Capcom Didn't Want Lost Planet, Dead Rising at First

Original games and cost of next-gen development scared them.

Despite how well received both Dead Rising and Lost Planet have been, turns out Capcom wasn't exactly sold on the games when they first came to the table. Longtime Capcom designer Kenji Inafune -- yes, the same guy who came up with Mega Man -- has evolved into more of a producer these days and was responsible for selling Capcom management on both games.

They didn't bite, he says during an incredibly candid (seriously, read the whole thing) interview with Capcom community mogul Brian Dunn.

"...management initially was very much against developing the games. Actually for a while there we were practically on the verge of having the projects cancelled. But I knew that Capcom just had to follow through with these titles, that the company needed them. So over the course of several months, I did my best to convince the decision-makers that these games have what it takes to succeed, to be hits and make money for the company. There was a time when I considered giving up on these two games, but I'm really glad I stuck with them and convinced management to let us make the games.

But looking at it from management's perspective, this is the (Xbox) 360 we're talking about, in Japan. So there's that. Plus, being next-gen means development's not going to be cheap by any means. It's a very big investment for a company. So I guess it's only natural that they would be apprehensive about okaying the games, both Lost Planet and Dead Rising. But as a game creator, if you can't convince them to take those kinds of risks, you'll never be able to make any good games."

In fact, Inafume sees the games as a turning point for Capcom as a company, signaling an ability to produce original IPs that appeal to the worldwide consumer. Sure, we're probably going to see sequels to Dead Rising and Lost Planet, but Inafune promises these are not the last of the "risky" ventures we'll see from Capcom.

"Just know that I'm not stopping there, now that Lost Planet's out the door. There are more titles like this in store for fans: risky, challenging games, with a lot riding on them."

That's refreshing to hear.

News-Source: www.1up.com