Since its release in 2010, Vanquish, the acclaimed shooter from PlatinumGames, has seen a resurgence in its popularity. According to a recent analysis, following the release of Pragmata, a new title that has been superficially compared to Vanquish, there has been a notable increase in the number of players of the original game. In recent weeks, Vanquish has experienced a 34.8% increase in concurrent players and a 52.9% increase in the average daily players on Steam. Two games with great similarities The comparisons between Vanquish and Pragmata arise mainly due to the aesthetics and gameplay of both games, but the […]
In recent weeks, Vanquish has experienced a 34.8% increase in concurrent players and a 52.9% increase in the average daily players on Steam.
Two games with great similarities
The comparisons between Vanquish and Pragmata arise mainly from the aesthetics and gameplay of both games, but critics agree that the similarities are superficial. While Pragmata offers a more modern approach, Vanquish stays true to its roots with a straightforward and dynamic action style.
Aside from the increase in the player base, Vanquish has been on sale with a 70% discount on Steam, a factor that has contributed to its intermittent resurgence.
Despite doubts about whether the arrival of Pragmata is the cause of this increase, data from recent months suggests that there is a pattern of consistent interest in the game that transcends its recent release.
After more than a decade of waiting, fans of the Ninja Gaiden saga can celebrate the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4, which will be released in the fall of 2025. Developed by Team Ninja in collaboration with PlatinumGames, known for its intense action style in titles like Bayonetta and Nier: Automata, the new game promises to stay true to the challenges and action dynamics that have defined the series over the years. Respecting the roots, but bringing its own distinctive flavor. In this new installment, players will control Yakumo, a young ninja who […]
After more than a decade of waiting, fans of the Ninja Gaiden saga can celebrate the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4, which will be released in the fall of 2025. Developed by Team Ninja in collaboration with PlatinumGames, known for its intense action style in titles like Bayonetta and Nier: Automata, the new game promises to stay true to the challenges and action dynamics that have defined the series over the years.
Respecting the roots, but adding their own distinctive flavor
In this new installment, players will control Yakumo, a young ninja who will take on the leading role. However, Ryu Hayabusa, the iconic hero of the previous games, will not disappear from the scene; on the contrary, he will have a crucial role as Yakumo’s rival. This dynamic promises to offer a rich and exciting narrative, true to the legacy of the franchise.
The game will take place in a dark and damp Tokyo, cursed by the antagonist known as Dark Dragon. Yudai Abe, lead level and environment designer at PlatinumGames, emphasized that “we are preserving the dark and hardcore atmosphere of the series”. With chaotic landscapes and curses present throughout the game, the developers have indicated that the environment will evoke a heightened sense of danger around every corner.
In a surprise twist, the release of Ninja Gaiden Black, a remake of Ninja Gaiden 2, was also announced, arriving on the platform without prior notice, generating even more excitement among the franchise’s followers. Those who were already expecting another Ninja Gaiden, this one in 2D and developed by The Game Kitchen, developers of Blasphemous. With these announcements, Team Ninja and PlatinumGames aim to revitalize a series that has left its mark on the world of video games, promising a challenging and visually impressive experience.
Hideki Kamiya, founding member of PlatinumGames, has not only left the studio, but he has left it to… become a YouTuber?
The video game industry has many quirks, but also some things common in other industries that don’t make much sense in this one. Perhaps the most obvious of these are the non-compete clauses. While it is understandable that they seek to prevent creatives from taking their own projects to other studios, this only ends up hurting the creative and the players. Or at least, it does when the creative is unwilling to find a way to do something while waiting for the clause to expire.
That has been the case for Hideki Kamiya. Having recently left PlatinumGames, the company he founded and which is known for being behind cult games like Vanquish or Bayonetta, he now finds himself at the same crossroads. In the next year, he can neither create nor join any other studio. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to be inactive.
Hideki Kamiya has become a youtuber. Or at least, he has opened a Youtube channel. Having already uploaded his first video, in this one he explains his reasons for leaving PlatinumGames and also what his intentions are for the future. On the first, he has stated that it was because he considers that in PlatinumGames he could no longer continue creating following his own beliefs as an artist. On the second, he does not plan to retire yet, as he wants to continue creating games, but due to the non-compete clauses, he cannot do it for a year.
That is why, in the meantime, he has decided to focus on his YouTube channel. While he has not yet specified what this channel will focus on, or whether it will have any sort of regularity or continuity, it seems likely that it will be his creative project while he is able to get back to work. An interesting decision, one that many other Japanese developers have made in recent years, and one that may work for someone with such a strong personality as Hideki Kamiya.
