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TGS: Itagaki's Valhalla Games Studios Using Relic's Engine For Devil's Third
by Christian Nutt [Console/PC, Production, Business]
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September 16, 2011
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In Gamasutra's Tokyo Game Show interview with the outspoken creator, he revealed that the previously hinted-at technology relationship between the studios goes deeper.
Relic, which last week released Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, is owned by Devil's Third publisher THQ. Valhalla Games Studios head Tomonobu Itagaki commented earlier this year that the studio had shared tech with his studio -- which is not owned by THQ -- but the relationship appears to go deeper than that.
"We're customizing Relic's engine," Itagaki told Gamasutra. The team is adding middleware of its own choice to the engine.
He also said that THQ had another unexpected advantage as a publisher beyond technology.
"THQ, since they're making games with Yuke's, they have a lot of people who speak Japanese," Itagaki told Gamasutra. Yuke's is the developer of THQ's popular WWE franchise games.
It wasn't a factor in choosing the publisher, however. At E3, Itagaki told Gamasutra that it came down to the skills of THQ's EVP of core games, Danny Bilson.
"I figured that out later," Itagaki told Gamasutra. "Since I speak simple English, I can convey my message. But my staff is probably quite relieved, because THQ has Japanese-enabled people."
Itagaki also revealed that Bilson, who has a background in film, will be working hands-on on the story sequences in Devil's Third. At E3, he said of Bilson, "he can make movies, he can write novels, scripts, he can do TV, and he can do games as well," but at TGS Itagaki confirmed to Gamasutra that Bilson is directly working on the game's narrative sequences -- based on an original story devised by Itagaki and the Valhalla development team.
The full, extensive feature interview with Itagaki will appear on Gamasutra in the near future.
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