Pragmata Director Reveals Why the Game Was Delayed So Many Times

The director of Pragmata has revealed that balancing was the major reason why the game was delayed multiple times. Science fiction games featuring robots, or titles that bring together unlikely partners, are very popular among gamers. Pragmata, Capcom’s new IP, promises to have both, in addition to combat with innovative mechanics and an engaging story.

Pragmata takes players to a research station in outer space where, after getting separated from his companions, Hugh Williams meets a little girl named Diana. The two then combine their skills to escape the ship, which is full of hostile robots. Fans first saw Pragmata in 2020, when Capcom revealed a mysterious trailer during the PlayStation 5 reveal event. However, the game, which was initially scheduled for a 2022 release, was pushed back to 2023 and then postponed indefinitely. Just when fans thought the title would be gone forever, Pragmata got an encouraging update in 2025. Now, the developer team is explaining why the game needed more time.

Balancing Was the Main Reason for Pragmata’s Delay

In an interview with The Gamer, director Cho Yonghee revealed that Pragmata‘s balancing was the main reason for the game’s multiple delays. He says that the main concept and core elements of the sci-fi adventure game have not changed, but that Pragmata‘s combat system was challenging to implement. According to Yonghee, there was “so much trial and error” defining what worked best from a mechanical and visual standpoint. Pragmata producer Naoto Oyama echoed the director’s sentiments, confirming that having two blended mechanics, one with Hugo shooting, and the other with Diana hacking, is the reason the game has been in development since 2020.

Responding to The Gamer’s question about whether revealing Pragmata five years ago led to any regrets, Yonghee has a different opinion. He says that the announcement served to motivate the development team, and says that if they hadn’t released the 2020 trailer, “Pragmata might not be the same game it is today.” Oyama suggested that the trailer served, in a way, to promote the game, because “whenever there was a digital showcase, people always expected Pragmata.”

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With Pragmata‘s appearance at Tokyo Game Show 2025, the game received a new release window and is now scheduled for release in 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Capcom also shared a nearly three-minute trailer with another glimpse of the game, with one of the key moments focusing on Diana hacking an enemy robot. This is followed by a puzzle that, when solved, significantly increases the damage caused by Hugh’s pistol.