Devil's Third Will Be Much More Than Just Another Shooter, According To Creator Tomonobu Itagaki

Remember Devil's Third? At last year's E3 the game was confirmed as a Wii U exclusive, but we've seen precious little of it since then - a strange situation when you consider it that many assumed it would be launching this year.

While little has been seen of the game, creator Tomonobu Itagaki has still been talking about it - in a roundabout way, at least. He spoke recently to People's Daily about smartphone games, and ended up chatting about this forthcoming Wii U release as well.

[Concertoine]

The game looked rough as hell last year, so i look forward to seeing the new and improved version this year. I have no doubt it'll be good, its Itagaki!

[PigPen]

You're being a little extreme.

[Concertoine]

In what regard?

[bOObies]

Well it's good to see him talking about his own game rather then incessantly complaining about DOA 😒

[dcj0524]

You and me both. Team ninja did a fine job with DOA after he left. No need for bitterness. And his own game looked interesting in it's own right.

[no_more_heroes]

I feel like I've heard about this game for the past 4 years or more...

[rdgneoz3]

It was originally a PS360 game to be published by THC. They spent a lot trying to fund it ("I’ve made more than 30 games, and if you put a little bit more [money] into the one I’m making now, Devil’s Third, I could make all of the 30 games I made before.").

After THC went under in (thank the uDraw GameTablet for part of that), Itagaki got the rights back. No one picked the publishing rights up till Nintendo snagged it for a WiiU exclusive.

So yah, going on 4 years since it was originally announced.

[NovusTerminus]

Their name was THQ.

THC is from Marijuana...

[rdgneoz3]

And both go / went up in smoke :P

[JasonKCK]

THC sounds nice right about now, so glad it's legal here. A little THC and Devils Third would be even better.

[DoggyBiscuit]

@LordMe that one was funny a bubble for you sir

[Maybay]

Wii U owners; please support this title if it's well developed. Poor quality? Let it bomb. Though if it's the opposite the terrible spectrum, then we need to show Nintendo "that we want these type of games too, along with their normal output of software."

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Looks aside, the story already has my interest and I love how well they seem to be mixing gun play and sword play.
Then there's the multitude of multiplayer modes, the large amount of customization, and above all, I might get to make my own maps.

As long as they haven't cut back on features for the sake of graphics, this will get my buy.
Especially now that I can't trust CoD to be delivered in any sort of complete form on the Wii U.

[jholden3249]

Roger that.

Day one buy, not just because I think I will enjoy the game but to support these types of games on a Nintendo platform.

[FallenAngel1984]

Man Ninja Gaiden franchise started to crumble when he left Tecmo

Back to the subject of this article: Why do people keep hoping for an M-rated title to arrive on a Nintendo console and hope it does well enough to garner more M-rated titles to come to the platform? We haven't even heard of No More Heroes 3 coming to Wii U like Suda 51 initially promised.

[Maybay]

Plain and simple; I enjoy Nintendo's exclusives, and their innovative creativity. I also enjoy well-made third party titles, which the Wii U has a limited amount of.

If I could own a Nintendo platform that's supported as well as Microsoft/Sony, I'd be in gaming heaven.

@wonderfulmonkeyman, @jholden3249: Awesomeness! We need to send Nintendo a monetary message on the types of software we'd enjoy playing on their gaming platforms.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

From the article:

"Interestingly, Itagaki - who is most famous for his work on Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises - revealed that the game is much more than just a shooter, and will incorporate elements of diplomacy:

We always seek to innovate in games, and so it means they will not be the same. We're currently working on a game called "Devil's Third."
It is different than previous games up until now, as it is not just about fighting, but about diplomacy and forming treaties in the midst of a war in a realistic world setting.
All of this is mashed up into one game. It is a world where peace is sought.
My colleagues and I worked to put all this within a "war game."
Eventually it became a household game for the Wii U, but we are currently developing games for mobile too."

So there might be some sort of Domination aspect between different regions, and players might help decide who controls what through their actions?
Sounds fun to me.

[Godmars290]

Itagaki, from blaming issues with NG on players to insisting no one at Tecmo could do a better job after he "left", has proven to have too big of an ego to be taken at his word.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I won't defend his arrogance, but I also won't dismiss Devil's Third before we've truly seen what he's done with it so far.

[JasonKCK]

Well so far no one has done a better job with Ninja Gaiden than him. Ninja Gaiden 3 was a mess of a game, even the so called "fixed" version still has issues. So until I see someone make a Ninja Gaiden game better than Black or Sigma, then he is still raining champ of the series. DOA is another story, never liked the series, or fighting games. I do agree he is arrogant and has a massive ego.

[Godmars290]

By all real counts he didn't do all that good a job on NG. Not saying it was bad game by any stretch, rather that with complaints about things like the camera, he put blame more on players not being "Man enough" while also putting out a version of the game that tried to fix things.

[gangsta_red]

Well to his credit both franchises he defined have fallen off since he "left". So maybe he does deserve to beat his chest a little.

[Godmars290]

Industry standards in general have fallen since HD/online console gaming as far as I'm concerned.

[wannabe gamer]

Wii U exclusive....I'm sorry but what a waste.

[jholden3249]

You know what the REAL waste is?

The scores of timeless video games present in the industry that will never be played because of gamers who care more about picking sides and buying consoles as a fashion statement than actually investing in this hobby they claim to love.

Go invest in your hobby, buy a Wii U, and stop wasting all the precious games it has to offer you.

[Godmars290]

No. The real waste is because of the way things are going, years from now you likely wont be able to play many current games because their online servers where shut down. If you own physical copies of games you wont be able to play them because of needed patches and updates.

No one really needs to play game "Right Now", but that's not stopping companies from asking for pre-orders months is not years they release product.

[G3n3raL86]

Having multiple consoles? Having fun with more than one company? Being open-minded? Wow!!! You and me came from a different place, no?:)

[AKR]

Third-parties have given Nintendo the finger for years, so why is it that so many gamers get bent out of shape when an exclusive deal is announced? Like Bayo2, this game wouldn't be happening if Nintendo didn't step in.

So the real "waste" was that neither Sony nor Microsoft wanted it. But I'm sure if it was announced for either the PS4 or XBO as an exclusive, you'd be singing a much more cheerful tune.

[rdgneoz3]

Devil's Third, like Bayo2, was passed up by many big publishers. Nintendo was the one that seemed interested, so hopefully it turns out well.

[wannabe gamer]

bayonetta is garbage. nintendo fans hold onto it cause thats all they have that isnt kiddycrap

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The real waste is letting console loyalties hold you back from getting the games you want.
I went multiplatform back in the PS2 era. Haven't regretted it once.

[Godmars290]

There's also something called money. Common sense in regard to the waste of the former if you buy every system and don't have the time to invest in not only playing every game you want on every system, but honestly enjoying them. Versus slogging through them for bragging rights and achievement points.

[wannabe gamer]

if you people would set aside your fanboyism for nintendo and admit they are a shadow of what they once were then you could face the truth. for someone like itagaki to make wii U exclusives is a waste plain and simple. the status of the wii u is a joke and thats the truth. it doesnt sell well it has a limited userbase of which we can estimate 1/4 or more of are just sitting on a shelf never being used....just like the wii and its huge pop culture following of families buying it up like the new tickle me elmo of years gone by. cause everyone can play it even granpa! woweeegeewillikers

[Segata]

Your name is very apt. Thanks for trying to play! But you're no gamer. Just a wannabe. You are however a genuine troll.

[wannabe gamer]

yep made this name after i was banned on my original name for calling out N4G on their BS too many times. i figured it would give people that have nothing to offer a way to take a shot at me and make them feel better about having nothing original to say.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Wait for the price to go down or wait a Gen
Then go to your local pawnshop or Gamestop or Amazon.com
buy off the Used rack and enjoy.

[DoggyBiscuit]

I feel Devil Third will be this year Bayonetta 2 the game is not gonna sell that well but those who does buy it will enjoy it

[Munnkyman]

I really want this game to work I really feel nintendo truly needs it.

[G3n3raL86]

Hoping for the best for Itagaki-san!:)

[antikbaka]

Whatever the games quality I think it will have the same destiny as bayonetta 2 - sale disaster

[mydyingparadiselost]

Itagaki says Itagaki game will be amazing.
In all seriousness, I can't wait to see more of this game. E3 will be good this year.

[BigDuo]

I do agree that Devil's Third like Bayonetta 2, will struggle to find a supportive target audience on Wii U, but I appreciate the game exists assuming it will turn out to be a good title. If it does, then I'll buy it just like with Bayonetta 2.

Anyway, here's a statement from Itagaki on the game's development progress as of November 2014:

"This is a screenshot from the E3 build in June... good news for you guys here. The amount of progress we've made since then will surprise anyone.　Higher-quality textures, improved weapon and environment models,　better lighting... it's looking completely different now."

"We have polished the graphic quality. Environment, characters, arms, AFVs, warbirds... everything. Totally different from E3 version. Plus, I've expanded playability of multi-play and solo-play, as my taste. Wait the next news!"

I still question how much of an improvement the graphical fidelity has undergone, but I'll try to give Itagaki the benefit of the doubt. We'll won't have to wait too long to find out.