In a GDC session this morning, Capcom’s Masachika Kawata talked about why 3DS title Resident Evil: Revelations was made to be a portable game and not a console title. Beyond wanting to expand the IP to other formats and draw a new market, the team wanted to try something different so that the franchise did not become stale, and the 3DS seemed to be a perfect opportunity for something new.
Kawata said that they’re used to consoles bumping up graphical and processing power first, so those are usually a priority for new games, but when they looked at the 3DS they determined that the hardware had more than enough power to convey the horror elements that they were after. The more technical side of the session went into how the team enjoyed the ample power the 3DS provided to let display console-quality visuals and lighting.
The Revelations team was also interested in creating new entertainment, and the 3DS’ 3D functionality, dual screens, and social functions, like Street Pass, were enticing. Kawata said that they thought they could use the unique functions of the system to bring new types of fun for series fans.
Kawata said that he is looking forward to doing more in the 3DS in the future.
