Bandai Namco Games talks Gundam talk
Nikkei Trendynet posted the second of a two-part
interview with Bandai Namco Games' COO and Representative Director,
Shin Unozawa. Gundam gets one full page worth of Q&A devoted to
it. In summary:
- When asked about the lack of big hits lately for Gundam games
(compared to the PS2-era, when such titles could reliably hit
500,000 copies in sales), Unozawa cites the PS3's slow takeoff and
the lack of business overseas due to the anime not catching on in
the West. As a result, they're expecting to turn domestic
development towards the PSP, with Menace Of Axis being cited as one
example.
- With its portability and convenient network capabilities, he
feels the PSP is the legitimate successor of the PS2 and that it's
the most suited for game series that had been developed on that
previous console.
- Unozawa denies that Gundam Musou SP was released on the PS2 at
least in part to recoup development costs for the PS3 version. The
game was not originally developed as a multiplatform title and as
such a PS2 version couldn't be released immediately. Once they
confirmed a port to the older system was feasible, work on it began
after the PS3 Musou went on sale.
- Finally, regarding Operation Troy's continued delays, he
apologizes and notes at the beginning of every year, they keep
saying it'll be done in the Summer and jokes that coming into its
3rd year, they may as well say once again it'll be done by Summer.
He then reveals, rest assured, they've currently already begun
debugging the game.
frm gunota