Platinum to make ‘Larger, Riskier’ games in future
But will Live-service play a part?
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Things are changing fast at platinum games. Just last month, Atsushi Inaba became the company’s new president and CEO. Inaba had previously served as vice president. Hideki Kamiya – perhaps the studio’s most visible creative – is now vice-president. And now a shift in the company’s priorities may be in the works. In conversation with Famitsu, new President Inaba has announced that the company intends to produce ‘Larger, Riskier’ games. As well as those that ‘can be enjoyed and loved for a longer period of time.’
While this may seem like a significant change, Inaba was quick to reassure that the company would not be ‘giving up’ on the style of games that made them famous. Hopefully this will be enough to reassure fans as Platinum heads in a new direction.
Platinum: the next steps
While details are thin on the ground, it appears as though Platinum may be making a long-term pivot to games that include live service elements. Kamiya’s next game with the company is known as Project G.G. It is understood to involve superhero elements, similarly to previous Kamiya works Viewtiful Joe and The Wonderful 101. It could well be the testing ground for the next phase of Platinum games.
Even for fans skeptical of live-service games, there is reason to be hopeful for Platinum’s future. Inaba has mentioned that ‘“In the past, even if we wanted to create our own IP, it was difficult to do so, and even if we could, it would be on a very small scale… we could only make indie-class products. In the future, I would like to get rid of all of that and make larger games from our ideas, and succeed in at least one thing.”.
So perhaps live-service isn’t the whole scope of Platinum’s ambitions. It could be that Inaba intends to capitalise on Platinum’s resurgent fortunes following the widespread acclaim NieR: Automata received. If the company is able to develop its own IPs without restraint, then that is very good news indeed.
Platinum’s End or Platinum’s Future
Its sounds at these early stages as though Platinum is trying to find its place in tomorrow’s market. To still be able to expand upon the games that made them such a beloved developer, while staying conscious of where gaming trends are headed.
Though, if live-service is to play a part in Platinum’s future, the company may have to refine its current techniques. Platinum’s first venture into this arena is Babylon’s Fall. Things have been quiet for the game recently, after initial Beta impressions were poorer than expected. Platinum may wish to invest more time into Babylon’s Fall before showing it off again, especially if it is to be indicative of the company’s future.
