Topic: Koji Igarashi Leaves Konami, Founding New Studio, Metroidvania GDC

[EstebanT]

I agree. Story has never been a strong point.

[Abnormal Freak]

Dude, are you trying to start a war or something?

With who, exactly? Take my comment with a grain of salt.

Also, people need to reevaluate themselves if one Internet guy's thoughts on a game would cause serious discontent.

[crisis]

i dont think legends was that bad gameplay-wise. for me it was more fun than cv adventure thats for sure (although adventure offers a different kind of challenge in that the poorly programmed sluggy controls limit christophers movements so everything has to be timed perfectly without fault, so i can see how some might enjoy that type of difficulty)

[the_truth]

This news is only a shock to people who do not understand the culture in Japan. Unlike in places like Europe and the US, in Japan it is customary for people to at least work 5 years in any job they take. Generally speaking, employers in Japan will not fire a bad employee, even a very lazy one unless they are doing something extreme or of an illegal nature. In the case of someone in a position of prestige (like IGA), they most certainly wouldn't do it; it would be considered rude and disrespectful, not to mention would reflect poorly on the company. Instead, they would give him a less influential job (which they did) in the background. But make no mistake, it was the equivalent of being fired, and he knew he was done, as did most people in the industry in Japan as well the minute it happened. Which is part of the reason why he chose to leave and create his own studio I'm sure.

[Viskod]

He asked for the job. He was just unhappy they didn't approve of his approach to the genre.

[Flame]

Because IGA admitted it himself.

Mind getting me a quote on that?

With all due respect Flame that's a weak excuse coming from IGA. Do I really need to pull out the Joan of Arch argument again?

*Arc*

Also, she was burned at the stake a heretic for posing as a man in the army, and claiming she heard voices from the heavens.

Speaking of which, Dracula's second wife was also burned at the stake a witch, just for being a healer.

i don't quite think you really understand how fucking oppressed Women were back then. A Woman so much as stepped out of the house without her husband's permission, she was a whore.

Castlevania has never really been very good at era specific details, they fucking got the crusades dates wrong, None of the characters have ever, (save maybe for Alucard, though his fashion's a bit early-) dressed Era appropriately... But for the most part, they try to stick to a somewhat accurately realistic portrayal of the world and it's time periods. CV3 marks Dracula's war on Humanity due to the murder of his wife. She was burned as a witch. Sonia's time is even before that. Think she would have gotten away with being a female action hero? For reference, Joan of Arc died 19 years before CV Legends. yeah. No.

That said, Maria and Shanoa do prove exceptions to the rule, but more on technicality. And I think IGA might have made Shanoa to shut people up about Sonia and him being sexist.

This news is only a shock to people who do not understand the culture in Japan. Unlike in places like Europe and the US, in Japan it is customary for people to at least work 5 years in any job they take. Generally speaking, employers in Japan will not fire a bad employee, even a very lazy one unless they are doing something extreme or of an illegal nature. In the case of someone in a position of prestige (like IGA), they most certainly wouldn't do it; it would be considered rude and disrespectful, not to mention would reflect poorly on the company. Instead, they would give him a less influential job (which they did) in the background. But make no mistake, it was the equivalent of being fired, and he knew he was done, as did most people in the industry in Japan as well the minute it happened. Which is part of the reason why he chose to leave and create his own studio I'm sure.

yeah, they won't outright fire you. They WOULD however, passive aggressively suggest you leave, or make conditions so that you "take the hint".

[X]

Mind getting me a quote on that?

You also have internet access do you not? If you really want to find, out do the work. It won't kill you.

Also, she was burned at the stake a heretic for posing as a man in the army, and claiming she heard voices from the heavens.

Not sure where you got that from, but she didn't pose as a man in the army. The French people, knights and Charles VII knew who she was and even their church accepted her. She brought her countries many victories over the invading English forces in the latter bit of the hundred years war. In fact it was the English themselves that wanted Joan dead. Pro-English Bishop of Beauvais was the one to deal the deathblow to her. All because the poor sobs couldn't best her 
25 years after her death Pope Callixtus III reexamined the trial, found her innocent and thus elevated her as one of the nine patron saints of France.

Think she would have gotten away with being a female action hero? For reference, Joan of Arc died 19 years before CV Legends. yeah. No.

Yes I honestly do think so. I'm not sexist.

[Flame]

I'm not sexist.

Oh, so we're playing this game now?

[Nagumo]

Historical accuracy and Castlevania, lol.

If you want to continue this discussion, please make a seperate topic.

[The Silverlord]

Instead, they would give him a less influential job (which they did) in the background. But make no mistake, it was the equivalent of being fired, and he knew he was done, as did most people in the industry in Japan as well the minute it happened.

Less influential?  Maybe in respect of Castlevania.  I'm not really up on current affairs, but staff within Konami used to come-and-go on different projects and games all the time.  You only need to look at the staff credits on their games to see that programmers, designers, directors and producers often shuffled around.  And I would think that a good policy to have: keeps the motivation strong. A different team will feel they have to make the best impression/interpretation of a game series.  Dave Cox and Mercurysteam worked very hard on Lords of Shadow.

IGA was entrenched within Castlevania.  For me, he'd been in the position too long.  He had become a well-known and well-loved character to fans and media.  It was never going to be easy for Konami to change that up.

While the formula of IGA, Yamane and Kojima was a powerful one, and was successful, I think the series began to stagnate a bit.  It's not a popular opinion, but I thought a breath of fresh air like Lords of Shadow was overdue.  (I don't care about the money this change may or may not have made.)

[derision]

On the topic of Dracula's wife getting burned at the stake, what was his excuse for this? At that point the dude was extremely powerful and should have been keeping tabs on something like this. What was his excuse for letting a very public ceremony going off without a hitch? I'll tell you.

It was his vampire harem. Dammit Dracula.

[Dark Nemesis]

About Iga, making a new Metroid game, i'd love to see him having a chance on the franchise and the only reason for this is, because he has great experience with 2D games and the game play style that Metroid plays. If you worry about story, he could just be given only the game play style position.

[Viskod]

On the topic of Dracula's wife getting burned at the stake, what was his excuse for this? At that point the dude was extremely powerful and should have been keeping tabs on something like this. What was his excuse for letting a very public ceremony going off without a hitch? I'll tell you.

It was his vampire harem. Dammit Dracula.

Being Belmont'd at the time? He does tend to come and go from the earthly plane of existence rather often.

[son_the_vampire]

This should be good. wonder what the ole guy has in store

[Abnormal Freak]

IGA doing a Metroid game would be kinda cool, but only as like...assistant director or something.

Then again, I don't think he's actually helmed directing since SOTN, so maybe he's still got it. Give it a good budget and a good producer and maybe he could do a nice game; it could be better than Fusion at any rate.