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Top Secret File 018: The World's Biggest Capcom Fans
We're joined by five fans from Capcom's official Capcom-Unity forums, who were lucky enough to attend the Captivate08 event and see Bionic Commando in action (along with other minor Capcom titles Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter 4). With Billy Berghammer returning as special guest host, this is a Top Secret for the Capcom fanboy in all of us!
Duration::: 01:06:42
Date:: 24-06-2008
- Username:
- robikante
- Date posted:
- 13-06-2008
Props & questions
Long time listener, first time caller. Love the show. Love what you’ve done with the IP. And love Capcom’s initiative to step into the western market.
I’m a Swedish Concept artist working for THQ in sunny Brisbane, Australia. I’m just like Ben and Simon Viklund an old-timer that actually was around and played Bionic Commando back in the days. I played it both on the NES and the Amiga. So imagine how delighted I became when I heard Capcom’s announcement that they was bringing the IP back but also how surprised I was to hear that you were outsourcing the development to a Swedish studio. One of the reasons I left Sweden, other than I was dead tired of the cold and dark climate, was the fact that there wasn’t too many interesting projects in the Scandinavian studios at the time. But now with Bionic Commando at Grin, Mirrors Edge at DICE, The Secret World at Funcom and whatever magic StarBreeze is cooking it seems my Nordic brothers has ramped things up back home.
I know that Capcom, being one of Japans big 4 (Nintendo, Square, Capcom, Konami) has been trying to change their strategy since the current fade of the game industry in Japan but I just thought they were going take baby steps. But to see Capcom make these kind of moves makes me very happy. Finally, the enigmatic shroud that the Japanese game developers has been working under starts to fall and east and west game industry can start to embrace each other! I hope Bionic Commando 3d and Rearmed will sell like hotcakes and that more Japanese companies follow suit. This step Capcom has taken with Grin is obviously just the first of many but everything is riding of the success of Bionic Commando. If you play your cards right here Ben I say you have Capcom’s very own MGS here, an IP with endless potential.
That Grin done work for Ubi Soft I get but what I’m keen to know is how Grin scored this sweet deal with Capcom. In witch venue did Capcom and Grin meet for the first time? How is the pipeline setup? Does Grin get any artistic freedom (character-, environment-, prop-, weapon-, veichle- concept art, the creative visuals) or is that done in-house from Capcom Japan? Where were the concepts of bionic arm created? (I really dig the design of the arm and I’m all for the orange “hot dog” coils! I say we need more of them. It’s obvious that those Kotaku people is playing way too many monochromatic games and haven’t spent enough time in the real world to see the saturated colors of heavy duty tools and industry hydraulics.) If Bionic Commando does well would Capcom consider to acquire Grin as in-house studio? (Gotta know if I need to rush back home : ) Is Capcom paying Grin Swedish salary or Japanese salary? (Gotta know if I should cancel that ticket ; ) Is this drastic move with Bionic Commando the first step Capcom is taking to become a major world player in the same realm as EA and Ubi? If Bionic Commando does well would Capcom consider giving Grin other IP’s to work with like Gunsmoke, Strider, Tiger Road or Okami? (Like I said, I gotta know if I should jet back home : ) Grin has opened a second studio in Gothenburg (Sweden’s second biggest city) and with Capcom’s announcement that it was looking into working more with Hollywood IP’s, is there any connection there? I’m aware that some of these question might be hitting too close to home for you to answer them with anything else but your trademark “a solid perhaps” but I figured it was worth a shot anyways.
This is a first for me. Registering myself on a game site like this just to give props and ask questions but then again, this Bionic Commando you’re working with is a new kind of animal. I wish you, Ben, Capcom Japan and of course Grin the best of success with Bionic Commando 3D and Rearmed! Keep paving the way for the Japanese game industry into the western territory this way Ben. Become a superstar producer and then Gearoid can come after you and produce Gunsmoke in the same manner! Only good things can come from this! Don’t rush Bionic Commando, polish them until they shine. I will get both games on PS3 when they come out. Keep up the good work and I might swing your and Grin’s way some time in the future!
cheers
- Username:
- Gearoid Reidy
- Date posted:
- 17-06-2008
Thanks robikante
Thanks for the long and detailed comment! We always like to hear from other members of the industry. We'll discuss what we can two podcasts from now, and put the rest to whoever we have on from Grin next. Keep the plane ticket on standby...
- Username:
- s-kill
- Date posted:
- 27-06-2008
TAS is full of lies
I do not recall TAS beating me :)
- Username:
- Gearoid Reidy
- Date posted:
- 27-06-2008
@s-kill
I thought that sounded pretty unlikely. Perhaps you were using no hands?
- Username:
- Jaz the Spaz
- Date posted:
- 27-06-2008
Quick question
Gearoid, were you really taking a *shoot!* or was it all a cleverly staged?
- Username:
- krudweiser
- Date posted:
- 02-07-2008
iTunes
Well here I was on the Japanese iTunes store trying to buy an album that's just released there so I thought who do I know of that lives in Japan .... those crazy podcasters with the Irish guy *shooting* all over the place ... or just the toilet!! :p so then I went searching for this site (always been hearing stuff about it but never made it here) and found the Rearmed soundtrack on the Irish iTunes store!!! SCORE... so just got it and listening to it as I type this ... where the hell is the game btw!?!? That release without me knowing it as well?!!?
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