Clover Studio
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Capcom |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Studio closed; key staff departed and formed PlatinumGames |
| Headquarters | Japan , Japan |
| Parent | Capcom |
was a Japanese video game developer established by Capcom. The company was responsible for the PlayStation 2 adaptation of Viewtiful Joe, both versions of Viewtiful Joe 2 on the GameCube and PlayStation 2 platforms, as well as the PS2 titles Ōkami and God Hand. The term "clover" derives from a combination of "creativity lover" and the Japanese syllables mi ("three") and ba ("leaf"), taken from the names of Shinji Mikami and Clover's Atsushi Inaba.
Primarily composed of Capcom R&D personnel, the studio was created to allow greater managerial autonomy and artistic independence, akin to Sega's quasi-independent studios in the early 2000s. Clover prioritized generating original intellectual property rather than producing sequels. When these new IPs failed to match the commercial success of Capcom’s flagship franchises, Capcom sought to reintegrate Clover into its internal R&D division. Instead, several key staff members opted to depart, which ultimately led to the studio’s closure.
Following Clover’s disbandment, a number of its principal developers launched Seeds Inc., which later merged with ODD Incorporated in October 2007 to form PlatinumGames, a studio predominantly staffed by former Clover employees. Other team members, including Ōkami's art director, joined UTV Ignition Games' Tokyo branch, where they worked on El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. On 28 October 2010, notable Clover and PlatinumGames contributor Shinji Mikami became part of ZeniMax Media following ZeniMax’s acquisition of his new company, Tango Gameworks.
At The Game Awards 2024, it was revealed that Hideki Kamiya established an independent studio named Clovers to develop a sequel to Ōkami, paying homage to Clover Studio.
History
Clover Studio was created by Capcom as a semi-independent division primarily to facilitate the development of Viewtiful Joe 2. This initiative focused on generating new original IP. The move came after disagreements regarding the PlayStation 2 release of Resident Evil 4, which conflicted with Capcom’s exclusivity policies. Clover produced two additional Viewtiful Joe titles as spin-offs and commissioned an anime adaptation through Group TAC. Their flagship project, Ōkami, aligned with Capcom’s strategy to foster original IP creation. Despite receiving critical acclaim, Ōkami did not achieve strong sales; its follow-up project, God Hand, performed even less successfully. Moreover, Clover’s developers felt restricted by Capcom’s conservative corporate culture, which was reluctant to embrace innovative risks.
Clover Studio was shut down by Capcom in late 2006 after key figures Atsushi Inaba, Hideki Kamiya, and Shinji Mikami resigned. These departures were part of a larger exodus from Capcom that included figures like Yoshiki Okamoto in 2003 and Keiji Inafune in 2010. Inafune, like his predecessors, criticized Capcom’s policy mandating that 70-80% of new projects be sequels—often approaching nearly 100%—which severely limited creative latitude.
Legacy
Former Clover staff went on to establish PlatinumGames. In 2008, they unveiled the "Platinum Three": MadWorld, Infinite Space, and Bayonetta, projects intended to carry forward the innovative legacy reminiscent of the Capcom Five.
In 2009, Capcom producer and Senior Corporate Officer of R&D Keiji Inafune confirmed that there were no plans within Capcom to develop sequels to Clover’s titles.
Capcom released an official sequel to Ōkami, titled Ōkamiden, for the Nintendo DS platform in 2010.
Characters from both Viewtiful Joe and Ōkami have appeared across other Capcom franchises. Specifically, Viewtiful Joe and Yami from Ōkami were featured in the 2008 fighting game Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Additionally, Viewtiful Joe and Amaterasu appeared as playable fighters in the 2011 titles Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and its update, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
A high-definition remaster of Ōkami, developed by Capcom in collaboration with HexaDrive, was released digitally for the PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network in October 2012 and physically in Japan in November 2012. This HD edition later became available worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in December 2017, followed by a release on the Nintendo Switch in August 2018.
Games created
| Year | Game | Platform(s) | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Viewtiful Joe | GameCube, PlayStation 2 | Capcom |
| 2004 | Viewtiful Joe 2 | ||
| 2005 | Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble | GameCube, PlayStation Portable | |
| Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! | Nintendo DS | ||
| 2006 | Ōkami | PlayStation 2 | |
| God Hand |