Fortunately, the situation wasn’t quite as dire as it initially appeared. Despite separating from the development team he had been a part of for more than a decade, Ueda continues to work on The Last Guardian as a contractor. Now, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has come forward to reassure fans that progress is being made on the game, and that there may yet be future collaborations between Sony and Ueda.
Though work on The Last Guardian continues unabated, it has been ages since any fresh details – screenshots, trailers, anything – have come to light. Other than the bonus content included in the retail release of last year’s Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (now available from PSN, as well), both Sony and Team Ico have remained notably quiet about the game.
That may be starting to change. Speaking with 1up at the DICE conference, Yoshida directly addressed the progress being made on the game, and the level of Ueda’s continued involvement.
When asked about the prospects for future collaborations between Ueda and Sony, Yoshida was quick to show enthusiasm for the idea.
The importance of The Last Guardian to Sony and the PlayStation 3 is understandable. The game has been in development for more than six years, and Sony’s financial investment alone must be, to put things lightly, significant. There is likely also an element of corporate pride involved. Sony has long supported risky, big-budget titles focused on a singular – and not necessarily commercial – creative vision. Team Ico’s previous games certainly qualify, as does the more recent Heavy Rain.
Is there still a chance that The Last Guardian could be both an artistic triumph for Ueda and a sales success for Sony? What do you think?
The Last Guardian is currently in development for the PS3.
-
Follow me on Twitter @HakenGaken
Source: 1up
