Capcom's Keiji Inafune

First of all, I wanted to include multiplayer in the original game. However, we didn't have the time and resources to make it happen. But Dead Rising is a single-player game to start with. The multiplayer is an additional bonus for the players. Also the co-op play, we thought that would go well and compliment the single-player. That's how it happened.

The goal for Dead Rising 2 is to replace the Resident Evil franchise and become the number one IP within Capcom.

As a creator, the sales and marketing part aside, unless you have a big goal to strive for you can't create a good game. Therefore, if the Dead Rising franchise takes over the Resident Evil franchise, a new game I come up with will obviously strive to go over Dead Rising. That's the goal I set out for any title I decide to create.

Until Dead Rising 2 sells we probably can't start talking about spin-offs. If it's received pretty well, yes we would consider a sequel. But at the moment we just don't know.

I'm already working on numerous titles. So watch this space for announcements. I will carry on creating new titles.

I still stand by my comment I made last year. I haven't seen any change whatsoever in Japan. Therefore I'm very pessimistic about the games industry in Japan. The Japanese game creators have to admit we're behind the Western games at this moment and try to be humble and learn why. Otherwise, we're not going to be able to start all over again.

I have a question for you, actually. Since that comment, every single Western journalist I encounter asks the same question. However, none of the Japanese journalists ask why I made that comment. I want to know why. Is it apathy, or are the Japanese not particularly interested or not taking it seriously? Why are you interested in asking me that question?

Does that mean in the West you guys actually agree with my comment from last year at the Tokyo Game Show that the Japanese game industry is in decline?

Yes, I completely agree with your analysis of what's happening in the Japanese market and the Western market. I see it inside Japan as, traditionally, not many people play Western games to start with. Now, they are starting to release some of the games.

However, still, the centre of the market is Japanese games. They're just looking at Japanese games. They don't even compare with Western games because Western games are seen in a completely different category.