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Katamari creator unhappy News

PlayStation 2 News by Ellie Gibson

11 November, 2005

Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi has gone on record to state that he was coerced into making a sequel to the game against his better judgement (again) - and that he's not entirely pleased with the finished product.

"I didn't want players to be disappointed so I decided to take part," Takahashi told the BBC News website.

"There are fun things are in the game, though I am not happy with all of it."

Back in September, you may recall, Takahashi said he had had no intention of doing a sequel and only agreed to after Namco threatened to make a hideous Christmas-themed version - which was "against everything I wanted to do with Katamari."

And so, he was forced to get involved to ensure they didn't muck it all up - the end result being We Love Katamari, due out in Europe early next year.

It sounds like Takahashi is a bit disenchanted with the games industry in general, too: "Developers want to come up with fun games but ideas are judged by their sales potential," he told the BBC.

"The reality is that decisions are driven by sales and marketing."

In fact, Takahashi is so fed up that he's planning to retire: "In ten years time, I am not going to be making games any more," he said. So what's he going to do instead?

"I would like to create a playground for children. A normal playground is flat but I want an undulating one, with bumps."

Bagsy first on the swings...

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Comments: 1-18 of 18 in total

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Freek
11/11/05 @ 14:41
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Planning to retire?? "I'm so fed up i'm going to quit...after a decade or so." Huh? I'd wager something got lost in the translation there.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 11/11/05 @ 14:34
Teeth
11/11/05 @ 14:42
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Hang about. I'm having deja vu.
Teeth
11/11/05 @ 14:53
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There you go, Ellie.

Reported by your good self, no less.
Nikanoru
11/11/05 @ 14:58
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Well, that article made no mention of Takahashi actually being unhappy with his finished product, or his ambitions of being a playground designer.

Also, that was an MTV interview.
Teeth
11/11/05 @ 14:58
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Oh yeah. God, I'm slow - it's even linked in the article.
skillian
11/11/05 @ 15:36
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This guy is a nutter. A playground with bumps? :/
Bezzy
11/11/05 @ 16:22
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Any designer who says they ARE happy with the game they made is probably in the middle of a press tour.

There's ALWAYS things you want to change.
ekko
11/11/05 @ 16:45
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Nintendo should poach him.
kangarootoo
11/11/05 @ 18:01
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"Katamari creator unhappy"

Nice article headline. I was expecting there to be news of him coming downstairs in the morning to find his dishwasher had leaked all over the kitchen. That always makes me unhappy. That and finding I have ran out of milk only after having already poured cereal into my bowl.
BraveArse
11/11/05 @ 18:04
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"That and finding I have ran out of milk only after having already poured cereal into my bowl."

You should try accidentally pouring orange juice in your coffee. Really pissed on my parade I can tell you...
absolutezero
11/11/05 @ 19:26
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Does the "I hate Namco aswell" dance.

Join in!!
captain-future
12/11/05 @ 00:23
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man, this guy is so annoying.

gets a sh*tload of money and wines about it.
oerhört
12/11/05 @ 01:38
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Actually, aside from the fact that most of us europeans are STILL waiting for Katamari Damacy to get out, there really was no need for a follow-up. It's one of those games that can stand proudly on its own.

I mean, would anyone really want an Ico 2?
mastertigurius
12/11/05 @ 10:08
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A playground made by the creator of Katamari? That has to work!
I'll look it up the second I touch down in Tokyo. ^_^
Twinfalls
13/11/05 @ 12:58
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"Ironically, of all the sequels that have been released in the last year, We Love Katamari is probably the least "cynical" of them."

That's not ironic at all. In fact it is completely consistent with his comments.

" man, this guy is so annoying.

gets a sh*tload of money and wines about it."

No he's not. He's a goddam breath of fresh air. What, do you want to hear another PR droid?
symmetry
14/11/05 @ 10:47
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I'm having a great deal of trouble trying to interpret his statements as anything other than an honest appraisal of his new game.

/impressed
urban
14/11/05 @ 11:08
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ellie did you eat mushrooms or something last night ?
Carrybagma
14/11/05 @ 14:31
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I think Microsoft should tell RARE that they're going going to make 'hideous Christmas themed' versions of their entire back catalogue. Maybe then they'll start making deep joy again.

Comments: 1-18 of 18 in total

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