Capcom has created and published some of the greatest games of all time. It is the studio behind massive, ongoing franchises like Street Fighter and Resident Evil, and it is home to developers who have constantly redefined genres in gaming. In recent years, however, Capcom has only shown interest in a handful of their biggest franchises. Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Monster Hunter seem to be the only franchises that receive updates or new entries. Meanwhile, fan-favorite franchises like Mega Man, Dead Rising, and Devil May Cry have been on an extended hiatus.
One of Capcom's more underrated titles, Dragon's Dogma, was initially meant to have a sequel. After years of waiting, fans became less hopeful a follow-up would ever surface, despite the creation of numerous ports, a spin-off MMO, and a Dragon's Dogma anime on Netflix. That changed on the game's 10th anniversary, when the title's director, Hideaki Itsuno, officially announced that he was working on a Dragon's Dogma sequel. Not only did that delight countless Dragon's Dogma fans, but it may have also set a precedent for Capcom to revisit some of its classic titles.
It's amazing to see that after 10 years, Capcom is willing to return to a relatively niche franchise like Dragon's Dogma. One of the main complaints that has been levied at the studio recently is its overreliance on a few core franchises. Street Fighter is a staple in the competitive fighting game genre and Resident Evil is by far one of Capcom's most successful and profitable franchises. As amazing as those games are, Capcom has a much broader catalog of games. For the most part, they have never been a "yearly release" studio.
For many fans, games like Okami and Onimusha are why they got into Capcom titles in the first place. The company has one of the most varied portfolios of any game studio. From RPGs to third-person shooters, they have it all. As a matter of fact, many of the studio's niche games are some of their best, and bringing them to modern consoles would help resolve issues that have plagued them. More people have become enamored with these games since their initial release, so their fan base has grown, in some cases, exponentially.
Obviously, some of the hesitancy to return to older franchises is financial in nature. Several beloved Capcom series did not sell as well as its bigger titles. Capcom has been known to set unrealistic sales expectations for some of its games, which hindered them from ever truly succeeding. Dragon's Dogma may not fall into that category, but many others have. It is likely the boosted sales from the rerelease of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen that prompted Capcom to take a chance on a sequel. Along with the director who created the first game and Devil May Cry 5, it seems like a recipe for success. If it works, then that opens the doors for dozens of other games to return, which is exactly what fans want.
There is no guarantee that Dragon's Dogma II could spark a return of other Capcom series, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. The company just released the Capcom Fighting Collection, which prominently features the Darkstalkers series. That franchise has largely remained dormant since 2013. It also recently announced a brand-new IP called Exoprimal. This all seems to suggest that Capcom is listening to fans by attempting to diversify its release lineup.
This has not always worked out for Capcom in the past. It has continuously tried to modernize, Westernize, and serialize its franchises since its inception. The gaming landscape is vastly different now than it was even 10 years ago, and there is so much potential in their older games. It may not be out of the question to see the return of some of their classics like Darkstalkers, Strider, or even Viewtiful Joe. If Dragon's Dogma can be resurrected, then there is hope for any Capcom property.