Now that sequel to his classic 2006 title Okami with his newly formed development studio Clovers for Capcom, and it sounds like Kamiya wants to take advantage of his creative reunion with the publisher. But if he were to make a new version of Devil May Cry, which released in 2001, it would play very differently with modern game technology and sensibilities.

Kamiya stated this desire in a video on his YouTube channel (via VGC). Answering a question about whether he'd want to revisit the original game, Kamiya said, "As for a Devil May Cry remake, of course I’d love to do that, of course I’d love to do that." He elaborated that he usually doesn't play his own games, but occasionally watching clips of the original DMC made him think about its now-outdated gameplay design 24 years after its release.

"With today’s technology and game design approach, of course, I’d want to remake it from the ground up," said Kamiya. He expressed that no such remake was in the works now and that he had nothing in mind, but if it were to materialize, he'll "come up with something." Exclaimed Kamiya, "That's what I do!"

DMC Is Due For A Refresh

The Original Game Is Over Two Decades Old

The original Devil May Cry arguably spawned the "character action" subgenre of games, focusing on stylish moves, maintaining combos, and difficult enemies to fight with hack-and-slash combat mechanics. But as Kamiya stated himself, the first game has aged nearly a quarter of a century, with other titles like Ninja Gaiden, Metal Gear Rising, and Kamiya's own Bayonetta following in subsequent years. The franchise's most recent entry is 2019's Devil May Cry 5, which had three playable characters with different gameplay styles. The title achieved critical success thanks to the gameplay's depth and fluidity.

Since making the original Devil May Cry, Kamiya worked directly on Okami, Viewtiful Joe, Bayonetta, and The Wonderful 101. Much like the Capcom IP he left behind, Kamiya's sensibilities have evolved and changed in the past two decades plus, and he would take a different approach to Devil May Cry today that would make it feel more fluid and modern like today's character action games. Kamiya could instead make a sixth Devil May Cry game, as the series is overdue, but he appears more intent on reevaluating his own work and taking a second shot at the original story.

Kamiya Working With Capcom Again Is Exciting

And More Capcom IPs Could Benefit

Kamiya has never been shy (about anything, really) in discussing his departure from PlatinumGames, a studio he co-founded. The developer expressed disagreements with the direction of the company, so working independently through Clovers, while also jumping back in with Capcom for the Okami sequel, may give him a creative boost. Kamiya didn't hide his enthusiasm about potentially remaking Devil May Cry with Capcom in his video, exclaiming, "So Capcom, leave it to me!"

What might be more exciting to fans of Kamiya's work is that he also added, "Also, let me handle Viewtiful Joe too!" While it's likely that Clovers will also want to work on original titles, the Okami sequel becoming a success could lead to more collaborations with Capcom to revitalize some older titles like Viewtiful Joe in the publishers catalog. If we're lucky, perhaps Kamiya would want to return to Resident Evil as well. But with DMC currently in the public consciousness with a successful animated adaptation on Netflix, perhaps it's time for Devil May Cry to make a gaming comeback.

Source: Hideki Kamiya Channel/YouTube, VGC