Japan 'Needs to Be More Creative,' Claims Japanese Developer

Japanese developers need to be more creative if they hope to once "again lead the gaming market," according to PlatinumGames boss Atushi Inaba.

Employing numerous ex-Capcom staffers, including Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, PlatinumGames largely consists of former employees from Clover Studio--creators of the widely acclaimed Viewtiful Joe, God Hand, and Okami.

"I want Japanese creators to realize now is that they are now following the lead of the U.S. creators, and that we need to get to and then surpass those creators, with innovative games that sell in the West as well," Inaba told Gamasutra.

"I believe that Japan needs to be more creative, and go beyond what is given," he reasoned, explaining his view that Japan had "always been good at taking advantage" of a console's restrictions, whereas Western developers "had always been great at going beyond what was available."

Part of that approach is being modest enough to ask for help. "If there are very capable developers and programmers in the West it would be great if they could come on board," Inaba noted. "Bayonetta is a very difficult game to develop." In addition to Bayonetta, PlatinumGames has two more titles in development, all of which aim to be palatable to Western audiences.

Inaba may not be alone in his beliefs, either. The highest-profile Japanese release of this year, Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is said to be influenced by Epic's Gears of War--a prototypical Western action game.