Ico is an action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and Team Ico and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It was released in North America and Japan in 2001 and Europe in 2002 in various regions. It was designed and directed by Fumito Ueda, who wanted to create a minimalist game around a "boy meets girl" concept. Originally planned for the PlayStation, Ico took approximately four years to develop. The team employed a "subtracting design" approach to reduce elements of gameplay that interfered with the game's setting and story in order to create a high level of immersion.
Cover art of the European and Japanese versions, painted by director Fumito Ueda and inspired by the Italian painter Giorgio de Chirico's The Nostalgia of the Infinite
Ico (right) calls out to Yorda (left) while she waits on the ruined castle. The game's graphics feature soft light techniques.
Kenji Kaido and Fumito Ueda, the creative team behind Ico
The cover used for the North American release of Ico. It has been called one of the worst video game covers, in contrast to the cover used in other regions, and considered a contribution to weak sales of the game in North America.
Fumito Ueda is a Japanese video game designer. Ueda is best known as the director and lead designer of Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005) while leading Team Ico at Japan Studio, and The Last Guardian (2016) through his own development company GenDesign. His games have achieved cult status and are distinguished by their usage of minimal plot and scenario using fictional languages, and use of overexposed, desaturated light. He has been described by some as an auteur of video games.
Ueda during E3 2016
Ueda in 2017
