Surprisingly, Quantum Theory producer Yasuo Egawa stated that targeting new audiences – women, specifically – has been Tecmo’s new focus in the last three or four years. Perhaps this is why Quantum Theory features a prominent female co-op partner.
“Most thirdperson shooters are just full of men; big, sweaty men. So we thought we could bring a softer character into the genre. We’re Tecmo – we’re good at female characters!” the game’s character designer, Hiroyuki Yazaki, told Edge.
In addition to targeting the female audience, Tecmo also intend to strengthen their foothold in the West. Quantum Theory, does, after all, look a lot like Gears of War. Egawa believes the key to maintaining a presence in Japan and abroad is a careful balance of elements that appeal to both markets. Addressing this point, he said: “Thirdperson shooters aren’t so popular in Japan, but if we try to pitch the game in a way that a Japanese audience will better understand, we could alienate the western audience. It’s a balancing act… We need to present it to the Japanese audience in a different way. We have to focus on story and characters, which a Japanese player might value more than a western player.”
Egawa also said that Quantum Theory is intended to be a “third pillar” for publisher Tecmo, alongside staple franchises such as Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive.
