probably tired of working under someone...anyone. He had a box to eventually hit when his head grew too big...Now he is his own boss...just he and his bests...And this mystery game is going to be crazy...though, with no details...all I can do is speculate and dream...

...Ayane?...her own story? I thought she was just an AI teammate. ...Hmm..I wonder if they got her right...if so...I may need to rent it :)

@bkchurch: I hear this all of the time, but I just don't really understand it. It has full manual camera control and you can adjust the speed that it moves pretty significantly. The game purposefully leaves the camera in your hands and you have to learn how to use it. In addition, there is a button that instantly moves it right behind your character.

Just out of curiosity, what camera changes do you want?

Shinta

@Dragon_Warrior: Yeah lol, that and the glasses that give him 20/10 vision and the "let me get some alcohol in my system" line, it was an entertaining interview.

Shinta

@SpishackCola posts comments Like A Boss: Oh my, that is a magnificent idea.

Shinta

@endaround: He also said repeatedly that he made the games he wanted to make already with DoA and Ninja Gaiden. He doesn't really want to just add to it for eternity, he's obviously had his eye on something new for awhile. I hope it's similar at least.

Shinta

@atrimus: I think Final Fantasy XIII blows it away quite easily. At the very least I don't have to watch a little girl ruin everyone's eggs over and over.

Shinta

@Salt_The_Fries: A dude like that won't be out of the job for long. If he didn't open up his own studio, some studios would bug him

Shin-san

@Ben9: I don't even think it's the official name, just a joke or working title until their official announcement.

Shinta

Itagaki, whatever game you make next just please make sure it has a camera that doesn't feel like it was yanked from 2001.

bkchurch

@HooDNerD88: The bottom line is that he is never going back to Tecmo, ever. So personally I'm hoping the remaining Team NINJA can pull it off because that's the only way we're getting Ninja Gaiden III. Then on top of that, Itagaki gets to bring out even more new shit, it's win-win for gamers honestly.

And yeah, even without Itagaki, I'm extremely excited about Ninja Gaiden Sigma II. 2 new playable hotties, a ton of new content, new weapons, new moves, new enemies, new cutscenes, Ayame has a full playable story mode. It's just going to be insane, at least I hope. Much, much, much more content than Sigma I.

I just hope that Itagaki doesn't get too creative and try some other shitty genre that I don't want to play. The fact of the matter is, they have the leaders of the DoA and Ninja Gaiden franchise, plus a few guys from Virtua Fighter V. It's going to be good. I just hope that one of the new guys they brought in can write a story to match the gameplay that they have down so well.

I was hoping that Itagaki would get contracted to do the next 3D Castlevania game for Konami, but I guess he has his own ideas.

Shinta

@Last Face; Use a Green Shell like a man!: I don't even think it's the official name. They were sitting around drinking and dodging questions, cracking jokes.

Shinta

@SpishackCola posts comments Like A Boss: why not, i'd prefer a female lead character. that plus a ninja, that sounds hot

@Bubbleman!: P.S. Tekken < DOA :)

@Bubbleman!: I'm glad someone understands :( ...and worse than that...the characters that we loved are now in the hands of "THOSE GUYS -_-" (With the $$$ in their eyes)
They wasted no time in taking their Ninja Gaiden code and announcing their re-release/next release of...Ninja Gaiden...and if this works on the public...Dead Or Alive is next to be devoured
[Literally waiting in the closet, tied up and gagged]
I think Itigaki and Co. seen this as their plan and just let go...I wished for a DOA5 from them too, but I can understand them shying away...

Meh. I never liked this guy. He was way too cocky, and IMO never really lived up to his talk. I bet that whatever his new team's working on is basically a rip-off of what they did worked on at Tecmo.

dgonchild

Unfortunately, I have absolutely no interest in the Dynasty Warrior franchise. In fact, I prefer that old American TV show, Dynasty. I used to watch it when I was a student.

Love that quote.

Dragon_Warrior

@WFROSE: Crap controls and too much emphasis on tits.

Oh wait...

@Bubbleman!: At least we've still got Soul Calibur... well... kind of.

@Madeira: Now Now... can't we all just... get along? -cue rainbow in the distance-

that guy always reminds me of the Japanese villains in corny movies lol. its like a ninja turtle is going to jump out and kick his ass.

@WFROSE: Yes, but he sells them to Microsoft who reverse engineer them and apply what they learn into their product line. I mean just look at Windows Vista...

Itagaki FTW!!!!! This was the number 1 thing I was waiting to hear about @ E3. I guess there new project won't be there but good to hear the news.

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Government bailout

@CrianBrecente: They don't call you Brecente for nothing!

spannu

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: Irrelevance! ALL OF ET! TeamItigakiTokyoVikingNinjaz 2.0 FTW! Buy the rights back to your characters or KILL THEM ALL...

@Nintenboy01: ...:'( Helena!!!!!! They are gonna try to rape his ideas...and they are gonna fail -_- Making the real DOA 'APPEAR' as a joke to non-fans...once more... I fear for the most popular characters the most...Kasumi is gonna basically be massive tit-matter that dissappears like holy-hell...in english...:O I hope he pulls a BlazeBlue and reincarnates his characters into a better (legal) place :) more fight please (:

@DigitalHero: man, they know this dude's a GENIUS. ITAGAKI SAN FTW!!!

dreamfall

"Itagaki and team tell 1UP that more than 22 developers jumped ship"

Holy crap, that is a bunch of people.

@MattB: Why that's just silly!

He gets his funds by selling off alien technology and ancient Japanese cursed artifacts!

@Tevor_the_Third: Comprehension is key :)

@Tevor_the_Third: An over the top, excessively violent,Norse action game taking place in Tokyo filled with scantly clad Norwegen blondes and Japanese chicks with enough challenge to make god tier gamers cry bitter tears of fustration...

WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU BE DISAPPOINTED?!?

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: Lets see a picture of your gorgeous face

@Nintenboy01:

screw hitomi !!! shes grown up and sleeping with other men now ... and will probably catch an STD by the next game ...

dont worry...
itagaki is making new babies ... nice n pure ;) with blades n guns ... and trains .. appearently .. lol

i seriously cant wait ...

and with half his team being from AM2 ... then he has a monster team ..

chin up !
arms behind your back !!
now go to school n make mama proud !

EMPEROR_COW

Itagaki: "Rule of thumb; never rush a game."

*looks at Ninja Gaiden II on 360, running frame by frame*

Well, I'll blame that one on Tecmo and/or Microsoft. Looking forward to whatever Itagaki has going on...

Am I the only guy out there who just thinks Itagaki is an insufferable douche bag? Games aside, the guy just never seems to know the meaning of humility in any interview with him I've read. And for fuck's sake, stop wearing sunglasses everywhere you go! You don't need them indoors!

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Microsoft.

i kind of see the viking as the antithesis of the ninja. i suspect i'm not alone. i like the name. good on you, tokyo vikings.

Kunoichi Gaiden. I'm calling it.

Itagaki you are my fucking hero. KUDOS.

dreamfall

@Last Face; Use a Green Shell like a man!: But we can hope it is also the title of their first project.

@Bubbleman!:
Itagaki has been in Microsoft's corner for a long time. He once, when describing the Xbox at the time of DoA Ultimate's release, called MS' game console more powerful than a PC (to which PC gamers laughed hysterically at).

Seeing him develop exclusively for Microsoft's platform isn't a stretch at all. It's his modus operandi.

Michael Fisk

@Madeira: Oh man, fuckin fantastic. Seriously, best comment I've read in a while. Hahah.
I hate when people state lame observations through the eyes of a 7 year old.
Hopefully he ran home to cry to his mother... and she enveoloped him in her love rolls.
-Adam

ApocalypseVII

The fact that he missed out on naming the new company Team Pirate is just very, very sad.

I'm not sure why people are surprised people jumped from Tecmo. Yeah sure they promised to be better in the future but once your company seriously screwed you over its not a very good idea to stay there.

endaround

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): secret funds raised by the US, russia and the chinese after the end of world war 2.

chamoo232

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Jesus...the drug dealer from Mexico!

@atrimus: No movie theater in your town?

FUCK TEKKEN!!11ONE!!

Moar_pr0nz

@Bubbleman!: DON'T YELL WE CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE >:[

@Bubbleman!:

...which will be never lol.

On another note, i really love the way Itagaki gives interviews. He's so laid back and casual about everything. 1up also has a long relationship with him, as he gives them exclusive interviews every couple months. I think it was Adam Sessler that said this, but Itagaki really is like the Mic Jagger of video games. He knows his good, he acts like a bad-ass without a care, and makes good stuff.

Moar_pr0nz

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: Papa John's Pizza probably ain't half as greasy as Itagaki's face, so go ahead and indulge yourself.

Oh, yeah, vikings, cool.
Vikings Gaiden? I'd buy that. OK, not really, I don't like getting raped by a game on the easiest difficulty setting, and I'm uncomfortable around burly, hairy, musky men.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: Bubble I look up to you, but that's just horrible man.

SuperZombieMonkey

@CrianBrecente: I bet on Lost Vikings' money.

slimky

@Timothy Saskiewicz:

then Itagaki's already trumped. better boobs can be found almost anywhere on the internet; you ain't finding better cutscenes anywhere other than those found in MGS4.

TEKKEN FUCKING SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bubbleman!

@Moar_pr0nz: yup. this is bigger news than the new MGS i think. and itagaki is smart, he's sticking with the 360 for now probably until the ps3 is either easier to develop for or has a bigger install base.

Bubbleman!

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: That's cute. I look forward to your next kneeslapper about Gabe Newell's weight in the next post about him.

he is the 360s kojima... one makes great cutscenes the other makes great boobs x)

Timothy Saskiewicz

@XForce: No, it's the company name.

@Moar_pr0nz:

Nice! I just read the part in the interview where the Team Ninja guy says that the animation lead (Motosa) is in fact working at Itagaki's new company! w00t!

Moar_pr0nz

@Madeira: This has the potential to be constructive. Think about it! Itagaki going to every Pizza Hut in the country to advertise his new game, fighting off hordes of children trying to bite his face, it could be cool!

BubbleF**kingBuddy

Imagine for a moment...Vikings in medieval times set out to plunder and pillage some town in mainland Europe in their intimidating longships but get lost in a ferocious storm on the way. When the sleet and fog clears, however, they find themselves not on Europe's cost, but in modern day Tokyo. Thinking these massive skyscrapers are merely a test of strength given to them by the gods, the bad ass vikings set to raiding the shit out of Tokyo... THAT GAME WOULD BE SO FUCKING AWESOME! Now, i really doubt thats wut they're making, but i really hope it is :)

Anyway, i've loved and played every single Itagaki game so i'm sure the next one will be rocking. While they might not show any footage at E3, i do expect to announce some relationship with a publisher (99.99% chance that it's Microsoft). O, I really hope that the guy who did the animations for Dead or Alive 4 and Ninja Gaiden 2 went with Itagaki because NG2 has the best animations of any video game (beating out Assasin's Creed by a small margin simply for the speed factor).

Moar_pr0nz

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Yakuza

CrianBrecente

@okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under): Uwe Boll and the Nazi gold.

Aikage: The Skilled Cleric Wants More L4D Friends

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: God damn that was fucking lame. Just stick with commenting info, if somehow you were to have anything constructive to say.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: Man this has got to be a sign. I haven't had papa john's in about 3 months because it's so expensive. Tonight I ordered pizza and was just like, that's it. Next time I'm getting papa john's. AND NOW YOU WRITE PAPA JOHN.

In other news. Irrelevence ftw.

Aikage: The Skilled Cleric Wants More L4D Friends

People, read the damn article. Tokyo Vikings is the name of the development team, not the name of their current project. If suspicion is true, then the upcoming title is more than likely the WWII action game that Itagaki's mentioned before as wanting to tackle as his dream project.

Ben9

Itagaki abides.

I'm still waiting for that partnership with Sega, seeing their history with ex big company employees forming start-ups like Platinum Games and Itagaki's cordial relations with the company (The original Dead or Alive used the Virtua Fighter engine). They could pretty much get publishing rights.

I wonder who's backing him financially >_>

...not wondering... too... hard!

@Tevor_the_Third: I was thinking it was the working name of their new company.

CrianBrecente

Yes, this game is going to fucking rock.

Can't say I'm looking forward to other Team Ninja guys games. I mean, even now people who always said how Itagaki wasn't the ONLY person developing the games (obviously)...well most of the developers are there.

I would like to have a katana on my desk. Pretty sure nobody would disagree with me :P

slimky

WTF. This is so bittersweet. I love Itagaki-san's games, I think his games have the best pure gameplay of any Japanese developed fighting or action games in the past 10 years.

At the same time, I really want a new DOA and Ninja Gaiden 3, but not without him.

And yes, Tekken fucking sucks, horribly.

Bubbleman!

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: oooh SHIT!

LOL!!!

Tokyo Vikings, eh? So instead of (super) large-sized breasted ninjas we're going to have (super) large-sized breasted vikings then.

...
I CAN'T WAIT.

XForce

Tokyo Vikings? From the Ninja Gaiden guy?

If this isn't an over the top Norse action adventure taking place in modern day Tokyo then color me dissapointed.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: I know, god his face is fucked. Anticipate whats next in line for him and his team tho

Actually, I've had some kind of premonition before that he'd come up with new project. Now I'm freaked out ._.

Nooo my dear Hitomi :(

Whenever I see Itagaki's face, I feel for some Papa John's Pizza.

No idea why, though.

BubbleF**kingBuddy

Good Ol Itagaki. He proves that even the game industry has divas.

The Amazing Exploding-Man

@xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx:

Get it right VF>DOA>TEKKEN

diagorus

@Moar_pr0nz:

wont skip*

Moar_pr0nz

Kotaku, i really think this post deserves a large picture with it on the front page so people skimming thru the daily posts would just skip over this assuming its small announcement.

Moar_pr0nz

@Mister Jack contains Potassium Benzoate (That's Bad):

thats the point. thats why people love him so much.

Moar_pr0nz

I love this man. I wish nothing but success for him.

Seriously.

I Cant wait to see what he and his team have in store.

Altima NEO

@dgonchild: Even though I disagree that they are thinking about making a rip-off(read interview). It seems they have something else in mind but it would still not be a rip off being that he and his team made those games @ Tecmo. His team are all the leads from Team Ninja and more. Rip yourself off?

Kick some ass Itagaki! I'll check out whatever you end up working on. NG1 was outstanding and NG2, while rough around the edges and lacking in some ways, kicked some SERIOUS ass in the fighting department.

GorbyGipper

@Shinta:

The camera never bothered me, but it's naive to think that it was good by any stretch. When the action got too heavy, it zoomed in too much for example.

DMC4's system was quite good, since it allowed you to control the camera in areas that required them.

@dreamfall:

Or they didn't get bonuses as promised.

@Mister Jack contains Potassium Benzoate (That's Bad):

He's only had one great game in his career and the rest has been talk.

His words aside, Mielke is a much bigger douchebag. Look at the questions.

@Bubbleman!:

If you really think that DOA has any real fighter qualities that make SF, VF and Tekken such great games, you don't know anything about fighting games.

NG is another matter, and even with that, they managed to hit a home run ONCE. NGII was good, but was severely flawed compared to its masterpiece of a predecessor.

@diagorus:

Let it for casual fighter fans to decide what's better. DOA failed to garner any dedicated support from fighter fans for a lot of good reasons, while Tekken retained its statues from the mid-90's both at the arcades and home.

VF on the other hand always ruled the arcade scene in Japan; enough to keep it alive all these years.

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!:

... and the rest are still at Tecmo. Considering that they only made one great game overall (NGII was okay), you're getting your hopes up.