Hideki Kamiya, the creative force behind the Bayonetta series, has publicly expressed his enduring interest in reviving Scalebound, the ambitious action-RPG that was canceled by Microsoft in 2016. Speaking in a recent interview, Kamiya conveyed that he remains ready to resume development on the project if Xbox CEO Asha Sharma decides to move forward with it.
It has been nearly a decade since Scalebound was officially scrapped, a project that was initially announced by PlatinumGames twelve years ago. Despite the passage of time and Kamiya's departure from PlatinumGames to co-found his new studio, Clovers, the developer maintains a strong desire to see the game completed. He noted that discussions about the canceled title still arise among former colleagues who recall the development process fondly, even amidst its challenges.
Kamiya indicated that while Clovers is currently focused on other projects, the possibility of revisiting Scalebound remains a goal. He drew a parallel to the development of Okami, suggesting that persistent desire can eventually create opportunities for long-dormant projects to be realized. "I strongly believe that if you want something strongly enough, you eventually find a way to make it happen," Kamiya stated, expressing hope that Scalebound might follow a similar path.
The landscape at Xbox has also seen significant shifts, with Asha Sharma assuming the role of CEO earlier this year. This transition has been accompanied by a series of strategic changes within Microsoft's gaming division. While some of these changes, such as the digitization of physical game collections, have been met with positive reception from players, the company has also undergone substantial layoffs and studio closures. Whether Sharma and Xbox will consider revisiting the Scalebound IP amidst these ongoing developments remains to be seen.