Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami forms new Tango studio
The creator of Resident Evil Shinji Mikami (who also has made Viewtiful Joe among many others for Capcom) has plans for his own studio named Tango, even as he continues to work with Platinum Games on their upcoming title Vanquish.
This was revealed in an interview with the designer in the Japanese Weekly Famitsu magazine.
“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 told Famitsu. “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.”
As 1UP points out, Mikami (who left Capcom in November 2005 to go freelance) will fold up Straight Story (his current company) after development on Vanquish wraps up later this year. His new studio currently employs 13 people, including sound director Masashi Takada (formerly of Grasshopper Manufacture) and art directors Ryosuke Aiba (Final Fantasy XI) and Naoki Katakai (Okami).
“We’re going to handle all development within the company, so I think one development team will be the limit,” Mikami said. “I’d like to see it grow to 100 people or so in five to seven years.”
A decision has yet to be made on what type of game they will develop for their first title, although Mikami does have a vision for the future.
“When it comes to my personal desires, I’d like to make a true-3D horror game, something where you’d use glasses like in the Avatar film,” he said. “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.”
Mikami’s new studio follows closely in the footsteps of Valhalla Game Studios, a new indie outfit led by former Tecmo dev Tomonobu Itagaki (creator of the modern Ninja Gaiden games for Team Ninja).
Their first project, while apparently large in scope, won’t see light for a fair while — Mikami figures their first game won’t be released for “about three years.”
Via 1UP
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