Fumito Ueda gives an update on The Last Guardian

Fumito Ueda has posted an update where he mentioned that his intent is to continue his involvement with The Last Guardian project.

[nrvalleytime]

Excellent news, at least for the Last Guardian. Hopefully this update means that we'll have some further information from Sony soon.

[Dylila]

Fumito Ueda-
“As some of you may have heard, I left Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio some time ago to pursue my creative passions. "

"Moving forward, it is my intent to continue my involvement with THE LAST GUARDIAN project, as well as pursue new creative projects with a fresh perspective."

i didnt get to play his games when they were released but i recently played sotc recently and thought it was brilliant. i believe this mates career is over or you wont see another project by him until ps6. ive waited a while for the last guardian and think its unnecessary for his games to take so long. gt 5 takes a while but its because they take 6months to model each car and the game has over 1400 cars.

i believe team ico will replace this mate with someone quite competent and probably better. there are a lot of talented people in this world.

[rezzah]

I believe he went on to make games for mobile phones or Facebook. Though he said once TLG is completed he will leave.

I recall reading something like that.

[InMyOpinion]

"gt 5 takes a while but its because they take 6months to model each car and the game has over 1400 cars."

So...next GT game is due in 700 years? lol.

[Wintersun616]

^

So soon? You sure? :O

[rezzah]

Reply to your last line.

I find it doubtful for them to find someone better.

Who else can provide an experience such as ICO and SOTC?

Sure there are games like Flower/Journey (Thatgamecompany), and Limbo but they do not compare to the type of bond created between player and character. What they can be compared with is how the story telling is done through the emphasis of gameplay and lack of narration.

There are games in which players form a strong bond with the characters, but the story telling is done through narration. A personal example is
FF7:Crisis Core.

I think what made ICO and SOTC unique is there is both a strong bond with the character(s), and the story is told through gameplay. To me I do not recall a similar experience with any other game that I have played.

[Army_of_Darkness]

"I should also mention that details regarding THE LAST GUARDIAN's release is solely decided by Sony Computer Entertainment, not myself."

Hmmm, interesting.. sounds like they are almost done the last guardian! and judging by his comment, I would bet yall that the Last guardian's release date and new trailer will be announced this FEB.20.2013:-)

[Gaming101]

The problem with TLG is technically related, not creatively related. The programmers can't seem to get the coding right, and that's what the issue has been that's preventing this game from getting released.

Ueda is like every other super creative person - they want freedom more than anything, and sometimes when you're in one company you're stuck doing the same things over and over, and you fall into a creative slump and lose interest, so you move onto other things. It's the reason Hideo Kojima desperately wants to do something outside of Metal Gear, to flex his creative muscles.

[morganfell]

"I find it doubtful for them to find someone better."

No one is irreplaceable. As soon as someone says it can't be done, they are usually interrupted by someone doing it.

When I first played God of War I thought Dave Jaffe was the soul of that game and character. The more I discovered about him that opinion changed quickly. Despite his personality he is talented. And though he left the team the games have only become better.

No one at Bungie is the soul of Bungie and look how many personnel changes they have had over the years. Bungie is one of those teams that is an idea and an idea can be more powerful and more influential than a person.

The problem with a project or IP arises when it falls to the hands of a person or team that fails to understand the gravity of the story or project. Then we are witness to the cheap cash in incidents and wasted opportunities that are so abhorrent in gaming, the ones that leave you shaking your head.

Fumito Ueda is certainly one of the more rare and careful developers who is quite passionate about his projects. It is absurd and quite out of reason to think he did not surround himself with similar people, an entire development house in fact. As such it is the spirit of that place that is more important than any one individual and it is the soul of the team that can produce amazing titles long after his departure.

[marinelife9]

As a PS4 launch title it will look amazing. Definite buy.

[HarryMasonHerpderp]

It would make sense if it was a PS4 launch title as it would explain why it's been so long in development. They did say it would be a PS3 game though so who knows. Hopefully we will learn more at this years E3.

[Daver]

Im guessing for a ps4 title too.

[Jazz4108]

Smart guy. He knows to get out now as its almost 100percent sony will be closing another studio down.

[Freak of Nature]

The timing of this makes it quite clear we will hear about it on feb 20th. PS4 launch title, or at least launch window.... They could try and recoup the financial burden by making it cross-gen? We shall see?

The game remains under his creative supervision, this is a great sign. Wow what a wait for a game huh?

[Tapani]

You can't rush inspiration.

[soljah]

sounds to me news on this 2/20 at the sony conference.
does this mean ps4 luanch title confirmed?

[showtimefolks]

as long as he is still the lead director i am interested, i think it would mean a lot of this game launches with ps4. maybe it won't do huge numbers sales wise but i think sony will gain a lot of positive momentum from core gamers if this game finally comes out

and what if this is the 1st game sony shows running on PS4? how awesome would that be? February 20th

[solar]

I can't wait for another Team Ico game. Those are the games making it worth owning a PS3. Which there hasn't been many that has justified my purchase. And no i have never owned a 360. Jesus i have to type that every time i criticize the platform or im labeled a MS fanboy. An no, there hasn't been Sony Exclusives that has justified the purchased.

[zeddy]

i had no interest in this game once i heard there was trouble between him and sony but i didnt know he was still the director! i think it might actually be a ps4 game now, fingers crossed.

[Arai]

Seems like this is a confirmation of the title being a launch game for PS4.
It's a bit weird that he posts an update now, especially when PlayStation Meeting is 1 week away.
And the choice of words strike me as odd, then again I might be reading too much into it...we shall see in 7 days!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

[Walker]

ps4 launch title pls .

[abzdine]

PS4 launch title, no doubt!
Add Versus XIII to that and competition is over!

[Karpetburnz]

This has to be one of the most infamous cases of video game vapourware, Hopefully It will be a PS4 launch title.

[No FanS Land]

Too human started development in circa1997
and don't forget Duke nukem Forever.

Yes they finally got released, but we all thought they were canned long ago.

the vapor ware king is FF Versus XIII IMO.

[Booyah]

Agreed.

[Karpetburnz]

oh yeah, forgot about that, also Half Life 3 has to up there aswell.

[MightyMatt101]

It's taking forever to come out but.... This is one of the few occasions where I can be patient and know the wait will be worth it. I expect nothing short of breath taking from this game.

[isarai]

My anticipation for this title has not lowered a bit since it was announced, i hope the game at LEAST breaks even for the sake of the team (and Ueda's career)

Also i doubt this'll be a PS4 launch title like everyone says, porting things to a new console is not as easy as you think, and with the issues this game has already been said to have i doubt the time and effort required to update everything for a next gen release would be worth it.

[Bathyj]

for all we kn0w the reasons for the delay was they decided a year ago to make it a ps4 game. that wouldnt make it unfessible then

[isarai]

Then you haven't been paying much attention. They've already stated in several interviews and in a public announcement the the reason for the delay was because they were running into major technical issues which seems very likely given the complexity of the AI, Physics, Animation, and lighting already shown in the trailers and given that the team is only comprised of about 23 people. I'm not saying it isn't possible cause it is, but given what has been said it just doesn't seem very viable without prolonging development to a point where it would hurt it more than it would help it

[Bathyj]

well this is encouraging. just to know it hasnt been scraped.

to be honest, id probably be disapointed if it was still a ps3 game. this is the game i want to make me buy a ps4.

[Azurite]

It already made me buy PS3, so I guess I could buy a PS4 for it too :)

[RememberThe357]

I kind of agree. But all the work they put into just making it a PS3 game makes me wonder how long it would take them to put it on the PS4. I'd rather just have it polished and ready to go on PS3, I'm tired of waiting.

[Bathyj]

Yeah, I want it too. Its been my most wanted since it was announced and only the Last of Us has come close to toppling it for me.

It might very well end up being the PS3's swan song.
Really go out on a bang.

But, I think if they HAD decided to switch it to PS4, or even just a PS4 version, it would have been a decision they made long ago, not just in the last couple of months. Likely when they started nailing down the PS4 hardware.

Any way, I'd take it in any form, on either platform at this point, just glad it hasnt been canned.

[shotgun_ps3]

Is it just me or does the 20th February have the potential to be better than E3 this year?

[Unlimax]

I'm afraid that he is leaving Sony just to go to ... Nintendo !

Doesn't matter i'm so excited about this masterpiece .

[o-Sunny-o]

Launch them when PS4 comes sure everyone will go buy PS3 instead of PS4...not a great idea.

[Trago1337]

I want this game!

[SolidDuck]

Hopefully they don't need to sell like 20 million copies just to break even since its been in development for so long.

[isarai]

The team is very small though in comparison to other teams, and they do their own R&D for their engine and software which cuts cost a shitload

[cleft5]

As long as he is still working on it I don't mind. This isn't a Duke Nukem or DaiKatana situation. This is an exceptionally talented developer who will release an amazing game.

[VonBraunschweigg]

So it's still in development, he's still involved, will continue to be involved and admits it's a long time coming. All good news. But the part "ask Sony, Sony decides" not so much. Imo the studio should decide when it's finished and ready for release. If it's ready for PS3, release it on PS3. And let us know when. But if Ueda's vision was too big for PS3 and it's now being postponed/re-made for PS4, I definitely want to hear the ins and outs from him, not some Sony rep.

[ApexHell]

you will probably hear about this game in 7 days.

[akaakaaka]

Well I just hope if the game get showed by sony the next time.. it has a legit solid release date!
I hope it launch with the PS4.. it's a system seller ..

[EffectO]

PS4.

[kupomogli]

I fear The Last Guardian has a video game disease that I like to call nevergonnaseethis.

Just kidding. I hope it gets released.

[Father__Merrin]

this will be press-up'd to a ps4 game and will make people very envious indeed who dont like playstation......i guess it will be a case of tough luck pal lol

[Dungus]

Should never, ever have been announced when it did. Absolutely pointless.

[RememberThe357]

It sounds like this game took it's toll on him. It took forever for them to get their head around the tech and even longer to realize his vision. After so long focusing on one thing, I can't blame him for wanting to move on and explore his imagination more freely. I'm glad he's still apart of the project, I just wonder how Team ICO will move on without him.

[IaussieGamer]

I think they will have to move this game to a PS4 game.

[Adolph Fitler]

I think his departure from Team Ico is hugely worrying. I wouldn't be surprised to see the game release & the studios closure soon thereafter. I mean, look at some of the studios Sony have closed or merged that made games as critically acclaimed, but far more commercially successful than either of Team Ico's 2 past PS2 releases.

[Martywren]

PS4+TLG=ORGASMIC!!!

[HeroReborn]

I'm sorry I will not sit around no longer with baited breath waiting on developers of pushed games out. They show these text demos gain our interest and didn't drop off the face of the earth.

After the debacle of Rayman I will no longer put that much interest in games until the on store shelves. That's unless they find some way to snatch them out of gamers homes after you purchased them lol.

[Dunpeal]

glad he put all the negative Nancys to sleep who were saying this game was dead

[jay2]

Hopefully, it'll be PS4

[bayonetta]

nice the game still alive
i wish 2 see a new trailer on GDC 2013

[GUYwhoPLAYSvideoGAME]

this is great to hear

[Drainage]

great game for my son to play in the next 10- 15 years when i have one

[potedude]

Jeez the google translate of the Japanese written there is a bit off.

[DivineAssault]

i wouldnt be surprised if its released for PS4.. Possibly both PS3 & PS4.. who knows? But ive been waiting a loooooon effin time for this damn game