Famitsu interviewed Yoko Taro on creating sequels and new IPs

The latest Weekly Famitsu magazine has a special coverage on discussing which sequels and remakes of dormant IPs or series that its Japanese readers want to see. On the reader poll that they held some time ago, a number of RPG series made it to the list. This is the list of most wanted sequels or remakes of RPGs that are mentioned in the magazine, ordered by the number of votes.

• Suikoden (291 votes, also ranked 1st overall
• Ogre Battle (247 votes, also ranked 3rd overall)
• Freedom Wars (186 votes)
• Rune Factory (154 votes)
• Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha (143 votes)
• Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (142 votes)
• NieR (101 votes)
• Tales of (97 votes)

Other than the poll, Famitsu also interviewed a number of Japanese developers about their impressions on creating a sequel or remake. What catches our interest here is that Bukkoro's Yoko Taro was also interviewed by Famitsu. We've translated this particular interview, which you can read after the jump.

Famitsu : Between producing a brand-new title and a sequel title, which one do you prefer?

Yoko Taro: I’m fine with both of them. The limitations aren’t too different between a new title and a sequel. Also, when creating both of them, a while after the production has started, more requirements get added in the later phases like “I want a character with this certain feel” or “I want this number of stages at the very least,” and I’m the most troubled with that.

Famitsu : When you’re creating a sequel, which one do you emphasize more between “reforming” and “retaining” [things that were praised by players of the prequel[?

Yoko Taro: “Reforming.” For “Retaining,” you don’t even have to emphasize on it; there will be some compensation by itself from external pressure.

Famitsu : The Drakengard and Nier series have a slight connection in their world settings. When you’re creating titles with a shared setting, do you feel like making a “sequel”? Or do you have the intention of making both of them as new titles?

Yoko Taro: “New titles.” I don’t want to create something that new consumers couldn’t understand unless they’ve played the prequel.

Famitsu : Do you have “sequel(s) of game title(s) you would like to play?”

Yoko Taro: I want to see sequels of Gradius and Xevious, famous shooters [shmups] that shone brightly in the 2D era… I’ve grown older, learned about things like budget and sales numbers, and I do feel the pain of the difficulty of releasing games of like this nowadays; I feel like the universe of that time which had infinite possibilities is slipping away.

We know Yoko Taro has an obsession with 2D shooting games, as we can see from the shooter gameplay that was included in his recent blockbuster game NieR: Automata. So it's not surprising at all for him wanting to see sequels of Xevious and Gradius. By the way, we have also recently posted another article related to Yoko Taro's role as a director, which should be an interesting read, especially if you are a fan of his.