Scalebound, announced as an Xbox One exclusive by PlatinumGames in 2014, was canceled by Microsoft in 2017 after about four years of development [1, 2].
Hideki Kamiya, the game's director, recently expressed optimism about the possibility of reviving Scalebound. While he has not yet reached out to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Kamiya said, "Well, no, but now’s my opportunity to once again say that if they want to do it, let’s make it happen!" [1].
Kamiya described his strong desire for the project to see the light of day despite the obstacles. He said, "Of course, it’s very unfortunate that the project was unable to see the light of day ultimately, and that is something that even now I still very strongly desire to be able to see through if it’s all possible, and I’m being 100% serious when I say that." He added, "I strongly believe that if you want something strongly enough, you eventually find a way to make it happen," citing the example of Okami's resurgence after many years [2].
Many former PlatinumGames staff who worked on Scalebound are now part of Kamiya's new studio Clovers, which is currently focused on developing Okami 2 [1, 2]. Kamiya recently met with those former team members and fondly recalled the fun they had working on Scalebound despite its difficulties [1].
PlatinumGames CEO Atsushi Inaba has stated that both PlatinumGames and Microsoft bore responsibility for the cancellation of Scalebound [2].
On the topic of game preservation, Kamiya said in a recent interview that he no longer buys physical games and prefers digital versions. He emphasized that the availability of games for future generations is more important than the format. "That’s the big thing for me, is whether or not the IP holders are going to take responsibility for ensuring that all of these games will continue to be available to future generations in order for them to be played. Whether that’s physically or digitally is less important to me," Kamiya said on September 2 [3].
With nearly 10 years passed since Scalebound's cancellation, Kamiya's comments suggest the possibility of renewed interest in the game. For now, his new studio remains focused on Okami 2 as they consider what may come next [1, 2].
