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While it's been almost two decades since Okami launched, Capcom has apparently always been thinking about a new entry in the franchise. That's because the company sees the series as a "very, very unique IP" with a satisfied player base, per Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi. What was key was finding the right people and opportunity.

Speaking with IGN, Hirabayashi talked about the origins of Okami 2 alongside game director Hideki Kamiya, who founded the new studio Clovers. The surprise sequel was unveiled at The Game Awards in December. "But for Capcom, we were always looking for the opportunity to create new Okami," said Hirabayashi. "Of course, for such a project, we needed various preparations to be able to make sure that this all comes true. We needed to have certain key people in place."

Kamiya--who left Platinum Games in 2023--added that he "always wanted to create an Okami sequel." The director pointed out "that the story itself isn't really complete" in the original, so he's had a desire to finish it.

What's interesting is Okami has always been a critical darling but considered by Capcom as a sales disappointment. In fact, original internal developer Clover was shuttered not long after the game launched. That said, Capcom did create Okamiden for Nintendo DS in 2010, showcasing that the company still believed in the franchise.

"I know specifically that people are still enjoying this game, just from the numbers. Normally when we look at games, the sales sort of slow down and they decrease steadily," Hirabayashi explained. "Sometimes they jump up and down, but normally they go down. But for Okami, we see that it's been a steady stream of people always enjoying the game. So in that way Okami is a very, very unique IP."

Capcom is "focusing" on reviving other dormant franchises like Okami, too. In fact, the company also revealed Ominusha Way of the Sword at The Game Awards, another series that hadn't seen a new entry in almost 20 years. Plus, earlier this week, the action game got a new trailer at PlayStation's State of Play event. That came along with the announcement that Onimusha 2 is getting a remaster in May. So don't lose hope, Mega Man fans.