The 2000s called, and Capcom answered last week by unveiling new entries in the Okami and Onimusha series. But the company doesn’t seem done yet with bringing back old franchises. In fact, Capcom states it’s “focusing on reactivating dormant IPs” alongside brand-new titles going forward.
A Capcom press release highlighting the reveals of Okami 2 and Onimusha Way of the Sword at The Game Awards offers insight into the publisher’s plans for the future. “In addition to regularly releasing major new titles each year, Capcom is focusing on reactivating dormant IPs that haven’t had a new title launch recently. The company is working to further enhance corporate value by leveraging its rich library of content, which includes reviving past IPs like [Okami 2 and Onimusha Way of the Sword], in order to continuously produce highly efficient, high-quality titles.”
Okami 2–referred as “Okami sequel project” by Capcom–will see the return of the original’s director, with Hideki Kamiya. Okami originally launched for PS2 in 2006, and the series did get a follow-up in 2010 (2011 for North America) with Okamiden for Nintendo DS. There is no release window for the Okami sequel project.
Meanwhile, Ominusha Way of the Sword is set to arrive in 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It’s the first new entry in the mainline series since 2006’s Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams for PS2.
It’s not necessarily new for Capcom to note that it’s looking into old franchises to revisit, by the way. In 2019, Capcom discussed intentions to “utilize” dormant franchises. In addition, earlier this year, the company insisted Mega Man hasn’t been forgotten, meaning the Blue Bomber could possibly see a return alongside Okami in the years ahead.