We already predicted a relation towards Tenchu during the E3 announcement trailer, and now, FromSoftware confirmed our guess.

GamesIndustry interviewed Yasuhiro Kitao, the community manager of FromSoftware, and he explained how the project that started out as Tenchu became a brand new IP during its development:

„So initially when we had this project proposal we took it to some companies. We don’t have the clout to publish outside of Asia and Japan, and so Activision was one of the companies we approached and one of the companies who said they would like to talk. And they loved the idea; they loved the project right from the start. They respected our vision, and also along the way, they were able to provide user testing and feedback that we simply can’t handle, so it was beneficial.

When we initially set out to create something different from Dark Souls and our previous titles, we thought it would be interesting to make a Japanese themed game. So from that, we started going in the direction of the shinobi and ninja, and of course, Tenchu was an IP with that history; that was the original impetus for this project. But as we developed and as we partnered with Activision, and started building it together, it started becoming its own thing, and the game we wanted to make was no longer just Tenchu, so it evolved into its own thing.”

Michelle Fonseca, Activision’s marketing director, explained how Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice expands the publisher’s portfolio: „We know how to take big games to market. We know how to publish and market these games in the Western market, and on the eastern side… so using these resources helps to get the game in as many hands as possible and that’s what we’re here to do for these guys. This is rounding out our portfolio in a new and interesting way, and I think we’re going to take back learning from it, and then we’ll see.”

The game showed up on the PlayStation Store as something with in-game purchases, also known as microtransactions. Regarding the subject, Wiebke Valentine, a PR representative of Step 3 (which, in turn, is related to Activision), told COGConnected that the game has no microtransactions. There might be DLC as is usual with FromSoftware titles, though. The Store listing has a mistake, that is all.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice launches on March 22 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: WCCFTech, DualShockers