There is no doubt that 2023 has been one of the best years for big-name, highly-anticipated video game releases in recent memory. The first half of this year alone has seen, in addition to the launch of numerous brand-new titles, an abundance of fresh installments in fan-favorite franchises like Star Wars, Resident Evil and The Legend of Zelda.
With so many old friends back for another adventure, why hasn’t the award-winning “Ōkami” franchise seen a true sequel since it was first released in 2006? The reason likely lies in the game’s lack of commercial success – despite the numerous accolades and fan support for “Ōkami” over the years.
Successful at Being the “Least Commercially Successful”
“Ōkami” won several Game of the Year awards from a variety of publications, while also garnering a Guinness World Record for “least commercially successful winner of a Game of the Year award” in 2009 after selling a total of just 600,000 copies – three years after its initial release in 2006. It was still winning awards in 2018 with the Guinness World Record for “Most critically acclaimed video game with an animal hero.” But all these awards have still not had a positive effect on sales data.
So, why the lack of commercial success for “Ōkami?”
“Ōkami” was developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom in 2006 for the PlayStation 2. Since then, the game has received ports for other consoles including the Wii and HD remastered versions for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows – giving gamers the opportunity to experience “Ōkami” on their platform of choice.
As of 2022, “Ōkami” had reached over 3 million copies sold worldwide, across all gaming platforms and iterations. Read that again: just three million copies sold in 16 years for a Game of the Year winner.
A typical hallmark of a video game that does end up winning any Game of the Year awards is financial success. For example, a strong contender for Game of the Year in 2023 is “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” It was already the winner of “Most Anticipated Game” at The Game Awards in 2022, after two nominations for the same award in 2020 and 2021 – which sold over 10 million copies only three days after launch. Another commercial success in the same franchise, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” has sold 29.81 million copies after six years of being on the shelves.
A Hallmark for Video Games as an Art Form
The most notable aspect of “Ōkami” is its unique art direction, heavily inspired by classical Japanese artwork spanning through the 17th and 19th centuries, particularly lifting from ink-wash painting styles. The soundtrack is also influenced by traditional Japanese works, utilizing flutes, stringed instruments, drums and vocals to complement the atmosphere of Nippon, which can be as light-hearted as it can be dangerous.
The art of painting is a crucial aspect of the gameplay in “Ōkami” through the “Celestial Brush” mechanic. With the push of a button, time is frozen and a canvas is spread out for the player to draw an assortment of symbols that can cause certain effects in the world, from dealing damage to enemies with a cut, healing the earth with a field of flowers or revealing hidden caves with a Cherry Bomb.
While many modern video games strive for realism in their graphics, that goal may ultimately prove detrimental as the technological capabilities of the tools at developers’ fingertips and the consoles themselves are constantly upgrading and evolving. “Realistic” graphics will become outdated down the line.
However, the heavily-stylized appearance of “Ōkami” renders its visuals timeless and its graphics have only received further polish through its remasters, granting the game a long shelf-life that will continue to be enjoyed by players for many years.
A Game Reborn, Over and Over Again
Upon the multiple releases of “Ōkami” across several generations of consoles, the game has received critical acclaim with every version. The re-release of the game for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows in 2017 particularly received praise and treatment as the revival of a forgotten yet unforgettable experience of a game.
So, after all these years with only a “spiritual successor” called “Ōkamiden”on the Nintendo DS in 2010, why hasn’t “Ōkami” received a legitimate sequel?
Simply put, the game’s poor sales numbers were most likely one of the key events leading to Capcom officially closing down Clover Studio in early 2007. Today, the chances of a true sequel to “Ōkami ” seeing the light of day are slim. Nonetheless, creative minds at Clover Studio continue to express interest in bringing “Ōkami” back in some shape or form.
Time Will Only Tell
Regardless of its past and unknown future, “Ōkami” remains held in high esteem and present on many “best video games ever made” lists. Many publications have also widely used “Ōkami” as an example of how a video game can be its own art form – despite its lack of retail performance. Economics are undeniably important when it comes to gauging a product’s success, but the quality of the experience is what people will remember years from now, not how it ranked on sale charts.
While “Ōkami” will never find itself on any sales performance lists with the likes of Zelda and Star Wars, its fans will keep it on their “best gaming experience” lists for years to come.
Featured Image Courtesy of @OkamiOfficial on Twitter.
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