Following the announcement of a Ōkami sequel at The Game Awards, fan speculation immediately centered on Capcom's RE Engine powering the game, given Capcom's return as publisher. IGN can exclusively confirm this, based on interviews with key project leads.
In an extensive interview, Machine Head Works producer Kiyohiko Sakata confirmed the use of RE Engine. Regarding Machine Head Works' role, Sakata explained:
The way Machine Head Works is involved, collaborating with Capcom and Clover, is this: Capcom, as the major IP holder of Ōkami, sets the overall direction. Clover leads development. Machine Head Works bridges the gap, leveraging our prior experience with Capcom on multiple titles—understanding Capcom's needs for game creation. We also have experience working with Kamiya-san. We act as a bridge between Clover and Capcom. Furthermore, we have experience with the RE Engine, which Clover's developers lack. We're assisting them. Within Machine Head Works, we also have individuals with experience on the original Ōkami, further aiding development.
When asked about RE Engine's appeal and its specific benefits for an Ōkami sequel, Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi succinctly replied, "Yes." He elaborated: "However, we can't detail specifics now. But Capcom believes that without RE Engine, we couldn't realize director Hideki Kamiya's artistic vision for this project."
Kamiya added: "RE Engine is renowned for showcasing the best in games—exceptionally expressive. We believe fans expect and await that level of quality for this game."
Later, Sakata hinted that RE Engine might allow the team to realize aspects of the original Ōkami that were previously unattainable. "With today's technology and RE Engine, we can achieve what we aimed for back then, and perhaps even surpass it," he stated.
RE Engine, short for Reach for the Moon Engine, is Capcom's proprietary engine, initially designed for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Since then, it's powered major Capcom titles including the Resident Evil series, Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, and Dragon's Dogma. Most RE Engine games feature a realistic art style, making its application to Ōkami's unique aesthetic particularly exciting. Capcom is developing a successor engine, REX, with technology gradually integrating into RE Engine; some elements might appear in the Ōkami sequel.
The full Q&A with the Ōkami sequel leads is available here.
