Legendary game producer Tomonobu Itagaki, famous for the Ninja Gaiden series of games on the Xbox platform, returns to gaming with a new team---focused on a new game for the Xbox 360 platform!
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=362921
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=362921
1UP: Can you tell me who else from Team NINJA is in your new company now?
HM: Well, I can give you a list, but it's probably faster to just tell you that we got all of the leads and directors and such.
1UP: All of them?
HM: Well, you see Okamoto, the producer here, and Ehara and me, the directors. We got Maeda and Sasaki, the engineering leads. These guys are amazing, they put together a brand new game engine in less than a year.
1UP: Does that mean you're coming up with a brand new title?
KE: That's right. That's why we made an entirely new company.
HM: We also got Motosa, the animation lead. He worked with me to create the high quality and quantity of animations in Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden. This guy is young, but he's good.
YO: We're also working with Onishi, the cinematics lead.
HM: He was in charge of all of the cut-scenes in Ninja Gaiden. He's also always been my right-hand man. We also have Inamori, the audio lead, and the guys from the level design team.
1UP: Really? Like who else?
HM: For starters, the superb art director who led the character design efforts for Virtua Fighter 5 is also on our team. He supervised the modeling for all the characters. We also have the guy who did the modeling for Akira, Kage, and the Lucha Libre character.
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1UP: I was told a few minutes ago that a couple guys who worked on Virtua Fighter 5 joined your team. Is this new game a fighting game?
HM: [Bursts out laughing] No, no that would be impossible.
KE: Yeah, we did all what we can do for a fighting game. We have no more reasons to make another fighting game.
TI: It'd be more fun if we made something new, right?
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1UP: How do you feel about the plans for Yosuke Hayashi and the abilities of the remaining Team NINJA at the newly merged KoeiTecmo to continue both the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises? Do you think they're up to the task?
TI: I believe I created a certain era in Tecmo's history, and I hold pride in that fact. So, if I were to speak negatively of Tecmo, it would be the same as me disrespecting myself. They should strive to do their best, that's all.
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1UP: Assuming you're going to save the details of your game for the official unveiling, can you tell me what your plans are for the future?
TI: Well, I'm going to E3 next month, for sure.
YO: E3? Not Vegas? [Laughs]
TI: [Bursts out laughing] Both.
1UP: Are you going public with your new game at E3?
TI: No, no. It's too early. I wouldn't mind having a photo exhibition, though. [Laughs] Anyway, I feel it's my duty to make the best game possible to deliver to my fans. So I don't intend to stay out of the game for too long. To any of my fans reading this, if you see me at E3, feel free to say hi.