[News] CLOVER: The guys that brought you Okami and Godhand, to DISBAND!

Originally Posted by Colonel Skills

Actually, this isn't entirely true anymore. Atlus doesn't publish the newer NIS titles. They did do it on some of their older games though, including the first Disgaea.

Still, Disgaea 2 will arrive in europe somewhere in the next 6 months, probably by Koei. From what I understand, NIS don't have a european publisher that can get these games out there. But Capcom have their own. It wouldn't be wise for them to cancel releasing the game in europe, because I'm sure it would sell well.

There's no telling what's going to happen at the moment.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

In other news Rockstar announce 14 new GTA games to be released across various platforms. Bad graphics, low framerate, numbingly lame gameplay and HARDCORE content are rumored to be making a return.

I have never played Viewtiful Joe, God Hand or Okami (or any CLOVER game for that matter) but it's sad to hear about the team closing their doors. I always meant to try out Viewtiful Joe and Okami looks interesting. This is probably a good time to see what I've been missing.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Not all hope is lost!

Quote:

http://www.insertcredit.com/archives/001350.html

There's some slightly inaccurate info about Clover going around today, so I thought I'd add some insight. The company is indeed dissolving as a Capcom company. However, we interviewed inaba at TGS, and some people were surprised, as they'd heard he was leaving Capcom to form his own studio. It may well be that he's leaving with Clover, and this is Capcom's 'face-saving' method of doing so. Regardless, I don't think you have to worry about Clover-esque games coming to market, as I don't think inaba has any intention of slowing down. So don't get all crazy.

As for his reasons for leaving, there are some hints in the interview, but I'll wait til they're properly transcribed. In brief, he mentioned in passing (when I said it suddenly seemed like Capcom had just decided to make good games again), that he wasn't sure whether people would still feel that way in five years. Lastly, some sources have stated that "Clover" comes from "creativity lover." We actually asked him what the name came from in the interview, and it comes from the 'mi' of shinji mikami (Biohazard creator and Inaba's mentor), and the 'ba' of atsushi inaba (Clover head). Thus, 'three leaves' - what has three leaves? Clovers. Then he went on to say that they used a four-leafed clover in the logo because it looked nicer. So now you know!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Hmm so does this mean they will still be making games perhaps under a new name or such 0-o?

I was speaking idiomatically.

You never know, they could pull a Konami. =/

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Kairi Li

Not all hope is lost!

For Capcom it is. They signed on the wrong guy and ditched the main creative output being Hideki Kamiya. It'd be nice if Kamiya and Inaba can setup their own development studio but then the problems come with funding, publishers and the like. If MSGS were smart they'd snap up Kamiya without question.

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They never even got to the Wii ;_;

How ya doing, buddy?

This is how a lot of companies are formed. They start out amall, make some really good products and then seperate & expand. It's true that change can be scary, but it is also required to move forwards my friends.

Some examples are;
Epic Games (Used to be owned by Atari)
Kojima Productions (while seperate they still produce exclusively for Konami... for now)
X-seed (used to be part of the SCEA)

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Originally Posted by JackyBoy

I always meant to try out Viewtiful Joe and Okami looks interesting. This is probably a good time to see what I've been missing.

You should try Viewtiful Joe 2 (GC or PS2, doesn't matter). It's very cheap now.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Slayer X

Epic Games (Used to be owned by Atari)

Epic was never an inhouse developer for Atari. Atari has been their publisher for years, but Epic Games, and formerly Epic Megagames and Potomac Computer Systems, were always independant.

How ya doing, buddy?

I just found this shimmer of good news for all you gamers in Europe.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6159819.html

It looks like Clover isn't ACTUALLY closing until March '07, and according to the article they'll be working on the PAL versions of Okami and God Hand up to that date. Close one, eh?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Okami WILL be released (and maybe God Hand) in Europe. But I wouldn't be so happy about it. C(r)apcom Europe will probably cut those games in someway like it often does.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Simo

For Capcom it is. They signed on the wrong guy and ditched the main creative output being Hideki Kamiya. It'd be nice if Kamiya and Inaba can setup their own development studio but then the problems come with funding, publishers and the like. If MSGS were smart they'd snap up Kamiya without question.

Its not like Capcom will fall apart without Clover, they lost something great yes, but not like they're gonna go bankrupt after Clover officially leaves. As long as both studios continue to make great games, I'm happy.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I was always under the impression thast Clover was growing perpetually with wonderful games like VJ and Okami under their belt. This is tragic news! Too bad their niche games didn't translate into long-term prosperity. Maybe if we all buy Clover games at the last minute, the sudden spike will change the outcome

FELIPE NO

Unfortunatly it's pretty much set and done my good sir. But give it some time, I'm sure that we'll see Clover calibur titles coming to lite in the next year or so.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

AH SNAP.

CLOVER HEADS FORM NEW STUDIO - "SEEDS"

Quote:

"We are the Seeds that caused the vibrant flowers Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Steel Battalion, Viewtiful Joe, and Okami to come into bloom,"

oh hell yes

Jam it back in, in the dark.

What the fuck, this is the second best news this month.

Quote:

Currently among its ranks are developers such as Yuta Kimura, who did visual work on Okami and SCEI's Shadow of the Colossus (PS2); Nao Ueda, a programmer on Okami and various Resident Evil games among others; Mari Shimazaki, a lead character designer on Okami; and Masami Ueda, a composer on several Resident Evil and Viewtiful Joe games as well as Devil May Cry (PS2) and Okami.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

AND WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE FIRST.

Seriously though. This is fucking awesome. I expected them to end up somewhere eventually, but not so soon...but still. What does this means in terms of games like Okami - does that have a chance of seeing a sequel by these guys, or is that out of the question because of Capcom?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by BlueBomber

AND WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE FIRST.

Senko no Ronde for 360.

Originally Posted by BlueBomber

Seriously though. This is fucking awesome. I expected them to end up somewhere eventually, but not so soon...but still. What does this means in terms of games like Okami - does that have a chance of seeing a sequel by these guys, or is that out of the question because of Capcom?

Well the major guys shifted to Seeds, and since Clover hold the rights to Okami there's no reason why they wouldn't be allowed to make a sequel. I mean it's their game.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Oh. Granted I don't know the business or legal aspect of it or how any of this works when companies separate, I guess I just assumed that because it went through Capcom, Capcom had the rights to it and not Clover. But if I'm wrong, I'm happy.

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Originally Posted by Elixir

Senko no Ronde for 360.



Well the major guys shifted to Seeds, and since Clover hold the rights to Okami there's no reason why they wouldn't be allowed to make a sequel. I mean it's their game.

Link to source, as all I've heard from elsewhere is that Capcom holds the rights to Okami, Viewtiful Joe, etc... Anyway, this is both good and bad news. They may end up doing no name games that never leave Japan, or they might get funded by one of the big three. If they had simply been absorbed into the rest of Capcom or maybe another company, we could see their talents influence other titles.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Most of the creative directors and masterminds who actually created Clover's games did get absorbed into Capcom, because they needed them to work on the larger next-gen titles. Clover's lead designer left with a few programmers and directors, but no one who was all that important and can't be replaced with someone else in the huge company of Capcom.

Whether Clover or Capcom owns the rights to Okami, VJ, God Hand, etc. I don't think that you're going to see any sequels to any of Clover's work any time soon if ever. SEEDS is too small to make such a thing, and Capcom is going the route of big name sequels and new IPs, none of Clover's games fall into either category due to poor market figures.

FELIPE NO

Source of the 360 game being first in development would be nice yes...

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I'm not sure how to make a response without insulting Kensaki's lack of intelligence.

Originally Posted by Metal Sphere

Link to source, as all I've heard from elsewhere is that Capcom holds the rights to Okami, Viewtiful Joe, etc...

I don't have a source for every fucking thing I know. Clover made the game, Capcom published and distributed it. Are you saying Clover don't hold the rights to what they created?

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Originally Posted by Elixir

I don't have a source for every fucking thing I know.

That's cause you make it up as you go along.

No, the franchises are owned by Capcom. Source.

There's nowhere I can't reach.