The Last Guardian

Remember The Last Guardian? I know, it's been a while, so I'll forgive any lapses in memory that may have written off this exceptionally hyped project.

The Last Guardian is a PlayStation 3 exclusive that's been stuck in development for a very long time. It was revealed in 2009 as a Team ICO project. Team ICO is the studio that used to be headed up by Fumito Ueda, and they were the collective minds behind both Shadow of the Colossus and Ico.

A lot has happened between 2009 and 2013. The Last Guardian was delayed several times and has been a no-show at gaming conferences for far too long. Even more troubling is that Fumito Ueda left Sony to work on other projects, though both he and Sony say that Ueda is still the creative lead on The Last Guardian.

Now, Ueda has provided a small contextual update for the game on his own site. Here's the letter he writes to fans and gamers, bold emphasis my own.

To All Interested Parties

As some of you may have heard, I left Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio some time ago to pursue my creative passions. Nevertheless, I continue working on THE LAST GUARDIAN as a freelance contributor.

While it's been a long time coming, THE LAST GUARDIAN remains under my creative supervision and is still in development by an incredibly talented team.

I should also mention that details regarding THE LAST GUARDIAN's release is solely decided by Sony Computer Entertainment, not myself. Please keep an eye out for their official announcement.

Moving forward, it is my intent to continue my involvement with THE LAST GUARDIAN project, as well as pursue new creative projects with a fresh perspective. As I rekindle my passions as a creator, I look forward to seeing where it will take me, and I deeply appreciate your support during this transition.

Fumito Ueda

Of course, it makes sense that the publisher would control the release information regarding one of their bigger games. However, those reading between the lines might notice a sense of tension and blame shifting in the message. I certainly did.

Hopefully The Last Guardian will release before the PlayStation 4 comes and sucks up any real interest in PlayStation 3 software. Or, could we see The Last Guardian launch on the PS4 instead?