Ōkami 2 Is Being Made in RE Engine, Confirmed

Following the announcement of an Ōkami sequel at The Game Awards, fan speculation immediately centered on Capcom's RE Engine powering the game, given Capcom's return as publisher. IGN can exclusively confirm this, based on interviews with key project leads.

In an extensive interview, Machine Head Works producer Kiyohiko Sakata confirmed the use of RE Engine. Regarding Machine Head Works' role, Sakata explained: "Machine Head Works, collaborating with Capcom and Clover, acts as a bridge. Capcom, as IP holder, sets the overall direction. Clover leads development. Machine Head Works leverages its experience working with Capcom on various titles, understanding their needs. We also have prior experience with Kamiya-san. Essentially, we bridge Clover and Capcom. Furthermore, our team possesses RE Engine expertise, something Clover lacks. We're assisting them. We also have staff with experience on the original Ōkami, further aiding development."

When asked about RE Engine's appeal and its benefits for an Ōkami sequel, Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi simply replied, "Yes," elaborating: "We can't detail specifics yet. However, Capcom believes realizing Kamiya-san's artistic vision for this project wouldn't be possible without RE Engine."

Kamiya added: "RE Engine is renowned for showcasing the best in games, offering exceptional expressiveness. We believe fans expect and await this level of quality."

Later, Sakata hinted at RE Engine's potential, suggesting it might allow the team to achieve goals unattainable with the original Ōkami. "With today's technology and RE Engine, we can achieve what we aimed for back then, perhaps even surpassing it," he stated.

RE Engine, or Reach for the Moon Engine, Capcom's proprietary engine initially developed for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, has powered major titles like the Resident Evil series, Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, and Dragon's Dogma. While most RE Engine games feature a realistic art style, its application to Ōkami's unique aesthetic is intriguing. Capcom is developing a successor engine, REX, with technology gradually integrated into RE Engine, potentially influencing the Ōkami sequel.

The full Q&A with the Ōkami sequel's leads is available here.