Ōkami 2: RE Engine Development Confirmed

Following the announcement of an Ōkami sequel at The Game Awards, fan speculation immediately centered on Capcom's RE Engine powering the game, given Capcom's return as publisher. IGN can exclusively confirm this after interviewing key project leads.

In an extensive interview, Machine Head Works producer Kiyohiko Sakata confirmed the use of RE Engine. Regarding Machine Head Works' role, he explained: "Machine Head Works, collaborating with Capcom and Clover, acts as a bridge. Capcom, as the major IP holder, sets the overall direction. Clover leads development. Our prior experience working with Capcom on multiple titles gives us insight into their needs. We also have experience working with Kamiya-san. Essentially, we bridge Clover and Capcom. Furthermore, our team possesses RE Engine expertise, something Clover lacks. We're assisting them, and we also have individuals with experience on the original Ōkami aiding development."

When asked about RE Engine's appeal and its unique benefits for an Ōkami sequel, Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi simply replied, "Yes," elaborating: "We can't divulge details yet, but Capcom believes realizing Kamiya-san's artistic vision for this project wouldn't be possible without RE Engine."

Kamiya added: "RE Engine is renowned for showcasing the best in games, offering exceptional expressive capabilities. We believe fans anticipate this level of quality."

Later, Sakata hinted at RE Engine enabling features previously impossible with the original Ōkami: "Today's technology, coupled with RE Engine, allows us to achieve our past ambitions and perhaps even surpass them."

RE Engine, Capcom's proprietary engine (originally for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard), powers many major Capcom titles, including the Resident Evil series, Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, and Dragon's Dogma. While most RE Engine games feature a realistic art style, its application to Ōkami's unique aesthetic is intriguing. Capcom's new REX engine, a successor to RE Engine, is gradually being integrated, potentially influencing the Ōkami sequel.

The full Q&A with the Ōkami sequel's leads is available here.