Capcoms Team-Based Approach Drives 2026 Success, Says COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto
Capcom’s 2026 slate—spanning Resident Evil: Requiem, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and Pragmata—has not only drawn global attention but also highlighted a strategic pivot that began in the mid‑2010s.
In a February interview with Famitsu (via Automaton), president and COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto revealed that the publisher has deliberately moved away from an auteur‑driven model toward a team‑first mentality. "When a title becomes a series, it often ends up depending heavily on a particular developer… the direction of the series becomes tied to the ideas of a single creator," Tsujimoto said. He noted that Capcom had long leaned on high‑profile creators such as Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry), Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil), and Hideaki Itsuno (Dragon’s Dogma), but that the shift was motivated by a need to meet shareholder expectations and reduce the risk that one creative vision could jeopardize a franchise.
The transition was formalized once Capcom began scrutinizing its responsibilities to investors. "We abandoned individual‑driven development in favor of team‑driven projects," Tsujimoto explained. The new framework requires every title to be rebuilt from the ground up, emphasizing collaborative design over a single creative lead. According to Tsujimoto, the company was prepared to accept short‑term sales dips to establish a sustainable development model.
The change coincided with the 2017 release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, widely regarded as the start of Capcom’s renaissance. The game returned the franchise to its survival‑horror roots and introduced the RE Engine, a technology that has powered Resident Evil Requiem (released February 27 2026) and other titles. The 2026 releases demonstrate the team‑based model’s effectiveness: Requiem has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, while Monster Hunter Stories 3 has been a commercial hit on Nintendo platforms. Street Fighter 6’s ongoing post‑launch content strategy also reflects the company’s emphasis on continuous, collaborative development.
Industry observers have noted Capcom’s transformation. Other studios have faced similar challenges with creator‑centric projects. For example, Toshihiro Nagoshi’s self‑named studio, Nagoshi Studio, reportedly lost NetEase funding and its YouTube channel disappeared in May 2026, leaving the future of the Gang of Dragon series uncertain. Meanwhile, Hideo Kojima remains active on multiple projects, and his partnership with Geoff Keighley has not shown signs of disruption.
Capcom’s shift to a team‑driven framework has positioned the publisher to sustain its flagship franchises while mitigating the volatility of individual‑led development. The company’s recent releases and continued investment in post‑launch content suggest that the new model is already delivering measurable results. As Capcom moves forward, it will likely continue to evaluate its development processes to balance creative innovation with commercial stability.
