Ninja Theory: Sony relations 'completely amicable'

Heavenly Sword creator confirms intent to move studio location, but debunks rumors that departure reflects ill will toward publisher.

Kerfuffles in the gaming industry are nothing new, and the latest seemed to be between Heavenly Sword creators Ninja Theory and Sony Computer Entertainment. According to rumors sparked yesterday by gaming blog Kotaku, development had been halted on the unannounced follow-up to Heavenly Sword, which was reportedly in development at Sony Cambridge. Accompanying the rumor was word that Ninja Theory planned to check out of the work space it shared with Sony Cambridge, as it had "grown increasingly bitter about their treatment at Sony's hands."

Ninja Theory's next big thing.

One of those rumors, at least, can now be filed as bunk. "We are moving, but it's completely amicable," Ninja Theory cofounder and chief development ninja Nina Kristensen told GameSpot. "We move mid July and have been planning it for the best part of a year; there's nothing nefarious about it. We are excited about the move--our new premises are considerably bigger and in an excellent location near the town centre."

Having passed on Heavenly Sword 2 after being offered the gig by Sony, Ninja Theory is currently working on a yet-to-be-announced new property for undisclosed platforms. Details on the project are slim, but concept art released by the studio appears to indicate an annihilated far-future setting, where a decrepit technologically advanced civilization is being reclaimed by nature.

77 Comments

  • halfbreed11111

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 9:34 am PT

    w/e i like new ip better anywas

  • leo_p

    Posted Aug 10, 2008 5:11 am PT

    Ninja Theory PASSED on the gig to make HS2?? WTF? I feel betrayed! I thought they had a trilogy brewing. They seemed very passionate about the IP in all the interviews I've seen and I remember thinking to myself that this will be an epic saga with some great games with awesome acting, developed by people who love what they are doing. Apparently I was wrong. The feeling I get now is that they don't give a crap about it. Please prove me wrong Ninja Theory, issue a proper press release. I WANT MORE!

    PS. Putting more sh1tty and shallow FPS's, driving games and sports games on the shelves instead of HS2, an IP of artistic beauty and a true sense of storytelling, is a disgrace and a disease of the gaming industry today.

  • skyman_1981

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:25 pm PT

    Microsoft REJECTED Heavenly Sword, don't ask me why. They worked with Microsoft on the first Xbox with the critically acclaimed Kung-Fu Chaos. I really hope they make a sequel. I am pretty sure that they will be back to work with Microsoft and create an amazing title for X360 and Games for Windows. You have to hand it to Microsoft for attempting to revive the pc gaming market. I just built my computer recently, long time in progress and I absolutely love it over all my other systems.

    Athlon X2 5600+ (2.91 ghz) Dual Core - 65 Watt-65nm
    nVidia 9600 gt pcie2.0 w/512 mb ddr3
    msi motherboard
    160 gb sata series 2 HDD
    600 Watt Neon Blue PSU w/Neon blue case
    2 gb corsair ultra low latency pc6400 dual channel ddr2
    n band wireless pci adapter
    cd/dvd drive
    HP DVD Burner w/Lightscribe
    All in one media reader
    19 " Wide Acer 2000:1 LCD

    Not the best but it is perfect for me. Am broke though.

  • jknight5422

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:54 am PT

    It sounds like they'll welcome Mr. Softy with open arms... :-) Perhaps we can see a port of Heavenly Sword to the 360 & then generate Heavenly Sword II for the 360...man that would be so spiteful to Sorny if that happened.

  • cooldude03

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:54 am PT

    Heavenly Sword is one of my favorite PS3 titles. Hopefully the sequel will still be good with a different developer behind the wheel.

  • k11balla11n

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:27 am PT

    they ditch it because sony treated them likje **** and they want to make more money by making game for MS as well. and pretty soon they re going to ship HS to the 360 for $.

  • snarple_basic

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:24 am PT

    Oh great ditch Heavenly Sword 2 so you can make another 1st person shooter!!!! Just what we need another one shooter!!!

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:16 am PT

    Though I would have liked to see a Heavenly Sword 2, if what Ninja Theory is working on will be a quality title; then I'm all for it.

  • dulun19

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:43 am PT

    ....no heavenly sword 2??... ...

  • CVM_123

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 11:39 pm PT

    oh well we dont need heavenly sword

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 9:52 pm PT

    Hmmm judging from the pics its going to be Fallout 3 ... God of War-esque edition1!!!

  • masterchief375

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:08 pm PT

    oh well we dont need a Heavenly Sword sequel, we now have a little game called Metal gear Solid 4 to tide us over until God of War 3 comes out, even then, I'll still be hooked on MGS4.

  • ctg867

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:02 pm PT

    Hopefully the new title is good (and PS3 exclusive for Sony's sake), and they get somebody to make a good Heavenly Sword sequel if these guys won't do it.

  • CTBradums

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:54 pm PT

    Seriously...scroll down to what SPANNER-MAN said below. That sums up how I feel.

    Now, it's all about drama within and between the corporations, and it's all made up to be a huge war. Video games have lost their sense of being.

    Remember Nintendo; when games were just fun games to play with friends?

    Remember Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis; when - if you had one and your friend had the other, you didn't trash-talk the other system, you both shared and enjoyed both for what they were and the games each had?

    I won't even go into the whole Square-Enix thing, and how they're more interested in sucking the life out of old ideas and passing crap that they made solely to be different as an "original epic".

    *Sigh* At least this attempt at drama was revealed to be false.

  • Chiyo18

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:37 pm PT

    even if Ninja Theory isn't making a second Heavenly Sword right now, i really do hope that they make a sequal at some point. the first game had a lot of potential and i think a sequal would be able to capitalize on that quite well, if done properly.

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 5:36 pm PT

    heavanly sword was original planned for xbox btw and ms didn't bother keeping it after they gave negative feedback from the playtests they did and didn't secure anythign because they were missing their mark for a good 4 years. In the end sony picked it up and it still sucked.

  • quanloco

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 5:03 pm PT

    I would pass on a second iteration of a game too if the first one sold as bad as it did.

  • akiwak

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:32 pm PT

    Glad to see Gamespot correcting themselves from the previous article they posted today. I hope NT learned their lesson and with whatever other game they make, it is longer in gameplay and give it some replay incentive!

  • barJerubsheol

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:30 pm PT

    I agree kindredmachine. Sounds like an interesting game. I'm interested.

    Well said SPANNER-MAN.

  • al-masri

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:22 pm PT

    Heavenly Sword is owned by Sony

  • rulo_rezn0r posted Jun 18, 2008 4:21 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    rulo_rezn0r

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:21 pm PT (hide)

    maybe we are going to see heavenly sword 2 on the xbox 360=)

  • ShiftyInc

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:21 pm PT

    They were not even working on HS2 so what is the big deal. the game was to short anyways.

  • TrevasGallant

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:04 pm PT

    I'm bummed I won't be seeing a Heavenly Sword 2. The first one was awesome. However, I look forward to finding out what their next project may be. At least Heavenly Sword didn't end on a huge cliffhanger.

  • NikBZero

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:59 pm PT

    It's nice they are not just sticking with one type of game hopefully thier new game will be good.

  • kindredmachine

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:48 pm PT

    I LOVE sci-fi and apocoliptic type games... I hope their next title is really good.

  • perfectdefect

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:33 pm PT

    Nina Kristensen (co-founder) probably told them that they passed on the game, since she's the one they talked to...

  • VenomRitual

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:32 pm PT

    it might have sold more copies at a budget price. the main problem i read from reviews was the games short legnth. for $60 bucks, i doubt many would buy it.

  • Bodboy466

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    @ 0927734 or whatever your name is:
    The new IP is supposedly confirmed as multiplatform. And: "Having passed on Heavenly Sword 2 after being offered the gig by Sony": Who exactly said this, Gamespot? It's not even clear if Sony wanted to make HS2 at all, given the intermediate sales of the original, let alone get shot down on the deal. Irresponsible journalism, not that it would surprise me, or accidental omission of source?

  • Nickfury101

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:13 pm PT

    @KamuiFei
    "How was Heavenly Sword 2 cancelled when it was never confirmed?"

    I believe a sequel or even a franchise was in the talks, however I think the guy said, it was totally contingent on sales of the game. I don't know the sales figures for the first game, and don't quote me on this as I could be wrong.

  • jbot666

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:11 pm PT

    Whatever, Heavenly Sword was far from stellar in my book anyway. Sony is dodging a bullet.

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:11 pm PT

    gaming isn't the same as it used to be...

  • Scianix-Black

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:03 pm PT

    Lol someone edited the "Team Ninja" part.

    Good.

  • poonus21

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:57 pm PT

    @kobebryantyanic :

    err DoA4 sold around 1.2 million copes..

  • kobebryantyanic

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:54 pm PT

    I'll agree and said that tecmo backed the wrong console. DOA4 selling 400,000 copies so far? It's undeniable. They're smart though for bringing the sigma franchise to the ps3. By the way, what's the big deal?

  • SPANNER-MAN

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:45 pm PT

    Video games are not like once ago man, well to me that is. They just don't feel the same anymore. I remember it was about having fun with friends, and no one cared about the graphics or wich system was the most powerful. Now its like oh this game will beat this, xbox lovers take that, ps3 lovers eat this, wii lovers ur not even a next gen. Boring. I remember playing games just because they where good games, not because one had better graphics or one system should rule them all, just enjoy the games man. U want the game get the game, if u don't want the game then don't simple as that, no need to hate.

  • KamuiFei

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:42 pm PT

    @SalarianChemist

    How was Heavenly Sword 2 cancelled when it was never confirmed?

  • 09231991

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:41 pm PT

    Sounds cool I hope their new IP will be for the 360

  • VirtuaCast

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    360 fans with are higher attach embrace this new game woot.

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    Tough to turn a profit on a PS3 exclusive. Kind of them to let Sony off the hook for giving the Ax to the companies baby.

  • Shtinky

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    - Team Ninja Cofounder ROFL @ GameSpot. -

  • Viral-venom13

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:12 pm PT

    Although work on the Sword sequel has been halted, i would very much like to see a sequel be made for the game. I just hope that this new project Ninja Theory is working on won't be cancelled and will be badass at the time of its release!!

  • DevilD2005

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:11 pm PT

    That is good.

  • ocdog45

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    how is this a cancelled ps3 game?

  • SalarianChemist

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:03 pm PT

    Yet another Playstation 3 game that is cancelled.

  • skee_uk

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:01 pm PT

    @LittleYoshi heavenly sword has sold over a million copies, so it has done well.

    i hope an eventual sequel is brought out on ps3 for heavenly sword, it was a great little game to bad there wasnt much to go back to once completed

  • Petri87

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 2:01 pm PT

    @AmyMizuno - Yeah, totally. It was a bad move to back up the console whit a larger install base and higher attach rate.
    Tecmo treated their employees like crap and thats why they left.
    If you seriously don't know what happened then dont post because that will just make you look stupid and uninformed.
    Also Tecmo and Team Ninja arent going anywhere. They will be making Ninja Gaiden and DoA in the furure. If you didnt know, Team Ninja is alot bigger then Ninja Theory so they still have a fair ammount of ppl there. Ninja Theory has only released two games. Kung Fu Chaos for the Xbox and Heavenly Sword for the PS3 so i think they will tank before Tecmo or Team Ninja does. Tecmo has been around since '67 so they know how to stay up and running

  • 0678

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 1:54 pm PT

    lol lies

  • AncientDozer

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 1:47 pm PT

    Amy, darling. Like Livewirez said. It wasn't the console or the product, it was the company. They backed the wrong company. EA isn't the only one who supposedly screws its employees.

  • Livewirez

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 1:31 pm PT

    Well since ninja theory passes on heavenly sword 2 and are now making a possible multiplatform game, I highly doubt they'd come crawling back to sony after the release of their new game(s) just to make heavenly sword 2 for sony since sony owns the ip? I think this is for the best really, they have moved on to bigger and better things, like xbox 360 well hopefully anyways. @ AmyMizuno, playstation fans should really learn to read properly; a third of the team ninja and itagaki left tecmo because of their wages not being paid, not because of ninja gaiden 2 or the console they backed, that has nothing to do with it whatsoever.

  • 5FingersOfDeath

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 1:28 pm PT

    The future: a bad place to visit.

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