LightSpeed Studios’ “Original IP Initiative” Bodes Well For Itsuno’s New Game

I’ve been a fan of Capcom’s works my whole life. The first ever game I played was Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara after all. From the sublime camera manipulation of Resident Evil and blazing action of Devil May Cry to the RPG goodness of Monster Hunter and Dragon’s Dogma, it’s been one hell of a ride. Capcom had a wealth of talent, so it’s only natural that I keep tabs on the brilliant minds behind these games, you know, as a fan should, and look forward to what they do next. 

Shinji Mikami, Hideki Kamiya, and Hideaki Itsuno, practically everyone in the gaming industry is well familiar with these names. There’s a reason Capcom’s games were so amazing. Well, let’s discuss Hideaki Itsuno today. Devil May Cry is among my all-time franchises, and when Itsuno left Capcom and joined LightSpeed Studios, I was curious what he’d do next. Imagine my surprise when he announced a new AAA action game. However, a new studio, will things be alright? Skepticism is understandable, but it might not be warranted here.

LightSpeed Studios’ Original IP Push Is Interesting

Okay, confession time. I had never heard of LightSpeed Studios before 2024, when Itsuno joined it. Kinda embarrassing, considering it’s been around for 15 years now, but I never got into PUBG Mobile, so can you blame me? Regardless, over the past year, I’ve been keeping an eye on the studio, and this new “Original IP Initiative” caught my eye. It’s a big part of LightSpeed Studios’ future plans, and if done right, could be exactly what we need these days.

Lightspeed Studios: We’re thrilled to welcome Hideaki Itsuno as Head of LightSpeed Japan Studio! With over 30 years of experience, @tomqe will lead the development of AAA action games with our global teams.
byu/Turbostrider27 inGames

Full disclosure, I’m not operating on blind faith here, so let’s take a look at rational facts. Yes, LightSpeed Studios doesn’t really have big-name games under its belt except PUBG Mobile, but all this might change very soon. As per the Original IP push, the studio seems to be gearing towards games with creative freedom and compelling world design, all the while uplifting original creations. To this end, it’s recruiting real talent from across the world and equipping them with production resources, as stated in the GDC 2026 presentation.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to see sequels and faithful recreations of my beloved games. But in this era of remakes and remasters, creative original IPs are more important than ever. We need games with imaginative game design and compelling narratives, engaging gameplay choices that prioritize uniqueness and originality. Rather than playing it safe with established franchises, we need more risky undertakings that just might become the next big thing. If LightSpeed Studios manages to achieve this, I’m all up for it. And between the Last Sentinel and Itsuno’s unnamed action game, it just might happen after all.

High Hopes For Itsuno’s Action Game

Yes, you can argue “I’ll believe it when I see it,” and I can totally get behind that, but I firmly believe LightSpeed Studios deserves a chance, because I like what I’m hearing so far. Don’t forget, Chinese studios are doing some amazing stuff for gaming these days. There isn’t an open world as engaging and alive as Where Winds Meet, that’s for sure. Based on that, I’m really eager to see what Chinese companies do next, and LightSpeed Studios is right there on my radar.

Of course, the most important thing would be Itsuno’s upcoming action game. If LightSpeed Studios’ push is to be believed, this project should fall under the original IP category, and we can surely expect creative freedom for Itsuno’s vision regarding this game. Nothing is known as to what it actually is so far, but we do know that Itsuno is planning to make what he always wanted to see in an action game. The project is supposed to be a culmination of his design choices.

Hideaki Itsuno basically said he's tired of making only Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma and started his own studio to create something original
byu/Leon_Dante_Raiden_ inCharacterActionGames

All this is what makes me excited for the game. I loved Dragon’s Dogma and Devil May Cry, and between the dedication to original IPs and creative game worlds, and Itsuno’s expertise in action combat, I think this project is really worth looking forward to. Will it surpass Devil May Cry as the pinnacle of action games? I’m not sure, and neither will I claim as such. But if it’s given the freedom to be what Itsuno wants it to be, and there’s ample support to make it a reality in its original state, I think we’ll be looking at something amazing.