The announcement of an Ōkami sequel at last year's Game Awards sent shockwaves of excitement through the fanbase, yet details remained scarce. A recent IGN interview with the project leads shed some light, confirming the sequel's status as a direct continuation of the original game's story.

Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi confirmed the sequel directly follows the events of the first game. When asked about the identity of the wolf-like figure in the TGA trailer, director Hideki Kamiya playfully responded with "I wonder...", but Hirabayashi swiftly confirmed it as Amaterasu.

While unsurprising to many fans, the sequel's development sparked discussion regarding the existing Ōkamiden, a Nintendo DS title starring Amaterasu's child, Chibiterasu. Ōkamiden received mixed reception, criticized for its DS platform and the absence of key members from the original team. Regarding Ōkamiden's acknowledgment in the new sequel, Hirabayashi stated: "We know that there are fans out there that like the game, of course. And we also know the feedback on the game out there, of how the story was taken and now how perhaps parts of the story weren’t aligning with what people were expecting. With that, we also have the sequel now that, as we explained before, is a continuation from the story of the original base Ōkami. That's how we're going to phrase it."

Ōkami's ending inherently sets the stage for a sequel, regardless of Ōkamiden's narrative. Without revealing spoilers, the original game concludes with Amaterasu and another character embarking on a new, unexplored journey, leaving ample opportunity for fresh challenges and narratives.

Further details remain elusive, with the team confirming the sequel is in very early development. The early announcement stemmed from their excitement, but as Hirabayashi noted, this also means "It might take a little bit of time before we might talk again."

For the complete interview with the Ōkami sequel's leads, [ttpp]