It was one of the most controversial decisions in recent gaming history: Konami is abandoning the remake of Silent Hill 2 into the hands of Bloober Team. A studio that is known for games like Layers of Fear, Observer and The Medium has proven that it can produce psychological horror - but also one that has no proven experience with action-oriented survival horror. But now Silent Hill 2-producer Motoi Okamoto has his say and defends this choice with an interesting argument: it's not about general game design know-how, but about "genre-specific" experience.
Bloober has proven himself to be an expert in horror
In a recent X-Post explained Okamoto explained that Konami specifically looks for studios that are not just technically adept, but have internalized the specific requirements of a genre. Bloober Team was therefore not chosen for its general design expertise, but because it has proven itself as an expert in horror. The studio may never have developed a combat system before, but according to Konami, it brings the necessary DNA to Silent Hill 2 in an atmospheric and narratively worthy manner.
Konami was aware that Bloober Team had no action past. Nevertheless, the publisher was convinced that the studio could compensate for this deficit with a targeted approach. The result was a combat system that emphasizes the lack of resources - in the spirit of the original - and is combined with a modern third-person camera to make the gameplay more fluid and immersive.
A unique opportunity for Bloober
Okamoto also emphasizes a paradox of the gaming industry: if you don't have genre-specific experience, you won't get a big project - but you have to start somewhere. In his eyes, indie development offers the perfect breeding ground for proving yourself in a genre and then being considered by major publishers. Bloober Team serves as a prime example in this case.
Despite initial skepticism, the remake of Silent Hill 2 proved to be a great success and convinced many fans. The dense atmosphere, the revised combat system and the fidelity to the original have shown that Konami's faith in Bloober Team was justified. In view of this success, it remains to be seen what the renewed partnership between the two companies in the future - be it a completely new title or a new another remake a legendary Konami IP.
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