The Last Guardian is a game that has been long stuck in a development hell for years. A game that was thought to be so ambitious and visionary that the small team at Japan Studio, composed of Fumito Ueda and Team ICO members, couldn’t deliver it on PlayStation 3. While we haven’t heard much about the game’s eventual release and its platform, rumors are pointing to it getting shifted to PlayStation 4.
Kotaku have recently posted a detailed article on Sony Santa Monica’s former head Allan Becker and his eventual departure to Sony’s Japan Studio in 2011 to assume responsibility there. Allan Becker had plenty of interesting things to share about the games in development at Japan Studio.
Allan Becker is currently in-charge of the Japan Studio. Being the head of Sony Santa Monica, he was the one responsible for bringing us many of the exceptional first party exclusive from Sony Santa Monica studio, ranging from Twisted Metal: Black, Journey to God of War series. According to Allan Becker, upon his arrival, he saw as many as 40 different titles in development at Sony’s Japan Studio.
“In some sense, it was great that everyone got to do what they wanted to, and there was this sense of a creative playground,” said Becker. “And nothing was getting done. And nothing was selling.”
He had to cut down on some of the projects and make some tough calls but the result was positive. So far, we have gotten games like Knack, Puppeteer and Rain from Sony’s Japan Studio that had barely released anything significant on PlayStation 3.
When Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft inquired about The Last Guardian, Allan Becker had the following to add:
“We’re real-time in that process,” Becker replied. “And we don’t necessarily agree with each other—Fumito Ueda and I—about process. In some sense, I sort of… implemented change, which, I think, is causing some concern and consternation. But, once again, I think the benefit will come through. We’re still going through that phase of adjustment and finding the right balance and groove.”
“I think,” Becker adds, “it’s moving along in the right direction.”
Seeing Becker take charge of Japan Studio, the future sure does look bright for it. With games like Rain and Puppeteer released recently and Knack launching with PlayStation 4, we are seeing games that are emerging from Sony’s Japan Studio that has so far lacked releasing significant big titles this generation unlike during the PS1 and PS2 era, during which, it released classics like Legend of the Dragoon, Gran Turismo, ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and the Ape Escape series.
What do you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below.
Stay tuned to GearNuke for latest news and info on The Last Guardian.
