Shinji Mikami, creator of resident evil, has with “Unbound Games“A new studio has been formed and is working on a multi-platform title based on Unreal Engine 5. The project marks Mikami's return to independent game development after leaving Tango Gameworks in 2023.”
Following his departure from Tango Gameworks in May 2023, Shinji Mikami now serves as Representative Director of Unbound Games. The studio operates as a completely independent company and currently employs around 50 people, with plans to expand to approximately 150 positions.
The core team includes experienced developers who previously worked on titles such as "Silent Hill," "Shadow of the Colossus," and "Hi-Fi Rush." A prominent new addition is producer Masato Kimura (Ghostwire: Tokyo), a longtime collaborator of Mikami's from his Capcom days.
Strategic focus on “AAA quality at AA scale”
The technical foundation for the first project is Unreal Engine 5. Target platforms include PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles, and PC. Masato Kimura's strategic approach is interesting: given the enormous budgets and development times of Western AAA productions, Unbound aims for a hybrid model.
The goal is "AAA quality" in execution, but with "AA content". The focus is on a concentrated, immersive experience, rather than on bloated, massive projects with seven years of development time.
Development culture and future direction
Unbound's working methods are described as experimental. Kimura emphasizes a process of constant trial and error, where content is continually modified or discarded to achieve the best possible result. While the main focus is currently on the new high-end IP, the studio plans to develop smaller titles in parallel in the future. Whether Mikami himself will direct this project—a wish he expressed in 2020 for his final project before retirement—remains to be seen.
Unbound Games is technically committed to current standards for the latest console generation and PC. The studio is still in its development phase, suggesting a release in a few years. For gamers, this new venture primarily offers the chance to play an original IP outside of established franchises, brought to life by industry veterans.
I'm excited to see what's coming next, Mikami, creator of Resident Evil and DMC. Best IP for me of all time.