Yoshiyasu Horiuchi on Gundam Musou

Gundam Musou - Image 1

The Gundam franchise – anime, books, toys, everything – is one of the biggest sellers in Japan. Of course, this also translates to the franchise’s entries into the videogames market. One example is Gundam Musou, an unexpected collaboration between Namco Bandai and Koei‘s Omega Force, the team behind the highly successful Dynasty Warriors franchise.

The title has become one of the most pre-ordered games for the Sony PS3, and Namco Bandai has even gone so far as to say that it expects the game to sell well over a million copies. The buzz in Japan even has some people pegging the game as the most important game for the PS3 this year.

Yoshiyasu Horiuchi, Gundam Musou‘s chief producer, has taken all of these things in stride. In a recent interview with 1UP, he conceded that there is always pressure whenever you’re developing a Gundam game. The game’s budget, along with the fact that they were developing it on next-gen hardware and were borrowing the Musou brand and using Omega Force staff to develop the concept, also added to the pressure.

The full article awaits after the jump!

Gundam Musou - Image 1

The Gundam franchise – anime, books, toys, everything – is one of the biggest sellers in Japan. Of course, this also translates to the franchise’s entries into the videogames market. One example is Gundam Musou, an unexpected collaboration between Namco Bandai and Koei‘s Omega Force, the team behind the highly successful Dynasty Warriors franchise.

The title has become one of the most pre-ordered games for the Sony PS3, and Namco Bandai has even gone so far as to say that it expects the game to sell well over a million copies. The buzz in Japan even has some people pegging the game as the most important game for the PS3 this year.

Yoshiyasu Horiuchi, Gundam Musou‘s chief producer, has taken all of these things in stride. In a recent interview with 1UP, he conceded that there is always pressure whenever you’re developing a Gundam game. The game’s budget, along with the fact that they were developing it on next-gen hardware and were borrowing the Musou brand and using Omega Force staff to develop the concept, also added to the pressure.

Gundam Musou - Image 1

Horiuchi remains confident, though, that the game will sell well. Both the Gundam and Dynasty Warriors franchises are huge draws in Japan, and while the former may not be as popular in the U.S., Horiuchi is banking on the latter to help the game gain attention in the U.S.

“Compared to previous Gundam games, Gundam Musou focuses less on recreating the experience of piloting huge 18-meter robots and more on providing the fast-paced, strategic playability of an action game,” said Horiuchi. “It also offers a sense of speed and thrill not found in games with ordinary people fighting, which we think will appeal to American players. We hope lots of people will try it out and enjoy it.”

Horiuchi also revealed to 1UP that in order to bring the best possible game and atmosphere to the North American market, the team behind Gundam Musou traveled to the U.S. several times to hear the opinions of American players.

Wing Zero - Image 1“I think that Gundam Musou has turned out to be the kind of game American players will look forward to,” said Horiuchi. “Even in Japan, Gundam Musou was developed with more than just Gundam fans in mind–we wanted to provide Musou fans with a new experience that could be fully enjoyed without requiring an in-depth knowledge of the Gundam universe.

“The swift swordplay, variety of weapons, and fast-paced dynamic action should make for an enjoyable experience.”

Gundam Musou certainly sounds like a game worth looking forward to. Oh, and for those who were wondering, Wing Zero does make an appearance in the game. According to Horiuchi, “players will be surprised by its incredible firepower.”

Gundam Musou is slated for a June release in the U.S. For the full interview, click on the “read” link below.

Via 1up

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