Hideki Kamiya of Clovers expresses a "very strong responsibility" to safeguard employees from layoffs

Hideki Kamiya, head of Clovers studio and lead game designer, expresses a strong sense of duty to safeguard the studio amid widespread layoffs in the industry.

During an in-depth discussion with VGC, Kamiya emphasized the studio's commitment to its employees, stating a determination to support their team members rather than resort to layoffs.

"We can't simply dismiss employees because a project fails. We have to sustain the company for those who contribute to it," Kamiya remarked.

He acknowledged that large corporations sometimes face situations necessitating layoffs, but Clovers aims to uphold its responsibility to its staff.

VGC highlighted that Japanese companies experience fewer instances of layoffs and project cancellations compared to their Western counterparts.

Kento Koyama, Clovers' CEO, noted that while he lacks experience in international development, there seems to be a creator-respecting culture in Japan. In the West, he surmised that financial objectives often collide with creative ones.

Kamiya observed that Japanese publishers generally show a closer alignment with developers, offering more understanding and support to creative teams.

He offered his perspective on the Scalebound cancellation, an action game made by PlatinumGames and backed by Microsoft, suggesting that partnering with a Japanese publisher could have altered the way events unfolded.

Although not guaranteeing the project's completion with a Japanese publisher, Kamiya speculated that the process might have been different and less urgent than with Western publishers.

Despite Scalebound's setback, he remains open to collaborations with foreign publishers and seeks to leverage strengths from both sides in future projects.

Regarding PlatinumGames, Kamiya noted no communication, official or private, about Clovers’ inception.

He stressed that the outlook on game creation varies between Clovers and PlatinumGames, emphasizing that neither approach is superior, but alignment in mindset is crucial for satisfaction.

The dialogue also shed light on Clovers' "beneficial" collaboration with Capcom, enabling their growth through a project based on the game Okami.

Kamiya clarified that Clovers operates independently, without financial backing from Capcom, providing potential for various partnerships, including self-publishing.

This independence opens avenues for Clovers to pursue diverse collaborations and growth opportunities, maintaining full control over their operations and creative direction.