Ōkami 2 Confirmed to Be a Direct Sequel, Still in Early Development

The announcement of an Ōkami sequel at The Game Awards ignited a wave of excitement among fans, yet details remain scarce. A recent IGN interview with the project leads shed some light, confirming the sequel's status as a direct continuation of the original game's storyline. Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi confirmed it's a "continuation of the story that we saw in the original game," and director Hideki Kamiya's cryptic "I wonder..." regarding Amaterasu's presence in the trailer was swiftly followed by Hirabayashi's confirmation of the sun goddess's return.

While unsurprising to many fans, the sequel's development raises questions about the existing sequel, Ōkamiden. This Nintendo DS title, starring Amaterasu's child Chibiterasu, features characters from the original but received mixed reviews due to its platform and the absence of key original team members like Kamiya. Regarding Ōkamiden's acknowledgement in the new sequel, Hirabayashi stated: "We know that there are fans out there that like the game, of course. And we also know the feedback on the game out there, of how the story was taken and now how perhaps parts of the story weren’t aligning with what people were expecting. With that, we also have the sequel now that, as we explained before, is a continuation from the story of the original base Ōkami. That's how we're going to phrase it."

Ōkami's ending inherently suggests a sequel, regardless of Ōkamiden's existence. Amaterasu and another character embark on an unexplored journey, leaving ample room for new challenges and adventures.

However, further details remain elusive. The team confirmed the sequel is in its very early stages of development, with the early announcement driven by excitement. According to Hirabayashi, this means a considerable wait before further updates: "It might take a little bit of time before we might talk again." The full IGN interview with the Ōkami sequel leads is available [ttpp].