Pragmata is a bizarre new IP from Capcom, the developers of popular franchises such as Devil May Cry, Resident Evil and Monster Hunter. While we don’t know much about the game, it is confirmed to be coming out relatively soon.
We got a teaser trailer for Pragmata back in June 2020, but we only had more questions than answers about what the hell was going on. What is clear is that Pragmata is some sort of dystopian science fiction adventure game. We are still waiting for more information to come to light, but we have a release window and few ideas about what’s going on in the trailer.
Before we dive in, this title still has time to launch, so keep in mind our frequently updated lists of best PC games and best PC Game Pass games as well as our best Xbox Series X games and best PS5 games. If you haven't purchased the latest-gen of consoles, we highly recommend checking out our Xbox Series X|PS5 reviews. And if you're more into the imaginative play, see our best virtual tabletop software and DND tips pages.
Now, here’s everything we know so far about Pragmata as well as some things we'd love to see in the first entry to this potentially new franchise.
Pragmata release date
Pragmata is set to launch sometime in 2023 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
According to a Capcom blog, the company will be sharing additional information on Pragmata in 2021, but we’re already more than halfway through the year and haven’t heard a peep. This year has seen many video game delays across the industry, so it’s possible Pragmata will get hit with the same.
Strangely enough, according to a Sony CES 2021 sizzle reel, Pragmata is slated for a 2023 release window. However, Capcom’s site and Twitter page still state that Pragmata is set to launch in 2022. It seems like a typo, but with the pandemic still very much present in the world, it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if it slowed down development. (It was not a typo).
Pragmata story
Pragmata is weird. From what we can discern from the first teaser trailer, this wild game revolves around a little girl and a person in an astronaut suit. The aforementioned child doesn’t appear to be human, as she can breathe in space and do some strange stuff with her eyes. The earth as we know it seems to have collapsed and is surrounded by some sort of technology encompassing the sky above.
When the astronaut and the child escape the planet and land on the moon, the child asks, “What is that?” in a robotic voice. To which the astronaut responds, “Freedom, our freedom.” Speaking of robots, we see a robot cat on the planet. Maybe some sort of biological technology has taken over the world, at least, that’s my best guess.
In Capcom’s press release, it states that Pragmata is set in a dystopian near-future on Earth’s Moon. So, we might not actually be on Earth for very long in this game. On the Xbox store page, it states that “the company aims to establish Pragmata as one of its core brands.” So this sounds like a franchise in the making, which is exciting because we don’t get enough new IPs nowadays.
Pragmata gameplay
We have no idea what to expect from Pragmata’s gameplay. Capcom describes it as a sci-fi action adventure game, but apart from that, we know nothing. That said, we can glean a few things from the trailer.
The astronaut seems to have configurable gadgets and weapons. One gadget he used could sense the presence of the little girl. Another gadget that was used, seemingly with the little girl’s aid, was a giant balloon that protected them from a crashing satellite. It almost seemed like he had a sci-fi 3D printer on his back to create gadgets.
Pragmata doesn’t seem like a game with traditional gunplay, but maybe one with gadgets that can be used to accomplish different things. I imagine there will be enemies — possibly some nasty robots — that we can use the gadgets against. I imagine there will be a lot of traps and deterrents as opposed to full-on guns. That would be interesting, but I am not opposed to traditional gunplay, either.
In Capcom's 2021 Integrated Report, it states that "Newly hired young employees are given the chance to acquire know-how and skills through hands-on experience in the field as they are assigned to the development of popular IPs and major titles. Pragmata is just one such endeavor for our young employees." That's pretty exciting, since new blood breeds new ideas, which could make for a much more unique experience.
Pragmata PC minimum and recommended requirements
There’s not a lot to go on apart from Pragmata featuring next-gen tech, like ray tracing, so we imagine that the specs might look similar to those in Resident Evil Village.
The minimum requirements for a system to run Resident Evil Village include an Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 560 GPU and 8GB of RAM. However, if you want to experience ray tracing, the minimum requirements are an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU.
Meanwhile, the recommended specs (1080p, 60 fps) require an Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 GPU and 16GB of RAM. For ray tracing, you need an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 GPU.
Outlook
I love almost every game Capcom puts out, and I’m excited to see what Pragmata shapes into. I am a huge fan of weird science fiction stuff, especially in video games, and if Capcom is truly going for a “profound” story, I’m excited to see what that looks like.
Capcom’s games are fantastic, but a lot of them have a cheesy story, even the ones that are supposed to be serious. Hopefully, Capcom can move away from the B-movie writing style, nail down some realistic dialogue, and give us some desperately needed emotions. Make me cry, damn it!
