Capcom’s upcoming PlayStation 5 title Pragmata , launching on April 17, is a bold new sci-fi adventure that combines puzzles and action to deliver an experience that is both thrilling and deeply strategic.
During the recent hands-on, we also spoke with the game’s director, Yonghee Cho, and producer, Naoto Oyama, who shared some insight into the game’s development as well as its PS5-specific features.
(Left) Yonghee Cho, Pragmata director, Capcom (Right) Naoto Oyama, Pragmata producer, Capcom
Note: the following interview has been condensed for brevity.
PlayStation Blog: How have players been reacting to the Pragmata Sketchbook demo that’s out now?
Oyama: We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. We expected more mixed reactions, so it’s been a pleasant surprise to see how much the players enjoyed it.
I think it’s one of those games where you can’t fully understand what makes it special until you actually play it. That’s why we decided to release the demo fairly early, and we’ve been thrilled by the amount of positive feedback. The game experienced multiple delays, being first revealed in 2020 with a 2022 release window, which was later moved to 2023, and then delayed indefinitely. Even so, the team never lost focus and kept pushing forward. Now that players can finally try the demo, I feel equal parts relief and anxiety.
Cho: We never imagined the game would attract this level of anticipation. Although our goal was always to create something unique, every new trailer seemed to amplify the buzz. With that attention came greater pressure, and trying to meet every player’s expectation probably played a part in the delays.
The intricately designed streets of New York really stand out, as did details like Diana’s smooth, flowing hair and the metallic finish of the enemy bots. Could you tell us more about the attention to detail that went into the visuals?
Cho: I’ve always felt that bold, intentional designs are essential when creating artificial machines. The mechs in this game have a sleek, near-futuristic aesthetic, which gives the visuals a very different feel from other Capcom games like Resident Evil or Devil May Cry. To create beautiful mechanical designs, I worked closely with the modeling and background teams. Natural elements are full of visual information, like a zombie’s blood in Resident Evil. Mechs, on the other hand, can easily appear flat or sterile, so we focused on ways to add depth and nuance. Adding decals and carving subtle grooves helped us create a sense of complexity and scale.
Oyama: For the enemy bots, we refined every component, paying attention not only to their smooth exterior, but also how they look after their shields are destroyed by Diana’s hacking.
Read more