In February 2023, Shinji Mikami made a surprising departure from his leadership role at Tango Gameworks, a subsidiary of Bethesda and Microsoft. His exit happened shortly after the success of Hi-Fi Rush. Recently, he hinted at his comeback to the gaming world by unveiling his new studio, Kamuy, in March 2024.
Known for his directorial work on the genre-defining Resident Evil series, Mikami expressed a desire to step away from the survival horror genre for a while.
In an interview with the YouTube channel Byking (translated by Automaton), Mikami revealed that he had contemplated leaving Tango Gameworks for a staggering eight years. However, he felt compelled to see ongoing projects through completion, with Hi-Fi Rush marking the conclusion of his time at the studio.
Hi-Fi Rush, the final project overseen by Mikami at Tango Gameworks, serves as a template for the type of projects he intends to pursue with Kamuy. His goal is to support emerging developers and work on the creation of smaller, more innovative games within his new studio. He envisions Kamuy as a platform where young talent can gain valuable experience by working on diverse projects, responding to what he sees as a growing demand in the industry.
On a personal level, Mikami seeks to break away from the expectations tied to his past success in horror gaming. Despite his notable contributions to franchises like Resident Evil and The Evil Within, he aspires to explore new creative avenues. As a result, Kamuy is envisioned as a studio liberated from genre constraints.
Following the expiration of non-compete agreements with Tango Gameworks, Bethesda, Zenimax, and Microsoft in late 2023, Shinji Mikami has now launched Kamuy. This decision has sparked anticipation for his future projects in game development. As fans await new announcements from Kamuy, we eagerly anticipate what Mikami will bring to this fresh chapter in his career.
You can view the full interview with Mikami and its translation below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
