Ōkami Developer Hideki Kamiya Reflects on Weaknesses Within Celebrated Clover Studio Team

Ōkami Developer Hideki Kamiya Reflects on Weaknesses Within Celebrated Clover Studio Team When Ōkami was first released for PlayStation 2 in 2006 and later for the Nintendo Wii in 2008, it quickly earned a place in gaming history thanks to its unique art style, innovative mechanics, and critical acclaim.

Developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom, the action-adventure game drew praise for its brushwork gameplay and rich storytelling, later making its way to platforms including the Nintendo Switch and achieving cumulative sales of over 4.1 million copies as reported by Capcom’s investor site. Despite Ōkami’s enduring legacy, the game’s director, Hideki Kamiya, has recently provided unusual insight into the game’s turbulent development process.

In a new interview published on the UNSEEN YouTube channel, Kamiya appeared alongside fellow developer Ikumi Nakamura to revisit their time at Clover Studio.

Throughout the candid conversation, Kamiya opened up about internal challenges, describing the team that worked on Ōkami as being "frankly weak" compared to other high-profile projects such as Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry. Recounting an episode from late in Ōkami’s development, Nakamura revealed that Kamiya once voiced his frustrations during a celebratory gathering, saying, "This team was the worst!" When pressed to elaborate, Kamiya shared that his vision was for Ōkami to serve as a defining title for Clover Studio, which led him to select what he believed to be the best talent from across the studio.

However, Kamiya admitted that, while certain individuals such as Nakamura played vital roles, the team as a whole did not exhibit the kind of unified passion he experienced on projects like Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry, noting a "huge difference" in collective enthusiasm and cohesion. Kamiya expressed some hesitation about making these insights public, remarking that players likely assume a strong, harmonious team was responsible for Ōkami’s success.

In reality, he clarified, many aspects of development were marked by internal struggles and disunity.

Despite these hurdles, Kamiya acknowledged the game’s post-launch achievements.

While he once doubted whether Ōkami would reach 150,000 sales—originally considering this number to represent a significant shortfall—the title has since become a celebrated classic on multiple platforms, including Nintendo’s eShop and Nintendo Switch, with millions of copies sold to date. In the same video, Kamiya and Nakamura also discussed their work on Bayonetta and ongoing industry experiences, offering fans a rare, unvarnished look behind the scenes at some of the most admired Capcom and Clover Studio projects.

Their frank discussion stands as a reminder that even acclaimed games can emerge from unexpected or difficult circumstances, often thanks to the efforts of a few determined developers. For additional insights into Ōkami’s development and to hear more from Hideki Kamiya and Ikumi Nakamura, the full interview is available on the UNSEEN YouTube channel, with the discussion specific to Ōkami starting at the 20:13 mark.

Ōkami Clover Studio Hideki Kamiya