Ninja Theory "Did Pursue" Heavenly Sword Sequel
Warning: Massive Heavenly Sword plot spoiler ahead!!!
Many of us had hoped for a sequel to 2007's excellent Heavenly Sword. And although developer Ninja Theory has now "moved on," they did have plans to make HS2 at one point.
In fact, according to VG247, Ninja Theory boss Tameem Antoniades said initially, he had an idea of having Nariko in Hell and her pal Kai on Earth. Basically, the spirit of the sword would have trapped the technically deceased Nariko in Hell, where she would undoubtedly have to battle all sorts of nastiness. Furthermore, Kai would've been playable back on the surface, and she'd try to rescue her friend. An interesting twist was that one day in Hell for Nariko would be an entire year for Kai on Earth, so Kai would actually age; she'd go from a young teenage girl to an old woman during the course of the adventure. ...sounds interesting.
And that's cool and all, but that idea has long since passed. Antoniades says that while he'll "never say never," they working on developing DLC for the recently released Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, which will tell a side-story separate from the tale that revolves around Monkey and Trip. The team is also working on the Devil May Cry reboot. For the record, here's Antoniades' comment concerning a HS2 sequel:
"We did actually want to do a sequel, and we did pursue that, but we're not a first party studio, we're a third party studio, and we knew that over the next few years we've got to be releasing multi-platform games. The game Heavenly Sword didn't sell enough to have a confident sequel, so it would have put ourselves as a development studio in a very precarious situation."
1.5 million wasn't enough, apparently. But we've heard all that before and it's true, they're not a first-party studio. They're not supported by Sony. So, like most every other studio in this crazy game, they need to go multi in order to make enough money. Hence, Enslaved, DMC, etc. But maybe that's a good thing. Did anyone really want to see HS2 go multi with the Unreal Engine...? Not HS fans, I bet.
Related Game(s): Heavenly Sword
Tags: heavenly sword, ninja theory, enslaved heavenly sword sequel
10/5/2010 10:48:13 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (79 posts)
maxpontiac
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:33:30 AM
NoSmokingBandit
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:14:57 PM
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:08:36 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:20:18 PM
Kevadu
Wednesday, October 06, 2010 @ 2:20:19 AM
pillz81
Thursday, October 07, 2010 @ 2:55:52 PM
GuardianMode
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:23:59 AM
Snaaaake
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:35:12 AM
Nlayer
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:39:36 AM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:32:22 PM
TEG3SH
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 6:23:47 PM
eLLeJuss
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:29:10 PM
maxpontiac
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:32:44 AM
Reply
Snaaaake
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:48:51 AM
TEG3SH
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:23:19 PM
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:11:38 PM
Snaaaake
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:37:04 AM
Reply
Was HS a massive budget game like GOWIII, RDR or GT5?
HS was top-notch indeed but in no way it's a game that needs to sell 5 million copies to break even.
And I recently checked on DMC's number, apparently each DMC never sold 3 million copies.
So I think that Capcom's reason to reboot DMC because DMC4 only sold 2 million+ is just an excuse westernize it.
Last edited by Snaaaake on 10/5/2010 11:40:24 AM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:57:19 AM
Last edited by GuyverLT on 10/5/2010 11:58:47 AM
TEG3SH
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:27:57 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:30:15 PM
laxpro2001
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:50:32 AM
Reply
Troy Powers
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:02:54 PM
Reply
Drake88
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:13:32 PM
Reply
Oh yeah- @ troy powers, every game 3rd person action game like GoW series, its ridiculous...
Last edited by Drake88 on 10/5/2010 12:16:04 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:23:45 PM
Last edited by GuyverLT on 10/5/2010 2:29:44 PM
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:20:59 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:49:28 PM
coverton341
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 1:43:05 PM
TEG3SH
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 5:35:55 PM
AntDC
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:15:17 PM
The_Vandelizer
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:29:20 PM
Reply
maxpontiac
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:44:40 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:37:39 PM
The_Vandelizer
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:33:13 PM
Reply
NoSmokingBandit
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 12:52:28 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:32:07 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:39:23 PM
NoSmokingBandit
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:03:35 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:11:39 PM
Shams
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:19:31 PM
Shams
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:23:22 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:54:25 PM
Shams
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 6:34:16 PM
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 1:37:37 PM
Reply
But, I would love to see Sony get their story ideas and then outsource the game to a new developer. Maybe they could serve to improve the mechanics and AI of it. BUT they'd also have to use the same engine. I don't think I've ever seen anything with the same sort of sheen to it.
Peace.
Last edited by Lawless SXE on 10/5/2010 1:43:44 PM
gumbi
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:22:55 PM
Reply
This was the very first game I played to completion on my PS3, and it's left a lasting impression. I hope they can go back to it one day, keeping it exclusive. But we can't really be angry at them for focusing on multi-plat titles right now, it's business. Just please... please do DMC justice.
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:31:20 PM
Reply
Jawknee
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 2:46:56 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:02:11 PM
Jawknee
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:43:58 PM
I didn't find either game enjoyable as far as gameplay goes but i can see they at least have a decent story and characters behind them. Well Heavenly Sword way. That Monkey character is terrible.
Victor321
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:57:20 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:16:48 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:23:56 PM
Who knows if that's true or not, but this is their way of wooing some cash fo sho.
Jawknee
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 5:12:12 PM
Nynja
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:12:58 PM
Reply
Hey Sony, is it just me or did Tameem Antoniades' comment sound like a pitch for you to make them a 1st party developer? What are you waiting for?
Last edited by Nynja on 10/5/2010 3:15:04 PM
Victor321
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:14:01 PM
Reply
What a stupid excuse to use when you're answering someone why you went from 3rd Party exclusive to 3rd Party multi, which apparently is to Mr. Antoniades, is what a standard, "normal" 3rd Party studio is.
Jawknee
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:45:15 PM
Besides, you know Kojima is a Sony fanboy. haha
Victor321
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 3:55:14 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:25:12 PM
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:46:10 PM
Scarecrow
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 4:37:25 PM
Reply
Santa Monica, go wild with this game! And don't make Kai an old womwan (wtf was Antoniades thinking of anyway?) Old woman? wtf?
From Software is a 3rd party and they sure as hell are comfortable with the 700K+ they sold with Demon's Souls.
TEG3SH
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 7:22:22 PM
Temjin001
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 7:36:30 PM
Reply
Perhaps, it was smarter for them to become known as a great game developer within a more realistic game budget.
Then after having some clout with a larger fan-base, escalate production values for actors, theatrical musical scores etc.
Considering the size of the PS3's user-base at the time, it would seem that 1.5million in sales would be a great number or products sold. Were there even 10-15million in PS3-owners at the time?
A 10% chunk of that audience buying into your game should always spell success for those who properly budgeted a game.
I took SC: Conviction back to Blockbuster to pick up LoS... Unfortunately, they didn't have LoS yet, and so I went ahead and grabbed Enslaved.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 10/5/2010 7:36:55 PM
acolyte
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:21:35 PM
Reply
#2 - Sony ponied up all the development cost when Ninja Theory signed the contract.
#3 - SCE Cambridge was called in to help with the game on a technical, and it seems game design level.
#4 - A sequel was offered to Ninja Theory, they seemed to have declined.
#5 - SCE Cambridge seems to have had a sequel in the works for HS2, when the relations broke down between Sony and Ninja Theory. It was also canceled.
#6 - The next game was going to feature a different culture if you will, was going to follow in look with Indian style.
#7 - how do I know?
heh.
___________
Wednesday, October 06, 2010 @ 3:52:36 AM
Reply
:(
oh well i guess enslaved will have to do.
in really enjoying it so far, actually even better than what i was expecting!
up to chapter 6 now, NEVER! has a games had such a effect on my that during the day im constantly thinking about it.
i wonder what happens next.
if im not playing enslaved im thinking about it, i cant get it out of my bloody head!
props to NT, they have proven themselves a top tier developer!
they might b*tch and moan like a 80 year old women, but god dam do they know how to make a game!
atomaweapon
Wednesday, October 06, 2010 @ 12:59:08 PM
Reply
Libertarian
Thursday, October 07, 2010 @ 1:03:20 PM
Reply

Heavenly Sword









NoSmokingBandit
Reply
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 @ 11:06:29 AM