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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

It was reported on March 6 that all business operations of Level-5 Comcept, a game studio originally founded by Capcom veteran Keiji Inafune, have been transferred to the parent company, Level-5. At the same time, Level-5 also announced that they have set up a new office in Osaka, which will focus on game planning and production (Source: GameBiz).

This follows on from the recent news that founder and former head of Comcept, Keiji Inafune, left the company in mid-2024, complicating the development of FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time. As a result, development of this new Fantasy Life game has been transferred to Level-5, which has been Comcept’s parent company since 2017. Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino took over Inafune’s role as producer of the game.

As for Inafune, he is now an executive officer of Rocket Studios, a game development studio headed by former Hudson developer Takashi Takebe. In recent years, the company has worked on Konami titles, including Momotaro Dentetsu and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1.

Level-5 takes over all operations of Keiji Inafune’s subsidiary Level-5 Comcept, establishing new office - AUTOMATON WEST

Following Capcom veteran Keiji Inafune's departure last year, parent company Level-5 have dissolved Comcept, taking over its projects.

automaton-media.com

 

[Generic]

Controversial take but I miss Inafune.

 

[Punished Miku]

Didn't even know Inafune was working on Fantasy Life. Sounds like that was going about as well as expected. What a collapse.

 

[Astray]

Thick Thighs Save Lives you're probably more knowledgeable about this than me, but is it even remotely normal for the company CEO to take over producer duties on a game like this?

Something feels very wrong at Level 5 imo.

 

[Punished Miku]

Thick Thighs Save Lives you're probably more knowledgeable about this than me, but is it even remotely normal for the company CEO to take over producer duties on a game like this?

Something feels very wrong at Level 5 imo.

It's a miracle that Level 5 is even still open at this point. Ni No Kuni went nowhere. They haven't managed a true console game this entire generation.
All they have going for them at this point is that they've tried making everything into a multimedia venture, so they're probably coasting on TV money or merchandising on Yokai Watch, or Megaton Musashi. Ni No Kuni 2 was in 2018. They have managed a few small AA games on Switch, but nothing that is noteworthy in any way.

Deca Police and Layton could be somewhat promising, but Layton was big when the DS and 3DS games were $30, not $50-60. I'm skeptical Layton ever recovers popularity with their current strategy.

 

[Sharius]

can they remaster/remake soul sacrified?

 

[Astray]

It's a miracle that Level 5 is even still open at this point. Ni No Kuni went nowhere. They haven't managed a true console game this entire generation.
All they have going for them at this point is that they've tried making everything into a multimedia venture, so they're probably coasting on TV money or merchandising on Yokai Watch, or Megaton Musashi. Ni No Kuni 2 was in 2018. They have managed a few small AA games on Switch, but nothing that is noteworthy in any way.

Deca Police and Layton could be somewhat promising, but Layton was big when the DS and 3DS games were $30, not $50-60. I'm skeptical Layton ever recovers popularity with their current strategy.

Deca Police looks amazing to me and that's why I'm worried they won't ship it out in time.

 

[cash_longfellow]

I think it’s time for a new Ni No Kuni game. I know a lot of people were out off by part 2, but I still have faith.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Thick Thighs Save Lives you're probably more knowledgeable about this than me, but is it even remotely normal for the company CEO to take over producer duties on a game like this?

Something feels very wrong at Level 5 imo.

Game development studios are not your normal companies. Many Studio heads find themselves acting as CEO and many are often CEO in name only.

Level-5 acquired Comcept meaning Infaune already answered to Akihiro Hino. When you answer to someone who isn't a board, you're not really a CEO. That being said, Hino is also a producer on most Level-5 games.

Wasn't working out with Comcept. I'm surprised they didn't just close the studio down, but maybe a re-org will allow them to modernize.

Edit: I would love to see a new Dark Cloud made by Level-5 in conjunction with Asobi inspired by Breath of the Wild.

 

[Impotaku]

I’m surprised Inafune wasn’t let go ages ago he’s another yuji naka type that failed to deliver and was living off past glory’s. Least fantasy life will finally come out despite everything.

their output while sporadic has still been really fun. Megaton musashi wired was one that kept me hooked for ages still stuff to do but about 63 hours so far. Currently 15 hours into yokai gakuen Y and just as much into yokai watch 4 and both are fantastic. They just need to be like I have mentioned in another thread more reserved about what they try to make into some multimedia mega franchise as it’s clearly too much for them.

If only Nintendo would absorb or partner with them it would be a perfect fit, most of the franchises have appeared on Nintendo hardware already. All the big hitters were either DS or 3DS games to start with anyway.

 

[Hudo]

Controversial take but I miss Inafune.

I miss Mega Man. I am not too big of a fan of Monster Hunter and Resident Evil.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Controversial take but I miss Inafune.

Despite the dislike he was still responsible for pushing Megaman hard. Him leaving Capcom and effectively shelfing Megaman felt like a betrayal. There must of been some fallout around the time of Megaman Legends 3 since soon after he left. And Megaman may as well have died at that point.

It's only the likes of Gunvolt(kinda) and Gravity Circuit that keep the Megaman soul alive.

Many of us still want a MML3.