Hideki Kamiya, the director behind the critically acclaimed Okami, has shared his perspective on the highly anticipated sequel, stressing the importance of managing fan expectations. Speaking at the Lucca Comics and Games Festival 2026, Kamiya acknowledged the significant anticipation surrounding Amaterasu's next adventure, nearly two decades after the original game's release.
Kamiya, now leading his new studio Clovers with former Clover Studio staff, stated that his approach to the Okami sequel mirrors his philosophy for the first game: to create an experience accessible to both newcomers and seasoned players. "I created the first chapter of Okami keeping in mind that what I wanted to do was create a gaming experience that would be satisfying to relative beginners," he explained via a translator, contrasting it with his work on Bayonetta, which he designed with more experienced players in mind.
"Now that I’m making a second chapter of Okami, I’m going back to think about the more inexperienced or relatively new players. I still want to make it enjoyable for them, too," Kamiya added. He also noted that while his creative process has not fundamentally changed over the years, his experience has given him an improved ability to foresee potential mistakes. "The only thing I think is that, since I’ve made so many mistakes during my career, now, when I feel like I’m approaching a mistake, I can feel it beforehand. That’s the difference from then and now."
Despite the excitement, Kamiya urged fans to moderate their expectations. "The Okami sequel has become a sort of mission for me, because before, when I created a new game, I had no expectation from the public, of course. It was something completely new and, in a sense, unexpected. Now that I’ve created sequels, the expectation from the public has grown quite a lot, and I feel that. It’s better if you don’t have many expectations," he stated.
Kamiya also confirmed that the upcoming Okami game will be a direct continuation of the original, rather than a side story like Okamiden. Further insights into the project were discussed in an earlier interview in early 2025 with Kamiya, Kiyohiko Sakata, and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi.