Pragmata has certainly caught the eye of gaming enthusiasts, gathering 466 votes that propelled it ahead of heavyweight titles like Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. What’s notable is that these contenders seem likely to hit the market within the next year, yet Pragmata continues to captivate. It’s not just a flash in the pan either; since its 2020 debut, this title has consistently remained a favorite in Famitsu reader polls, often landing in the top three. In fact, you’d have to flip all the way back to a September 2023 issue to find a time when it wasn’t among the top ten most sought-after games.
The sheer numbers in its favor are a bit puzzling though, as there’s been only the occasional glimpse into what Pragmata has to offer. A handful of intriguing visuals and short gameplay snippets have trickled out over the past five years, leaving many wondering what exactly sparks such enthusiasm among Famitsu’s audience. I’ll be honest, the initial reveal piqued my interest, yet given its tumultuous journey, it’s hard not to place it in the same mental bin as Deep Down—another promising Capcom endeavor that ultimately faded away.
What we know about Pragmata largely comes from Capcom’s own marketing team. They’ve painted a picture of it as a fresh action-adventure set in a near-future dystopian world on the moon, promising a “deeply profound story and setting.” This is the narrative echoed across PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
Back when the team announced another delay, they expressed their regret, saying, “Our team is currently hard at work making the best game that we possibly can, but we need more time. We will continue to do our best to ensure that the final product is one that is worthy of your patience.”
So, where does that leave us? Is Pragmata destined to follow in the footsteps of Deep Down, or could it surprise us all like Fumito Ueda’s The Last Guardian eventually did? Perhaps Capcom is biding its time for a next-gen release. The details might be murky, but one thing is crystal clear: Pragmata has left a lasting impression on the gaming community. It would indeed be unfortunate if Capcom allowed this enthusiasm to fade without giving us something truly spectacular.
