The upcoming expansion to the already incredible factory-building title Factorio is shaping up to be one of my most highly anticipated releases of this year. With over 1,000 hours—rookie numbers to some—in the resource management meets base builder, the promise of new content to explore is alone enough to excite me. But every Friday, developer Wube Software has been showcasing a new feature, system, or element that will be present in Factorio: Space Age. And today,?? they revealed our first new threat in the ??expansion: terrifying Pentapod creatures.

In the base game for Factorio, the alien planet on which we build our factory is inhabited by a unique creature: biters. These alien creatures are the primary threat throughout Factorio, soaking up the pollution your factories spit out which causes them to grow in size, health, and damage. They eventually evolve into a??nother type as well called spitters, which allow them to shoot projectile acid at you. Aside from those two mobile creatures, they are also immobile worms that are immobile but more resistant to damage and also shoot acid projectiles at you which can be tedious.

The new creatures featured by Wube in today's Factorio Friday Facts are Pentapod's, almost starfish-looking creatures with five limbs. The lowest tier of Pentapod is the Wriggler, a creature that isn't too threatening alone, but when grouped up with many others can be quite overwhelming. The next step are are Strafers, rather fragile creatures but with the ability to launch Wriggler's at you as if they are hominig missile. On impact, the Wriggler will not only hit you but begin to attack you as well. They kind of remind me of Brood Lord's from StarCraft,? which I know is an odd comparison but hey, this is an odd creature.

Finally, we have the gargantuan beast h??ighlighted in the featured image for this article, the Stomper. The massive creature is super tanky and tough, which a short-range spit attack. However, its primary attack is to stomp on you with its colossal feet, dealing splash damage. Upon defeating a Stomper, its core shell will crack open releasing a bunch of Wriggler's that will then attack you. You know, kind of like those videos where someone squishes a spider only for a ton of baby ones to swarm out. Pretty terrifying stuff all around.

Perhaps most interesting about the reveal is that all of these creatures seem to be exclusive to the planet Gleba, one of four new planets coming in Factorio: Space Age. Not only are the creatures themselves unique, but the environment leads to some interesting ways for combating them. For example, pollution on Gleba works differently. The environment of the planet is already in CO2, so direct pollution itself isn't what attracts the new enemy. Instead, a fungi that you need to grow in order to progress and build new things on Gleba ?have an aroma that attracts the Pent?apods, causing them to attack and evolve much like the Biters. Also, in terms of the terrain, it's usually a solid strategy to use cliffside as a sort of wall when defending against Biters. But the Strafers and Stompers can both scale cliffs, making it a lost cause.

The Pentapods and the unique challenges and even opportunities they present in Factorio: Space Age is very fascinating when you consider that this is just one of the four new planets in the expansion. Who knows what other challenges or creatures we will face on the other three planets. Factorio: Space Age looks like it's going to have a ton of content for an?? expansion?, and I simply can't wait to explore everything new it has to offer when it releases on October 21, 2024.

The post Factor??io: Space Age shows off terrifying new Pentap??od creatures appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer looks to 'safely' modernize 2001 horror classic

When it was finally revealed that the horror-lovin' developer Bloober Team would be producing a remake of Konami's Silent Hill 2, there were some grumblings from the peanut gallery, with some fans feeling that the Layers of Fear and The Medium developer might not be up?? to the task in handl?ing the beloved 2001 release

Perhaps sensing said concern, (or simply after reading all of the complaints on social medi??a), Bloober Team has noted its intention to present a faithful and authentic adaptation of the survival horror classic, one which will capture the spirit and heavy atmosphere of the original title while modernizing some of its more dated elements.

"We are focusing on bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized Silent Hill 2. Longtime fans shouldn’t worry about us 'missing the point' while we’re livening up the title." said marketing chief Anna Jasińska in an interview with DreadXP. "We will faithfully stick to the tra??ditional story canon while remaking the gameplay and updating the graphics from the ground up."

//www.youtu?b?e.com/watch?v=8qPdInnvMzg&;ab_channel=Konami

Anna cites specific examples that will be tweaked in the remake include the use of the in-game camera, as well as the combat mechanics. Jasińska describes the team as taking a "very safe approach" to any of the proposed in-game changes, but is committed to ensuring that the remake will present a modern and contempo?rary edition of the now 20-year-old PS2 title.

If I may play Devil's Advocate, Marge, I'm willing to give Bloober Team the benefit of the doubt. I think that Layers of Fear, The Medium, and Observer offered creepy atmosphere, psychological horror, and suitably unnerving visuals, and the Polish developer has shown growth with each consecutive release. While tampering with a stone-cold classic is packed with untold risk, those are, unfortunately, the breaks tha?t come with getting a remake at all. There is definitely a mighty, thankless task ahead.

We'll see whether Bloober Team is able to prove all of its doubters wrong when Silent Hill 2 remake finally emerges from the fog. In the meantime, check out the full interview over on DreadXP.

The post Bloober Team aims for ‘faithful’ adaptation in Silent Hill 2 remake appeared first on Destructoid.

Work continues on Swedish studio's next release

Holding company Krafton has announced that it ??intends to acquire Swedish?? developer Neon Giant.

The South Korean umbrella corporation, which boasts battle royale juggernaut PUBG: Battlegrounds among its meaty portfolio, made the announcement as part of its third-quarter 2022 financial results. Neon Giant currently only has one notable title to its name �cyberpunk RPG The Ascent �but is currently developing an as-yet-unannounced?? first-person-shooter, set in an open-world environment.

Founded in the spring of 2018, Neon Giant was formatively made up of a party of former AAA game developers, featuring talent pulled from best-selling franchises such as DOOM, Gears of War, Far Cry, and Bulletstorm. Selected by Epic Games as one of several studios to receive a monetary grant for its first project, Neon Giant would develop and release The Ascent on PC and consoles?? in 2021, where it would receive moderate-to-high praise from critics and players.

With this latest acquisition, Neon Giant will join a number of western developers recently picked up by Krafton. Other purchases by the holding company include Subnautica studio Unknown Worlds and Striking Distance Studios, who are currently busy putting the finishing touches to their gory sci-fi horror The Callisto Protocol.

The Ascent is available no?w on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox pl??atforms.

The post PUBG’s Krafton acquires The Ascent developer Neon Giant appeared first on Destructoid.

Platinum Trophies used to mean something

The PlayStation Store has been cluttered with extremely bizar?re and lackluster games for a while now. However, what was bad just seems to be getting worse. A handful of indie developers are gaming the system by re-releasing essentially the same game over and over �offering a new P??latinum trophy with every “game.�These titles provide nothing of value and only seem to dampen everything around them.

Games like The Jumping Fries, The Jumping Fries Turbo, and dozens more like it are crowding the PSN storefront, making it harder for customers to find what they want. Not only that but actual hardworking indie devs are being lost in the shuffle of these crappy titles,?? forcefully pushed down the list of New Releases, which is PSN’s only rea?l visibility tool for smaller games.

If you think just maybe these repeatedly-published indies are genuine in any way, just take a look at this video by Kyle Bosman. He showcases how you can earn a Platinum trophy for all of thes??e games in just a few minutes or less. Thes??e companies know exactly what they’re doing, and it’s affecting more than just the storefront and other indie developers. It has ruined an excellent meta-game for many PlayStation fans.

The hunt is over

Platinum trophies used to feel special. When a licensed game like Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs or Mega Mind was released, trophy hunters would sprint to play them for a nice and easy Platinum. However, what was considered an “easy Platinum�back then versus now is extremely different. Disney and Dreamworks games weren’t exceptional but at least they had some semblance to an actual game. You had to put in the work. They typically ranged from 4-10 hours to fully complete �a far cry from The Jumping Pasta which takes about two minutes and zero effort to Platinum. Literally, all you have to do is press up on the joystick and you’ll earn a Platinum trophy in Road Bustle.

Easy Platinum trophies used to be a needle in a haystack. Now you can’t go on PSN without seeing at least five near the top of the New Releases. The value of the Platinum trophy has decreased exponentially. Before, trudging through average games for seven hours or so made that sweet Platinum trophy worth it. There was a sense of accomplishment. But now, dozens of Platinum trophies can be obtained in 20 minutes. Where is the fun i??n that? At this point, I’ve almost given up the hunt entirely.

//twitter.com/PS5Trophies_/status/155303894??8049494016

If you’re curious about the developers behind these Platinum trophy schemes, the most notable ones are ThiGames and RandomSpin-Games. However, Smobile is by far the most e??gregious. The company has published 75+ games across PS4 and PS5 with at least 250 trophy lists in total (takin??g advantage of region-based trophies).

For some more insightful information on the topic, I highly recommend checking out a few recent podcast discussions over at LSM. Ty Richardson (WatchMojo, LongplayArchive) compiled a ton of research and shares just how bad these devs are taking advantage of PSN. Then, an interview with the director of production at Atari goes over how these games are hurting their visibility on PSN. Lastly, here's a video by Motson showca?sing some criminally easy Platinum trop??hies.

Thankfully, Nintendo and Microsoft aren’t allowing nearly as many of these shovelware titles on their digital storefronts (but they still need work). Unfortunately, all signs are pointing to things getting worse on PlayStation with Sony planning to lower the barrier to entry even more for developers to publish games on PSN. Yikes.

I hope Sony recognizes how this affects PSN, other indie developers, and players who enjoy trophy collecting as a hobby. Publishing Jumping Burger, Jumping Taco, and Jumping Hotdog on PSN isn’t valuable to anyone asid?e from a small group of weak-willed trophy hunters.

The post PSN?? is being overrun with two-minute easy Platinum shovelware appeared first on Destructoid.

We wished it to happen, and it was so

Masahiro Sakurai's YouTube channel is chugging along since i?t launched just nine days ago, and now he's amassed nearly one million subscribers already.

Hav?ing watched every video so far, it's easy to see why! Sakurai is essentially bringing a game development boot camp to the masses, with his signature calm and easy-going approach. He's touched on topics such as accessibility, technical considerations, design mechanics, and game philosophy.

At the? time of pub??lication, here is how his YouTube situation is going:

• 405,000 English language subscribers
• 355,000 Japanese language subscribers

Below are a few of the videos Sakurai's YouTube channel has share??d since our last update. I've been checking back in daily! The bite-sized format is such a great way to end the day.

Risk and Reward

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXqEykD5Ub4

In this video, Sakurai uses the ever-popular game Space Invaders to illustrate the concept of risk and reward, and how ??a careful balance of both can lead to a more engaging experience??.

Game Development Isn't a Game

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlFkxfkICO8

In the vein of many, many GDC and DICE-esque talks (albeit with his signature light touch), Sakurai warns folks that making gam??es isn't always fun and games.

Down with Lag!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjoKKyskco4

In a segment called "grab bag," Sakurai talks about miscellaneous topics: this one deals with response time and input delay in a more digestible, less technical format. It also has a nice little anecdot?e about how he was shocked at the amount of lag during a live Nintendo game demonstration!

The post Sakurai’s YouTube success points to him living his best life appeared first on Destructoid.

A video on Kirby and frame rates have come out since its debut

Just a few days ago, the Smash Ultimate screen-a-day fun ended, but another journey began: a Sakurai YouTube channel. He kicked things off by posting three videos: ??one that introduced the channel, ??one that introduced himself, and another that talked about the development concept of lingering.

In just two days he's now amassed nearly 300,000 subscribers (283K at the time of publication), and has posted two more videos, which you can find below. He also has a Japanese YouTube channel, which has a comparable 246K subscribers at the time of publication. Since he provides English subtitles for his aforementioned English channel anyway while speaking in Japanese, the main difference for the latter i??s that the on-screen text is actually in Japanese �in addition to native language subtitles.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBRt2D2YN44

Kirby's Dream Land:

For five minutes, Sakurai talks about Kirby's Dream Land in the new Sakurai YouTube channel clip. The 1992 Game Boy classic kicked off the seri?es �and was also the first?? game Sakurai directed!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjdmi7628GM

Frame rates:

In a topic that isn't touched upon that often by folks who work on first-party Nintendo games, Sakurai walks us through the basics of frame rates in the video game industry. Sakurai's YouTube channel video even goes into the "standard" of 30FPS and mentions Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus in his lecture.

The post The new Sakurai YouTube channel is approaching 300K subscribe?rs as he posts more dev videos appeared first on Destructoid.

Revealed directly after he stopped doing the "daily Smash Ultimate screen" tweets

Just this week, we were reminded by Super Smash Bros. boss Masahiro Sakurai that the "daily Smash screens" fun was coming to an end. On August 22, 2023, the dream was over, and the last screen was posted. But the beloved designer had another trick up his sleeve: an entire YouTube channel! The era of Sakurai YouTube has begun.

Dubbed "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games," the channel will deal with creative topics pertaining to game design; with Sakurai speaking in Japanese, alongside English subtitles. It has a similar feel to his humble Smash DLC reveals, with Sakurai hanging ?out and talking (with purpose!).

At the time of publication, he's put out three videos on his channel to kick things off. If you're remotely interested in game design and/or Sakurai himself, al??l of these videos could be considered must-watches. They're generally two to seven minutes long, and concisely touch on various topics utilizing Sakurai's level of expertise.

A Sakurai YouTube "About This Channel" rundown:

Sakurai walks people through why he started the?? channel, and states upfront that people shouldn't expect him to stream games from it. Rather, he'll be "talking about topics like game development and what makes games fun." Part of the purpose of the channel is to provide a wide net of education, which Sakurai says is more effective than speaking at an event to a limited crowd, or even giving talks at conferences like GDC.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M-DnOIeasA

Masahiro Sakurai's Creative Works:

This?? extremely short sizzle reel is a quick speechless rundown of Sakurai's career. His credentials, as it were! Some text is provided to explain a few concepts.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNXwWqZpkI

Game Design Specifics: Stop for Big Moments:

As the first major game design video, this clip has Sakurai explain "stop effects"; specifically "hit stop," something he uses liberally in the Smash Bros. series. In short, he explains how stuff like zooming in and slowing down the action when finishing someone off in Smash Bros. can create more dramatic tension. Fascinatingly, he showcases that he's been using that concept since the early days of the Kirby series, when you finish off a boss.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdVkEOzdCPw

The post Smash boss Sakurai’s big surprise is a new YouTube channel appeared first on Destructoid.

Valve wants Steam graphical assets to be more 'straightforward' for customers

It's a constant struggle for game developers to stand out on Steam, and flashy artwork has been a big way to try and draw players in long enough to click through to a game's store page. I'm sure you've noticed the busy banners. Things have escalated to a point that Valve isn't comfortable with, and the company has solidified its guidelines �and announced new rules that'll go into effect in September �rega??rding artwork on Steam.

As explained in a Steamworks Development post, Valve?? wants to "make it as clear and straightforward as possible for customers to find games to buy and play on Steam."

"Recently, we've noticed more text, award logos, and even review score?s being included by game developers in their graphical asset images," Valve said. "This made us reali??ze our guidelines haven't been as clear as they should be. As a result of not having clearly-defined rules, we've seen additions to graphical assets that are creating a confusing and sometimes even inaccurate experience for customers."

Guitar Billionaire, Custard Castle Small Claims Court, and the other mock games in the picture up top get to the heart of it. Steam wants developers to move away from including review scores, awards, and discount text in their store graphical assets ("capsules").

Valve also shared some examples of the issue: "some game logos themse??????????????????????????lves have become so small that it's hard for players to tell what the name of the?? game is. In other cases, graphical asset images are so cluttered with award logos and ratings that it is distracting and hard to read. Some capsules include review scores that are no longer accurate. We also see that in most cases this additional text on assets is presented in English language only, isolating much of the Steam audience that doesn't speak English."

[caption id="attachment_337256" align="alignnone" width="950"] _{Major game updates can still be mentioned with "artwork overrides," but the text needs to be "localized into at least the same set of languages supported by the game," according to Valve.}
[/caption]

This week's ?Steamworks Development article has the full breakdown,?? but at a glance:

New Steam store graphical asset rules

• Content on base graphical asset capsules on Steam is limited to game artwork, the game name, and any official subtitle. For clarity, this means:
  1. No review scores of any kind, including Steam reviews or external news sources
  2. No award names, symbols, or logos
  3. No discount marketing copy (eg. no "On Sale Now" or "Up to 90% off" text)
  4. No text or imagery promoting a different product. This includes no marketing of sequels or other titles in the same franchise.
  5. No other miscellaneous text.

• We understand that partners are excited to talk about large updates and seasonal events, and customers are often excited to see these reflected in the game capsules. While this content is not allowed in base capsule assets (see rule #1 above), we do support this use case through Capsule Artwork Overrides with the following constraints:
  1. Must use Artwork Overrides �When including text on a graphical asset, this MUST be uploaded as an Artwork Override with a length limit of one month.
  2. Must localize any text �Any text included on a graphical asset MUST be localized into at least the same set of languages supported by the game.
  3. Only to describe new content �The only acceptable additional text on a game capsule is words describing a major update to the game content, a new seasonal event, battle pass, DLC, or similar new content for the game.

These new Steam store artwork r??ules will go into effect on September 1?, 2022.

The post Steam cuts down on cluttered store artwork with new? rules for game developers appeared first on Destructoid.

Gotta Interview Fast

Sonic Frontiers might not even be out and in the players' hands yet, but it appears that the development squad at Sonic Team already knows exactly what is in store for The Blue Blur and his friends in the wake of the open-??world adventure's?? release �that's according to the studio's own head Takashi Iizuka.

Iizuka made the comments in a highly entertaining, rapid-fire video interview with Game Informer reporter and Sonic the Hedgehog megafan Brian Shea. Over the course of eight minutes, Shea hits Iizuka with over 120 questions pertaining to Sonic Frontiers, as well as various elements of the Sonic universe including Chaotix, Amy Rose, Sonic R music, chili dogs, and the notorious Pri??ncess Elise.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjSTwlFuaxk

It's a very fun, lighthearted interview, but among the silliness are some particularly interesting tidbits. For example, we learn that Iizuka's favorite title is the 2001 Dreamcast release Sonic Adventure 2, (which was, incidentally, the title he enjoyed working on the most). Iizuka also notes that he thinks we will see more Sonic Adventure games at some point in the future, and reveals that the team had no idea "Ugly Sonic" would appear in the Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers movie.

Regarding Sonic Frontiers, Iizuka does a pretty good job at ducking most of Shea's more probing questions, though he does reveal, unfortunately, that Big the Cat will not be making an appearance in the upcoming release. Damn. Perhaps my favorite answer of the interview, however, is Iizuka's response to the question "What do you think about the Sonic Boom character designs?"

"To be honest," politely responds?? the producer, "I'm not super-fan ab?out that."

If you are a Sonic the Hedgehog super-fan then you should definitely check the interview out over at Game Informer. It's short, snappy, and fun, with a lot of neat little insights and teases. As for Sonic Frontiers, we can expect the epic adventure to arrive later this year,?? when it finally launches on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Swi??tch.

The post Sonic Team head knows exactly what’s coming after Sonic Frontiers appeared first on Destructoid.

Making crossplay more accessible

There's nothing more a??nnoying than going to play a game with a friend, only to realize that you can't play together because you own the game on different platforms �it's a struggle we've all had to deal with at one point or another. Thanks to Epic's new free release of PC crossplay tools for developers, though, we're one step closer to eliminating the blues that come with platform-exclusive play.

According to a blog post on the Epic Online Services website, they're deliver??ing "a single set of services for game development on any engine, any store, and any platform" that are "proven to scale in some of the largest games."

These tools allow for a ton of features on the Epic Games Store, like being about to merge friends lists between Steam and the Epic Store, sending game invites across stores, account linking, self-updating crossplay improvem??ents when games are installed, and a plug-and-play SDK, which basically means that developers can pick and choose which tools they want to implement with their games, and leave everything ??else.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLnCx_KMPi0

Senior Director of Online Services at Epic Games Simon Allaeys shared his thoughts on the new feature in a press rel?ease:

“Crossplay gives all friends the opportunity to come together and create fond memories across interactive experiences. We are in the fortunate position to drive change in the industry with crossplay tools for all developers and we believe that connecting frie??nds and communities will take the gaming industry to its next major growth spurt and its next billion players."

While these new tools are debuting on PC with Steam, Epic has plans to expand them to other PC game stores, as well as macOS and Linux, and eventually crossplay with consoles and mobile platforms further down the line. Developers can get started on implementing crossplay into their games by going to Epic's developer portal and downloading the Epic Online Serv??ices SDK 1.15.

Even with the solid lineup of free games that the Epic Games Store releases every month, it still struggled to encroach on Steam's territory. Maybe this is Epic rolling over, but I prefer the more optimistic take that this is just a sign that th??e kids are finally playing nice.

The post Epic releases free PC c??????????????????????????rossplay tools for developers appeared first on Destructoid.

It's time for a vibe check

Over the years, Tarsier Studios has become one of those predictably unpredictable game makers that I'm always eager to check in on. The Malmö, Sweden-based studio has been quiet since wrapping up Little Nightmares II for Bandai Namco (which may or may not continue the series elsewhere, given all of its success), but we'???re expecting new IPs.

This week on Twit??ter, Tarsier Studios shared a new teaser video with a coy message: "We've been busy." Presumably, it's a vibe check for the next big game idea.

//twitter.com/TarsierStudios/status/152902036758242?0993

While I'm not?? exactly sure how to classify the blink-and-you'll-miss-'em clips, the visual concepts are dark and intriguing in a very Tarsier way. I'm sticking with the "Horror" tag for this article, and we'll have to ??check back someday to see if that was apt.

Aside from Little Nightmares, the team also brought us The Stretchers on Switch, Tearaway Unfolded on PS4, and Statik �one of my all-time favorite PlayStat??ion VR games.

Worth reiterating: Bandai Namco owns the Little Nightmares IP, not Tarsier

Recently, Tarsier Studios posted a listing for a lead game designer role, and there's a little more context about what's in store and what their goals are. In the job listing, the "mid-size" studio said it was currently "in the process of creating two new games."

"At this moment in time, we are not ready to say what the games are or what gen??re they will be in. HOWEVER what we can tell you is that standards are incredibly high and promise that you will be making?? world class games.

"We want to believe in the worlds we create. Our games shoul??d feel authentic, fearless, imaginative, and memorable; forging a connection between the player and the game that leaves a lasting impression ... or a permanent scar. We do that ??by marrying artistically mesmerizing worlds, stories and characters that you relate to with mechanics that amplifies the intended emotion and stories we want to tell. Worlds that you’ve never experienced before yet care about and get affected by."

[caption id="attachment_323866" align="aligncenter" width="640"] _{More artwork from the teaser video.}[/caption]

Other job postings on the studio's website reference a "new franchise following in the footsteps of award-winning Little Nightmares."

If you missed it, Embracer Group (which owns so much) picked up Tarsier Studios in 2019. Generally, I hope Tarsier can continue to do its thing for many years, and that Bandai Namco can tap another studio to potentially continue the Little Nightmares series.

New entries from different creators ca?n be a dicey prospect, but I'm not outright opposed to the idea if there?'s a good fit. Whether it's a whole new concept or a spiritual sequel sorta deal, either way, I'll take more spooky adventures any chance I can get.

The post Tarsier Studios teases its next game a?fter Little Nightmares II appeared first on Destructoid.

_{[Art by OThatsRaspberry]}

From mortuaries to millions

Before creating No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned, Killer7, and countless others, Goichi "SUDA51" Suda worked in a mortuary. Then, almost overnight, he became a game director. His primary qualification? Confidence. An outsider to the industry, he made waves from the very start, using the otherwise by-the-book Fire Pro Wrestling franchise to tell a story of nihilism and self-destruc?tion.

Twenty-nine years later and he's still doing things his own way. ??The biggest difference now is, he's got experience on his side. And the money probably doesn't hurt either. Last year, Grasshopper Manufacture (Suda's studio) was acquired by NetEase, a game publisher with an estimated value of 63 billion dollars.

As a massive fan of Suda's work, I was afraid that this change in business partners may lead him to make more conventional games. From the sounds of this interview with Japanese site DenFaminicoGamer, (posted here in English for the first time via a translation from Grassho??pper th?emselves), we won't have to worry about that.

This detailed account of his career �packed with exclus?ive reveals about his past, present, and future �points to this new "NetEase era" being the most exciting, unhin??ged chapter in his story yet.

DenFaminicoGamer: The reason for this interview is that Grasshopper Manufac?ture has become part of NetEase ??Games, and have started recruiting staff, but what was the original intention behind the founding of Grasshopper?

SUDA51: During my time at Human Entertainment, I thought of myself as a director. I took over the Fire Pro Wrestling series, handling two games. Next, I was put in charge of the Twilight Syndrome team, which was on the brink of collapse, and reorganized it. Which is to say, somehow or another, I wou??ld complete whatever work that the company gave me without fail.

However, after Twilight Syndrome was finished, I did things akin to in-game destruction with Moonlight Syndrome (laughs). Human was a company with a lot of freedom, so at the ??time, I was able to take on a variety of challenges in that manner.

The reason I left Human was that I wasn’t able to make my own IP or representative work. I had the constant dilemma of not being able to create an original title. On top of that, I understood that as long as I stayed with Human, that kind of chance would not come easily, so I had to leave?. Around that time, the company itself was ?in decline. There were things like pay delays, and just bad vibes in the air.

However, after leaving Human, I visited ASCII Corporation, who had previously reached out to me, and I intended to enter their company as a regular employee. Then I was told by the people at ASCII, “Now is the time that you could start a company.�And that’s the story of how?? I started Grasshopper.

DFG: Was the desire to create your own orig??inal IPs and have your own company something that you had been contemplating for a long time?

SUDA51:Everything was a bit all over the place at Human, so I real??ly loved the company itself. The president was eccentric, and he even hated games.

Human also ran the Human Creative School, which was the world’s first video game school. Every year graduates would enter the company, so our development staff was mostly comprised of people in their twenties. I was 24 when I started at Human, so ??there was a huge number of staff that were younger than me, like around 22 or so. It was a maelstrom of hot-blooded yout??h that was almost like a zoo (laughs).

I think the great part about that company was the ability to create something from nothing. They were also the originators of pro wrestling games. Ryoji Amano, creator of the soccer games, and Masato Masuda, who was my mentor, were two people who could es?tablish the creative process and create something from nothing. The company was filled with an atmosphere that made it feel like we could rapidly develop new games, and I think we were the top sports game developer at the time. So, I always thought that I? wanted to further invigorate the company from within.

However, the president was caught for tax evasion, and when I woke in the morning, I experienced what it was like to have cameras from the TV station all over the place (laughs). After going through something like t??hat, I thought, “I probably need to get out of here� and it felt like I had shifted gears.

DFG: In regard to the specialist school that you mentioned, h??ow did the recently graduated students create games?

SUDA51: I didn’t come from the Human Creative School, but the incredible thing about it was that the students made games that were actually released. Some examples are Septentrion [English title: SOS], Dragon’s Earth, and The Firemen (All Super Nintendo games).

So, in that manner, the people who join us from the school had created a game as a team in their school days. It felt like they were already semi-professional when they joined Human, so they seemed less like students and more like cocky kids, thick with self-confidence. Like “Hey, we’ve already made a game, you know.�/p>

You had the old timers and the new grads, and there wa??s a lot of conflict. I was just dropped in as a mid-career guy. Tho?se days were pretty incredible.

DFG: You called them old timers, but??? they were also in their twenties, right?

SUDA51: Yes, they were about the same age. The old timers were in their late twenties, while the new grads were in thei??r early twenties. Even though they were all in their twentie??s, there was a clash of youth.

As I was saying before, the new grads were at the level where they could quickly become leaders. Upon joining, they bec?ame the aces of the team. So new projects were quickly completed, one after another. ??I think it’s quite difficult these days to create a team of young staff, but at that time, it was common for teams of graduates to quickly come together.

The teams were formed, and games were made rapidly. A game that took one year to develop was on the long side, and we were often told to develop things within three months. Waku Waku Ski Wonder Spur [Super Nintendo] was develo?ped in only three months, and was full of bugs (laughs). I felt bad for the sta??ff in charge.

There was also a game called Yakyuu Ou [‘Baseball King� Planned for release on the Super Nintendo, but was cancelled]. It was a legendary game where the batter would run straight toward third base after hitting the ball (laughs). At the time, Human would hold stand-alone events, and they held one at Sunshine in Ikebukuro where they played Yakyuu Ou on a huge screen. When the pitcher threw the ball and the batter got a strike, the umpire yelled, “Ball!�and there was a commotion in the crowd (laughs). They had m?ade quite a mischievous game.

DFG: From your point of view, do you feel like? those kinds of mischievous games aren’t around these days?

SUDA51: There certainly aren’t any like that.

DFG: What do you think the reason for that is?

SUDA51: These days, we don’t play the numbers game anymore, or rather we can’t. Up until the Super Nintendo era, it was a period where if you just released a game, it would sell. The sales staff were very skilled, and it was as if, no matter the game, they would sell 200,000 copies to stores just to begin with. The sales staff would travel all over the co??untry to entertain, and wine and dine with their clients. It was a rather vulgar time in those days, where regardless of a game’s quality, as long as you had? something, it could be sold. I think that was a major part of things.

In regard to judging a game’s quality, there really wasn’t anything other than Famitsu’s cross review. However, it was a time where even if the score was low, the game would sell anyway. So, as long as yo??u had enthusiasm, you could make anything and everything. In a way, I think it was a time where even if you made a dud, you still gathered experience. These days, your career could be finished after even just one failure.

Fire Pro Wrestling was also a proclamation of my creative ability

DFG: I believe that there was a period wh?ere you started to show your individualit??y as a director, was that intentional?

SUDA51: Yes, it was intentional. I brought my individuality to the forefront with Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special.

I felt like with the game I made before that, Super Fire Pro Wrestling 3 Final Bout, I was trying to precisely follow in the steps of the previous game, Super Fire Pro Wrestling 2. It was around then that there was a major incident within Human, with the section manager at the time, Shuji Yoshida, quitting the company. I received strong backing with Yoshida-san’s parting words, “I’m quitting, but you’re free to make the next Fire Pro as you see fit, Suda-kun.�My mentor, Masuda, also said to me, “You can do it however you want to, Suda-kun.�/p>

I thought that if I could do whatever I liked, then I would throw in all the things I wanted to do. I think adding a kind of story mode to Fire Pro Special was the catalyst for me to start expressing my creat??ivity. I think that was bo?th a beginning, and in another way, a proclamation.

DFG: I see, so that’s where it began. By the way, how w??a??s it that you came to be a director?

SUDA51: To tell you the truth, I actually once failed the interview section of Human’s entrance test (laughs). However, by chance, that was right around the same time that Daisuke Asako, my predecessor in the Fire Pro team, handed in his letter of resignation. There weren’t any people left in the planni?ng department who had deep knowle??dge of pro wrestling.

That’s when someone who remembered me called me in fo??r another interview, and I was hired by the company. My predecessor, Asako-san, was only at the company for three more days, during which he handed things over to me before leaving the company. From that moment on, I was already a director.

DFG: Wha�! You were a director as soon as you start??ed? What kind of experience did you have prior to that?

SUDA51: I had done a variety of different jobs. As for what got me involved in the game industry, it was during my time as a graphic designer when I made company brochures and advertisements for Sega as a contractor. Since I was to make advertisements for Virtua Racing, Yu Suzuki invited me to the AM2 offices. That was ?my first time seeing a game development environment, and?? I was shocked.

Up until that moment, I had thought that games were ma??de by professors. I always thought the games were made by computer experts who wore white lab coats, but they were actually just ordinary young men and women. Not to mention, they had stacks ??of things like Nirvana CDs on their desks.

I thought, “Huh, they’re just normal people.�It gave me the naïve idea that even I could do it too (laughs). It was then that the game industry, which seemed so very far away, suddenly felt like it entered my field of view. Or maybe you could say it suddenly felt more realistic. I thought to myself, “Making games as a job. What could be better than that?�/p>

DFG: So, you had never? studied programming or anything like that before then?

SUDA51: Not at all. I had no skills at all. If I had to p?ick out one thi??ng as a skill, it would have been that my pro wrestling knowledge was without peer. That was what I really focused on.

DFG: Before that, was there an?ything that made you interested ?in games?

SUDA51: My interest in games comes from always hanging out at game centers when I was a ki??d.

DFG: So, since the arcade days?

SUDA51: It was the height of the arcade era. After the release of Space Invaders, game centers popped u??p all throughout the city. There was a place just beyond the highway where one play was 20 yen. I would hang around there during my days off when I was a student.

DFG: You said that you worked as a graphic designer. Did you alw?ays have the des?ire to do some kind of creative work?

SUDA51: Hmm, not a clear desire or anything like that. I worked every day in order to keep living in Tokyo, and I also ?got married quite early, so it felt like the next thing was to look for a job with better pay. With that in mind, working in the game industry wasn’t among the types of jobs that I was looking at.

H??owever, I received encouragement from my wife. After working as a graphic designer, I worked as a temporary employee at a funeral parlor. Undertakers make really good money. People my age were going independent and starting their own companies, and the managers would all drive to work in foreign cars. Being able to drive dream cars like a Renault 5 Turbo was pretty cool. I gradually rose in rank while I worked as an undertaker, and a number of companies even asked me if I would become a full-time employee.

I also thought that I could make a good living in the industry, so I accepted my fate and told my wife that I intended to become a full-time employee. My wife said to me, “Is this why you came to Tokyo? There’s something else that you want to do, isn’t there?�/p>

“Is there� I guess I want to work on games or something like that.�/p>

“Then you should go for it.�/p>

Then I just happened to see job advertisements for both Human and Atlus in a magazine that I boug?ht. Only those two companies were willing to accept applicants with no experience. I sent in my application, but I only managed to catch on with Human.

DFG: Why did you come to Tokyo?

SUDA51: I simply wanted to go to Tokyo and get away ??from the countryside. That was really ?the only reason.

DFG: Did you continue to play games even while you worked a?s a? graphic designer and undertaker?

SUDA51: Yes, but games were really expensive in those days. One game would cost 7,000 to 8,000 yen. But once the price gradually dropped to around 3,000 yen, it became a choice to either buy a game or one CD. However, I would buy Weekly Famitsu almost every week.

DFG: Why was that?

SUDA51: Because I loved games, of course. If possible, I wanted t??o play so??me good games. I also used it to try to convince my wife. I wanted to play the games that got a good score in the cross review (laughs).

By doing work that went beyond my own scope, I was accepted as director by the staff

DFG: When you interviewed at Human, you didn’t have anything specific in mind ??like?? director or graphic artist, right?

SUDA51: Ye?s, that’s rig??ht. If they hired me, I was prepared to do anything that they asked me to.

DFG: And then you were suddenly made directo??r as soon as you joined the company. Did it feel like f??ate?

SUDA51: It felt like a gift from the pro wrestling gods. Things were handed over to me in only thre?e days. I also had one of the planning staff assigned to watch over me. In the beginning, it felt like he was the director by proxy, but midway through, everything was entrusted to me. It was like, “Suda-san, you can already do this on your own.�From that point on, I handled t?hings by myself.

DFG: Looking back at it now, did you ever think “Why was I put in charge of all this?�/p>

SUDA51: Since I w?as put in charge, I was aware that I had to persevere and get through it. There were about twenty staff members in the planning department, but only around half of those worked on the actual development. The remaining half were like jobless wanderers, every day they would do things like write proposal?s and submit things to the section manager.

I wanted to protect my own position, or you could say that I wanted to survive in this industry. After a few days, I had a hunch that this was the right path for my life. I also thought that? I would be able to utilise the know-how from the other work that I had done up until that point.

The manager handed me a cardboard box containing materials for the previous game, Super Fire Pro Wrestling 2, and said, “You have one week to look over these and put together a specification document.�I read through all the materials in one day, and I submitted the specification document in three days. At any rate, I completed the task faster than I was told to. I’m not the Red Comet [Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam], but I kn??ew that I could do the work three times faster than other people. I wanted to succeed and continue to survive within the planning department.

DFG: So?, is the work of a director to look o??ver those kinds of materials, and then start by following the example of others?

SUDA51: Yes, that’s right. However, I think that I was more skilled than the other staff at things like inputting data and designing layouts. I also felt that I could compete well by using the difference in my past work experience. And then just speed, I guess. I thought that I would be in trouble unless I?? could thoroughly show that I was able to work faster and complete more work tha??n others.

DFG: I believe that the role of a director is the kind of thing that can’t be taught, even if you tr??y to teach it. Therefore, they’re incredibly valuable. When you look at those working as directors these days, many have been directors from the beginning, or some incident? caused them to be thrust into the role, and upon which, they managed to succeed. In that sense, how do you think your sensibility as a director took root?

SUDA51: The first thing that I was conscious of, was just trying?? to survive at the company. Rather than the idea of “I want to be a director,�it was more “I want to make games at Human,�and “I want to become the best in the planning department.�It may have been that I had a clear sense of wanting to achieve the goals in front of me, one by one.

DFG: Were ??there any things that you? did to differentiate yourself from other people?

SUDA51: Hmm, rather than doing anything special, I feel like i??t w?as just about gaining recognition by completing things step by step.

DFG: In your current position, I’m sure that there are times you assign others to the role of director. At such a time, is there a certain something that a person has that prompts you to put them into that role? Or are there times where you think someone is lacking in something and that?? they would struggle as a director? How do you feel regarding those aspects?

SUDA51: I think that those who go beyond the tasks that are assigned to them are suited to bei??ng directors. Like wanting to do more than you’ve been given, or getting more involved on your own, and doing all the unreasonable things that ??are asked of you.

For example, I’ll do something ??like ask the staff who have never written a scenario before, to try wri??ting one. Some of them will happily complete such a task, and those are the kinds of people that I think could be suited to directing. Also, take people who are skilled at drawing. There are those who will just draw things on their own when the designers aren’t making progress. I think they too are the kind of people suited to directing.

To put it another way, it’s the attitude of doing work for the sake of the project, even if it goes beyond the scope of your own abilities. It’s likely that the people around you will see that too. So, you could also say that you’re earning their recognition. I think it’s difficult to be accepted just by saying that you’re the director, but there’s merit to having the staff around you think, “If it’s for this person, I want to give it another go.�/p>

At first, there were a lot of programmers and such that wouldn’t speak with me at all. Whi??ch is exactly why I would stay with them as we worked through the night, and when they took a nap, I would go and buy McDonald’s for them in the morning. After they woke up, we would engage in small talk as we ate together. I feel like it was a build-up of things like that. Then they eventually acknowledged this strange guy who came out of nowhere as a director. That’s how, one by one, I got them to accept me. It was truly like a grassroots effort.

DFG: I see. So,? in other words, you would do whatever it took to ful??fill your role as director?

SUDA51:?? Yes, that’s right. Even handling chores and odd jobs without complaint.

Being able to work with Shinji Mikami on Killer7 became an asset to Grasshopper

DFG: In your own mind, when was it that you felt that your games began to receive a strong response? Looking from the outside, I feel like it was with Killer7 that you received worldwide recognition.

SUDA51: Killer7 was definitely the turning point. I think that being able to work with Capcom, and thoroughly create something with Shinji Mikami was a considerable asset to today’s Grasshopper. The reception from around the world was greater than what we? were expecting, and when we completed it, there was a sense that we had made a game that no one had ever seen before. I thought that we had made a game that really fit the word ‘new� and that it was something that would become synonymous with me.

The response was much greater than I expected. While traveling overseas for the promotion of No More Heroes, I heard the praise for Killer7 directly for the first time, and I was a little surprised by it. Also, it was from a different media outlet, but a certain editor-in-chief once said to me, “I was thinking of quitting and giving up on this industry, but when I came across Killer7, I thought that there may still be a future for video games. I’ve decided to kee?p at it.�That person may? have forgotten all about it (laughs), but I was elated to hear those words. I wondered if I had really made a game with such power.

DFG: I think that Killer7 was a completely different kind of game to what was popular at the time. Why was? it that you wanted to make that kind of game? Did you try to go against the trends, or was it just something that happened naturally?

SUDA51: When thinking about Grasshopper Manufacture in the long term, I kind of had a vision of how I wanted to proceed. Since we didn’t have a large number of staff, I wanted to start with an adventure game, then a 3D adventure game, then action-adventure�That was the progressio??n that I was?? thinking about how to achieve.

Killer7 was right at the time when we wanted to do an action-adventure game. Since we were doing an action-adventure, and teaming up with Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil, I also felt like I had to invent something new. I decided on my own to carry the heavy burden of such a responsibility. So, with the mindset of wanting to newly conceive all aspects of the design, Kiiller7 was what I created.

So that’s why, from the story to the art to the controls, I wanted all of the design choices to be things that had never been seen before. I felt like I was building up the things that I invented, one by one. More so than aiming for a specific thing, I was conscious of Mikami-san while making the game. The whole time I thought to myself, “I absolutely have to make something that Mikami-san won’t be ashamed of.�/p>

DFG: What was it that led to you working with Mikami-san?? at that time?

SUDA51: He suddenly called me out of the blue. Kono-kun [Hifumi Kono, creator of Clock Tower, Neko-zamurai (PS1), Mikagura Shojo Tanteidan (PS1), and Steel Battalion], a co-worker from my Human days, had introduced me to Mikami-san. So, I went to see Mikami-san, and he said, “Suda-san, do you want to make a game together?�My reply was, “Yes, of course.�/p>

DFG: So, it was a request from Mikami-san?

SUDA51: Yes, that’s right. Mikami-san had a high opinio??n of Human itself. He said, “That company released some outrageous games, but I wonder what kind of people were in the planning department.??�It seems that he had been paying attention to us for a long time, and that was also part of the reason he called me.

DFG: Were th?ere things that you learned by working together with Mikami-san and Capcom?

SUDA51: Yes. Fo?r example, when we had completed the prototype version, I brought it over to Mikami-san so that he could play the first stage. I was startled when he said to me, “Suda-san, can you increase the speed of the running motion to three times this? Next time I want to see it at triple the speed.�The sensation that I got from playing was the feeling of an adventure game. By tripling the speed, the game became incredibly fast, as you would expect. However, by making that change, suddenly it felt like the rhythm of an action game. “Oh, this is it!�I thought. The feeling or sense of speed was different when creating the game.

I think that Mikami-san’s skill is a result of possessing the ‘sense of action games�that he must have somehow inherited through his genes. Really detailed things such as the way the first step is taken after input, ?the feeling of speed while running, and noticing the one frame delay in the moment you aim. Maybe you could call it the play feel. He pays detailed attention to the subtleties of the reaction that occurs at the time of the button input. I truly learned a lot from that, and realised how different action games were.

DFG: So, it was more about looking at ??those hands-on aspects in elaborate detail, rather than things like? planning?

SUDA51: That’s right. I received a lot of advice.

I also had asked a number of people to help out with the writing, but I was found out by Mikami-san straight away (laughs). “This isn’t your writing is it, Suda-san? That’s no good. You have to write it all yourself.�Then I said, “But it’s fine i??f I don’t write this part, right?�to which his response was, “No. You have to write e?verything.�That’s how much faith Mikami-san had in my scenario writing ability. It was such high praise that I got a little carried away.

So, I thought to myself, “If the things I write have that kind of power, then it would be wrong? of me to not pour all of my energy into my writing.�You could say that Mikami-san was truly able to get everything out of me. I think that’s how much h??e wanted to draw out the full potential of Grasshopper. In that sense, I think that he’s also an amazing producer.

DFG: The development period for Killer7 was quite long, but would you say that you con??tinued to rally tog??ether with Mikami-san?

SUDA51: That’s right. T??he development period was extended, sometimes little by little, and sometimes i?n a big chunk. Mikami-san was the one who shouldered all of that, too.

I personally see Mikami-san as my second mentor, and I eve?n received official approval. He once said, “I guess it’s okay if you’re my apprentice, Suda-san�(laughs).

The invigorating feeling of an action game is born from devotedly making adjustments over and over

DFG: You previously mentioned the long-term outlook of Grasshopper, but had you already decided in the beginning that you eventually wanted to be making action game????s?

SUDA51: Yes. I love action games??, so it’s natural to want to make the kind of games I like, right? RPGs don’t really suit me.

DFG: It’s difficult to put the essence of action games into words, but I think there’s a certain value in that. What are your t?houghts about it?

SUDA51: The development of an action game has the feeling of maki??ng repeated adjustments as you search for the sweet spot.

In Mikami-san’s words, “In action games, there are moments when you are rewarded by the gaming gods.�In fact, I’ve also had a number of those moments. There are times I’d be sitting at a programmer’s desk feeling something was strange as I played. We’d continue to tune it, until all of a sudden, everything just clicks in a??n instant. For example, just by incre??asing the hit stop by 10 frames, or expanding the hit detection range by up to 1.5 times and extending the effect, suddenly there’s just a moment of “That’s it!�It’s a feeling of building it up like that.

By adhering to, and repeating the process of adjustment and implementation, you gradually get closer to your mark. I think that’s where the invigorating feeling of action games is born. There’s no way that you could make anything interesting by only inserting things just as they are in the planning and specification documents. Things are pretty b??oring when you are at the stage where you have just put things together for the first time. I think that how much more interesting you can make it from there, is truly the result of steady tuning. So, you can’t really put it into words.

DFG: Did you also check all of those hands-on elements for your latest game, No More Heroes 3, yourself?

SUDA51: Yes, that’s correct. This time, I paid particular attention to the timing of moments of silence, and to how music plays in?? the moment you defeat an enemy.

DFG: I think that the combat in No More Heroes 3 has improved? remarkably, and I wondered if that was influenced by your return to the forefront as director.

SUDA51: Yamazaki (Ren Yamazaki) and I were both directors, and there were parts that we? developed as a pair. Programmer Hironaka (Tooru H??ironaka) created the framework for the first boss fight. I think Hironaka is probably the best at making boss fights in the industry, and it was our job to take what he had, and gradually tune it, making it feel even more enjoyable and interesting.

DFG: Did you work remotel??y, even up to the final touches for this ??game?

SUDA51: Yes, we worked completely remotely.

DFG: I’ve heard from many different developers that remote working is fine when you are developing the c??ore elements, but that it’s very difficult to apply the finishing to??uches remotely. What are your thoughts on that?

SUDA51: We tinkered with things remotely as much as we could, right up until the very end of the?? schedule. As you would expect, I wanted to adjust things as soon as I got my hands o?n them.

DFG: Did you attempt to recreate the feeling of sitting right beside a programmer by keeping c?on?nected via Zoom the whole time?

SUDA51: Yes, we did that, and also, I would give instructions in the middle of the night, which would be implemented during the day, and then I would check them again. It was like returning to the development style of ten years ago. In particular, things like motion and programming are things that really need to be done sid?e by side, so that’s why it was important for the staff to stay connected via Zoom. We w?ould have our screens up together so that we could work in sync.

DFG: How much of that kind of hands-on tuning do y??ou do when the game is still in the prototype stage?

SUDA51: For No More Heroes 3, we did it surprisingly early. The fight with Henry was the first one we completed, and since that was essentially a fight between two human characters, we could use it as an extension of the previous No More Heroes games. With that, we had c??reated one of the main loops of combat, and knew quite early on that we wanted to continue in that direction.

From there, we continued to develop the other boss fights, but as the fights were against aliens this time, each fight ended up being completely different. We h??ad to a??djust each fight individually, and that took a lot of time. We barely finished prior to the game going gold.

DFG: So, the general framework of the game was alr?eady completed ?in the prototype version?

SUDA51: This time, yes. For No More Heroes 3 it was on the relatively early side, but for other titles, there are times when? the game structure is still unfinished in the prototype stage.

DFG: Was it due to thin??gs that you have cultivated throughout the series that you were able to complete the framework so quic?kly?

SUDA51: I think so. However, I had mostly forgotten No More Heroes 1 and 2 (laughs).  You start to forget after so much time has passed, so you need to play them again. With 3, there was a mindset within the team that we wouldn’t lose to 1 and 2.

This time around, the team was almost completely new. You could probably say that it was the team from Travis Strikes Again. However, there were a number of staff that had been involved with the series since 1.

DFG: How many people were in the team?

SUDA51: For Travis Strikes Again, we had less than ten people. There were external staff that also contributed, and we somehow managed to finish it. This time around, for 3, we had 20 core members. Thanks to Bee Tribe also helping out with a large portion, we were able to finish the amount of content that?? was in the game.

Grasshopper-ism is the continual creation of original and inventive games

DFG: D??oes Grasshopper intend to continue focusing all effort on developing one game at a time, rather than being spread across two or three proje?cts?

SUDA51:?? Yes, that’s what we’ve done up until now, ??and I think it’s also the basis for us moving forward.

In the past, there were periods where we were working on multiple projects, but at those times I thought that there weren’t enough directors, which is something you touched on before. Even if you establish mult?iple development lines, the responsibility falls on us as the developers. That kind of burden would loom large if we were unable to deliver in the end.

Based on the experiences from those times, and since I am the face of Grasshopper, I wanted to first focus on making my own games. Recently, even overseas, they have started calling? them ‘Suda games� though I have mixed feelings on that (laughs). But I think it’s clear that the most importa??nt thing is to first strengthen the team that creates my own games. That then becomes a foundational pillar.

Of course, I would also like to make some indie games as a way to have the younger staff acquire more ex??perience. I’d like to do both of those things together.

DFG: In t??hat sense, do you see it as something different to simply increasing? the scale of development beyond what is necessary?

SUDA51: Yes, that’s right. Right now, we are looking to increase the size of the team to 30 people. Within the ne??xt three years, we will first increase to 50, and then carefull??y add more people up to a maximum of probably around 80. At that kind of pace, and considering the training of staff and new graduates, it would probably be a little difficult to have a core team of over 80 people. If you go beyond that, you start to lose the ability to function as a team.

DFG: When looking at people who create things, I think there are those that have their own evaluation standards and those that don’t. So, what are the evaluation standards that you have? What kind of decisions led to the creation of games like Killer7 and No More Heroes?

SUDA51: On a serious note, since long ago, I have thought about what the word ‘kaihatsuâ€?[Japanese term for development] really means. I think that the ‘kaiâ€?in kaihatsu comes from the word ‘kaitakuâ€?[to pioneer; break new ground], and that the â€??˜hatsuâ€?comes from the word ‘hatsumeiâ€?[invention]. Therefore, the work that we do is to pioneer and to invent. That idea lies at the foundation of my game crea?tion.

So, it’s the same when I evaluate things. The idea of invention is very important. It isn’t very easy to do nowadays, but I want to invent or create one thing every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s only something small. For example, if I think up a button combination that hasn’t been done in any other game, that’s one kind of invention. If I create a new image for a character, that’s one invention. I believe that if you do that every day, then it will lead to the completion of an overwhe?lmingly innovative game.

It’s good if that creativity can come from within yourself, but I also think that it doesn’t matter who it is that invents something new. N??o matter if it’s a veteran or someone new, if an idea is inventive and interesting, then we use it.

That’s very important to me. In particular, with ideas, people who are interesting have the best ones. So, it’s better to not worry about things like pride. If someone presents an idea, ??it doesn’t matter if they are from completely different departments like a programmer or a composer. If the idea is interesting, then you should use it. I suppose that would be my evaluation criteria. The fact that you are a veteran means that you should do away with useless crap like pride.

It is the job of a director to make the most of all of that, and put everything together. Direction is being able to c??atch the ball, no matter the kind of pitch. To be able to handle them all with ease, no matter what kind of monsters come your way. For example, even if you are working with someone outside of the games industry, you should properly work together with that person, and manage it appropriately. In the end it’s about the experience of somehow bringing it all together with your own power.

That’s why I want everyone to pitch their balls freely. I choose the best pitches among those, and eventually, I complete one game.?? I feel like I have always continued to repeat that process.

DFG: How do you j??udge wh?ether those ideas are good or bad?

SUDA51: It’s whether I find them interesting or not.

There are staff within Grasshopper that have had long caree??rs, including my co-director Yamazaki. So, opinions like “Let’s do this� and “I think that’s good� tend to fit together nicely. You could say that makes things easier.

Thanks to the studio having been around for so long and ??having so many veterans together, I think that everyone has a certain ‘Grasshopper-ism�within them, which c??an’t be put into words.

DFG: How would you define ‘Gras??shopper-ism�or the Grasshopper style that you just mentioned?

SUDA51: I have no idea (laughs). What I kind of? thought by listening to what the staff has said during other interviews, is that Grasshopper specializes in developing original games. It’s a company where it’s normal to create unique games. Looking at it the other way, I guess that means we’re not very good at creating licensed games or working on existing IP.

So, Grasshopper-ism is the cont??inual creation of original games. I think Grasshopper is a group whose specialty is being able to constantly create unique things. That’s a little vague, but I think thatâ€??™s who we are.

Also, we can relate through things like B movies or cult films, as those are my interests. That’s where Gundam comes into things. For example, if I make a reference to Gundam, but we have younger staff who haven’t seen it, then we watch it together. That’s the kind of culture we have. As another example, I love John Carpenter’s film They Live. So, if I make a reference to They Live, t??hen we all watch the film together. That’s the kind of company we are (laughs).

So, I think that everybody gets to enjoy some of my interest??s, or at least they’re?? a group that doesn’t find doing that too painful.

DFG: In Japan, there are many game companies that do subcontracted work. They all say that they would like to cre?ate original games, but I think it’s become a situation where not many actually have that ability. To put it another way, are there not companies who, like Grasshopper, have?? the resolve needed to create something original? I think that more so than a technological issue, it has more to do with the mindset.

SUDA51: Rather than simply having resolve, I believe t??hat it is impossible to create original games unless you change your routine. At Grasshopper, making original games has already become our routine.

DFG: What do you mean by ‘originals ?have become your routine�

SUDA51: I guess it’s an atmosphere where you’re not afraid of w?hat kind of pitch may be thrown your way. You wait, ready to catch it no matter what. The thought, “We’re making another strange game, huh?�becomes an everyday thing, and as those days are prolonged, I think that is where you get that feeling of original games.

I often hear that if you continue only creating licensed games and?? working on existing IPs, then you lose the ability to create original games. If in the moment that you suddenly have some freedom, you think, “No, we can’t do this unless they tell us to,�then that has already become routine. On the other hand, when people who normally work on original games are involved in a licensed game?, they often think, “Why can’t I make it how I want to.�It almost feels as though that’s something that gets decided in the early stages of your career.

“From now on, we’re going to take a full swing at each and every ball, and aim for a home run.�/h2>

DFG: What do you think are the specific benefits that you g?ain by becoming a part of NetEase?

SUDA51: When you are running an independent studio, you can’t help but consider a title to be a single ??point. The publisher and fanbase differs for e?ach individual game. Since you are creating things as a studio, you have the desire to connect these points into a line. From a long time ago, I’ve been told by various people that since we are a studio known by our name, Grasshopper Manufacture, it’s a waste to not connect that with the fanbase. However, that’s something that isn’t so easy to achieve.

When we were in discussions with NetEase, we wer?e told, “We don’t want to talk about one or two games. To begin with, let’s look at around three titles in ten years. If possible, we would like to continue working together long after that.�I felt? that they truly wanted us.

As ?I said before, I want to create a line with our works, so it was important that this relationship lasted a long time. We will create our own new IPs, develop our fanbase, and continue to expand. One of our goals is to eventually have the capability to create AAA titles.

As we aim for our ideal image of creating AAA titles with a core team of 80 people, NetEase is greatly supporting Grasshopper in our efforts to strengthen the ?studio.

DFG: I think that when you join a large company such as NetEase, there are often misconceptions like, “They got purchased,�or “They’ll get pressured?? from above,�but it’s actually a ?little different, isn’t it?

SUDA51: Yes, it’s different.

DFG: The relationship between developers and publishers is fundamentally one of order and su?pply, but in contrast, the relationship between Grasshopper and NetEase is actually closer to that of a venture company and an incubator, ri??ght?

SUDA51: Yes, it’s close to that.

DFG: I don’t think that this relationship was properly conveyed to the world.? It would probably be better to more clearly explain how it is because of this relationship, that you can continue for the next ten years.

SUDA51: I agree. T?hat’s an aspect that I want to carefully communicate.

The desire from NetE??ase was, “We are not investing in you just so you make games that will sell. We want you to be a fascinating studio, and we want you to create engrossing games.�As a creator, it makes you happy to hear that kind of thing.

They even said that they had no problem even if we strik??e out each time at bat. That means that I can swing as hard as I want (laughs). So, I intend to take a full swing. That’s a blessing for a creator.

I think that I will b?e able to create about ten more games before I die. So, for each of those ten at bats, I’m going to take full swings and aim for home runs. I don’t quite know what the definition of a home run would be in this instance, but that’s what NetEase is expecting of us.

DFG: Grasshopper has collaborated with a variety of different creators in the past. Do you?? think there will be any change now that you have joined NetEase?

SUDA51: Even for No More Heroes 3, we collaborated with people outside of the games industry. Nobuaki Kaneko participated with the music, and illustrator Masanori Ushiki created some incredible artwork for us. In the future, we intend to be even more active in pursuing collaborations with such artists. They will provide creative energy from a completely different place to t??hat of our games, and give birth to something new. I’d like to keep these waves rolling.

DFG: I get the impression that you are always finding?? interesting things outside of games and then skillfully incorporating them. I think that it must be quite ??hard to blend such elements into games.

SUDA51: I actually find that a rather fun thing to do. If we only do things on our own, it starts to be??come familiar practice or a habit, right? However, if you work together with new people, you break from those habits and must once again take things on with a more serious attitude. In that way, I think it has the beneficial effect of creating a sense of tension.

Also, it’s incredibly fun to work with some of those fiendish people in other industries. There’s enjoyment in being able to handle them, and I have a sort o??f confidence which never wavers.

For me personally, The Silver Case was a game where I attempted dealing ?with that. I incorporated a variety of film techniques into a single game. Though, I guess you could say that work is much easier now when compared to those days, as filmmakers would fl?atly refuse requests related to video games. There were times when I couldn’t convince them to film anything.

Thankfully, these days they often already know me, so it’s become easier to work without even having to introduce myself. In other words, it would be a waste to not do more. There are many interesting people throughout the world, so I think that it would be a shame to not come together with these people as a family and create? things.

DFG: You spoke about the confidence that you possess, but what is the reason for that confidence? When people are young, they have a kind of baseless confidence. However, as they age, that kind of confidence? fades and is replaced by a confidence with a solid foundation. I don’t think that in itself is necessarily a good thing, but what do you think is a good balance between those two different forms of confidence?

SUDA51: I think confidence that has a basis is born from experience. It’s a result of all of the ??different ?things you go through, including development or management experience.

The baseless part of confidence is kind of like you can no longer throw a 160km/h fastball, but you can still throw a sinker, and you’re more deceptive (laughs). I can’t really handle the large amount of work anymore. I have less time to write scenarios. Even with No More Heroes 3, I was able to write it because I?? knew I had to do it in a short time. In the old days, there were times when I wouldn’t be able to write anything, even if I worked through the night. However, with my current lifestyle, I have to write within the limited time that I have. I suppose that I’m adapting to it, or maybe my abilities are becoming more specialized.

DFG: What kind of things do you t?ake i??n and learn these days?

SUDA51: I don’t think that I rea?lly take much in. It’s been a l??ong time since I’ve really dug deep and explored for the sake of making something. If I decide to tackle certain genres in the future, then I think I’d have to delve in and do some research.

These days I don’t think that I really have to push myself too hard. Right now, I think it’s time to take all the things I absorbed while pushing myself in my youth, and think about how I can thoroughly put it all on display. Also, I thi??nk it’s natural for me to observ??e and discover things that I see or feel during everyday life, like the scenery or atmosphere of the era.

DFG: When creating something, I think that there are around 100 decis??ions that need to be made, and that it’s the director who makes those decisions. If around 90 of those 100 decisions are correct, the result is an amazing game. However, there’s a very low probability that you would make all of those choices correctly, so it’s important to have evaluation standards that are very precise. That’s why directors are so vital.

SUDA51: Yes,?? it’s about judgement. It’s how you decide if something i?s the correct choice.

DFG: So, by making judgements based on your own standards, games like No More Heroes 3 are born. Today, I??’ve once again realized that your games owe everything to the fact that you are the one making them. I??’m greatly looking forward to the next game that you create.

SUDA51: Thank you. For that purpose, we are actively?? recruiting, though it’s nothing large scale. I think there are a lot of people in the industry burning with the desire to create new games. Though, there are probably many people who might think Grasshopper seems a little scary (laughs).

We’re opening an incredibly cool office in March 20??22, and I think there will be a ??surge of applicants once they see it. So, I think you have a better chance of being hired if you apply now (laughs).

DFG: No More Heroes 3 was the first time in a while that you worked at the forefront in the role of direc??tor. What do you intend to do in the future?

SUDA51: I’d like to continue on our current course. I don’t?? think I need to act in an executive role anymore. Of course, if our younger staff were to create indie titles, then I would serve as producer.

From now on, I’d like to carefully create games, one ?at a time, so I’d like to encourage like minded people to apply??. Now is truly the time.

The post Kill the past, present and future with Suda51 appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/kill-the-past-present-and-future-with-suda51-translated-interview/feed/ 0 319645 //jbsgame.com/crysis-4-director-mattias-engstrom-hitman-3-crytek/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=crysis-4-director-mattias-engstrom-hitman-3-crytek //jbsgame.com/crysis-4-director-mattias-engstrom-hitman-3-crytek/#respond Wed, 04 May 2022 16:30:43 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=320154

Swap a slick suit for a spacesuit

Crysis 4 might still be a long, long way from touching down, but today brings some interesting news from deep within the corridors of Crytek. It appears that IO Interactive's Mattias Engström, who acted as game director on the excellent Hitman 3, has joined Crytek to lead development on the sci-fi shooter.

"We are happy to announce that Mattias Engström, known for his work as Game Director for Hitman 3 at IO Interactive, joins the Crysis family as Game Director for the fourth installment in the Crysis franchise, starting this week," revealed Crytek on Twitter, essentially rearranging the exact same words from my first par??agraph. That's k??inda cheeky.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m_ESB6bCck

Engström has more than proved their worth in the field of game design, having created many of Hitman's memorable and varied sandbox assassination locales. Prior to this, Engström also worked on level design for Ubisoft hits Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Far Cry 3, so they are well versed in creating immersive and atmospheric worlds... and then filling them with things to kill. It will be disappointing to see Engström duck out, as they would have been very welcome on set for Project 007, but I'm sure the talented team at IO will continue th?eir fine work.

Crysis 4, first revealed in January of this year, is still believed to be in its early development stages. As such, it is unlikely that we will see the franchise return for another couple of years. Regardless, Crysis is known for always making a tech-shattering impact upon its arrival, so it will be ??exciting to see what Engström and Crytek are able to bring to the PC and next-gen console party.

//twitter.com/Crysis/status/1521540768460115969?s=20&t=_ZtBNiMuC?ZI19l6SoYJngQ

The post Hitma?n 3 director departs IO to lead Crysis 4 developme??nt appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/crysis-4-director-mattias-engstrom-hitman-3-crytek/feed/ 0 320154 //jbsgame.com/cd-projekt-considering-menstrual-leave-after-gog-policy-announcement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cd-projekt-considering-menstrual-leave-after-gog-policy-announcement //jbsgame.com/cd-projekt-considering-menstrual-leave-after-gog-policy-announcement/#respond Fri, 22 Apr 2022 21:30:19 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=318368

It's about damn time

Although large-scale change is always slow, we've seen the games industry moving in a better direction over the past few years by way of workers' rights. While much of those conversations have been focused on crunch and outing workplace abusers, a new conversation about menstrual leave has emerged by way of GOG (which stands for Good Old Games), a digital distribution platform for media, and a subsidiary of CD Projekt.

"We're happy to announce that, effective today, we're implementing Menstrual Leave for all menstruating employees of GOG," the company said in a LinkedIn post. PC Gamer reached out to CD Projekt's PR Direct??or Radek Grabowski to inquire whether this policy would also extend to GOG's parent company, to which he replied, "GOG is spearheading this initiative, and we're looking into it further for the whole CD Projekt."

GOG's culture and communication manager Gabriela Siemienkowicz led the initiative to implement the menstrual leave policy. The company estimates that employees who use the leave will take "an additional day off per quarter," although they may take time off as needed, Siemienkowicz told Axios.

//twitter.c?om/cdprojektred/status??/1236663841402032128

A larger conversation about menstrual leave throughout all industries has been brewing for months now, with some raising concerns about policies, which some consider to be controversial. The main fear is that those who take the leave will be considered "less c?apable," Axios said.

It's a real shame it should even be an issue in the first place, especially when women ar??e already constantly trying to prove their capability as employees in the games industry, because those who deal with menstruation know how necessary it can be to take time off of work. With a continued push for workers to put their health first, this initiative is an important step towards a more inclusive, beneficial work-life balance for employees.

Considering what a large figure CD Projekt is in the games industry, offering menstrual leave co??uld be setting a great precedent for the rest of the industry to follow -- now here's to hoping it starts to catch on elsewhere.

The post CD ?Projekt is considering menstrual leave after announcement from GOG appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/cd-projekt-considering-menstrual-leave-after-gog-policy-announcement/feed/ 0 318368 //jbsgame.com/capcom-salary-raise-30-percent-human-resources-restructure/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=capcom-salary-raise-30-percent-human-resources-restructure //jbsgame.com/capcom-salary-raise-30-percent-human-resources-restructure/#respond Fri, 01 Apr 2022 14:30:19 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=314478

Record sales and profits paying off

It has been an incredible few years for Capcom. While the launch of Street Fighter V undeniably left something to be desired, the veteran video game studio went on to knock it out of the park with a string of excellent releases, pulled from its catalog of iconic IPs and franchises. This has, in turn, led to record profits and some of the biggest successes in the company's history.

As such, Capcom is deciding to share the wealth with the people who made it all happen, announcing that it will raise the base salary of all of its Japan-based employees by 30%. Additionally, the studio will implement a new bonus scheme, offering additional payouts to team members as upcoming releases hit, or even surpass, their profit goals. The initiatives are expected to come into pla?y from today, April 1, which represents the start of the new fiscal year.

The changes are part of a wider focus on human resources and staff care plans within Capcom. The company is aiming to overhaul its training schemes, while also restructuring its HR department to provide better and more direct co?mmunication options between employees and those in management. A new role has been created for a Chief Human Resources Officer, who is assigned to oversee the implementation of Capcom's HR goals for the coming year and beyond.

In a time when the treatment of employees within the gaming industry is under serious scrutiny, it's refreshing to have an article detailing not just PR-pretty management promises of "a better working environment", but also actually delivering legitimate monetary rewards for the tireless and talented developers who bring us incredible titles such as Resident Evil Village, Monster Hunter: World, Monster Hunter: Rise, Devil May Cry V, and the upcoming Street Fighter 6.

Here's hoping for another spectacular year for Capcom, one that will be reflected in the bank balances, mental health, and overall well-being of those putting in the hours behind the curtain.

The post Capcom to raise all Japanese empl??oyees ??base salary by 30% appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/capcom-salary-raise-30-percent-human-resources-restructure/feed/ 0 314478 //jbsgame.com/bandai-namco-metaverse-new-logo-financial-results/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bandai-namco-metaverse-new-logo-financial-results //jbsgame.com/bandai-namco-metaverse-new-logo-financial-results/#respond Wed, 09 Feb 2022 20:00:42 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=307685

Seeing red while in the black

It's a big week of news for publisher Bandai Namco. The studio behind gaming franchises such as Tekken, Dragon Ball Z, and the incoming Elden Ring release?d its latest financial results, as well as detailing so?me of its company plans for the coming year and beyond.

2021 was a stellar year for Bandai Namco. The studio saw a 15% year-on-year increase in revenue, translating to some ¥628.3 billion (or $5.4 billion USD). In addition, the company's operating income saw a huge yearly increase of over 26% �hitting ¥92.1 billion (or $799 milli??on). This success has been driven by sustained sales of numerous releases across PC, console, and mobile platforms with the majority of the cash coming from sales in Bandai Namco's home territory of Japan.

Away from the reality of cold, hard numbers, the publisher has also announced that it is investing $96 million into the creation of a Bandai Namco "metaverse." The concept, which is fast becoming one of the global tech industry's most irksome buzzword, will see the company create socially driven spaces for its range of IPs and franchises. So we're not talking Elden Ring-meets-Tekken-meets-Pac-Man... Not necessarily that kind of metaverse, more a??n amalgamation of individual fan? communities under one banner �reportedly known as the "All Bandai Namco" program.

"Through the IP Metaverse, we will establish communities among Bandai Namco and fa??ns, as well as among fans themselves." explains Bandai Namco. "Through these communities and content, we will build deep, broad, multifaceted connections that continue for long periods of time, and we will focus on the quality of those connections. In this way, we will work to maximize IP value over the medium to long term."

VGC, however, noted what is perhaps the biggest news out of Bandai Namco this week. And it does not concern billions of dollars, operating income increase, or even launching globally spanning metaverses of fans. Bandai Namco's biggest news this week is the revelation that it is changing the color scheme of its recently revealed new logo from magenta to red �a colo??????????????????????????r that the company considers "enthusiastic, fun, active, and bold."

Like magenta.

The post Bandai Namco makin’ money, launchin’ metaverse, changin’ colors appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/bandai-namco-metaverse-new-logo-financial-results/feed/ 0 307685 //jbsgame.com/hidetaka-miyazaki-most-proud-old-monk-demons-souls-ranking-boss-fights/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hidetaka-miyazaki-most-proud-old-monk-demons-souls-ranking-boss-fights //jbsgame.com/hidetaka-miyazaki-most-proud-old-monk-demons-souls-ranking-boss-fights/#respond Sat, 05 Feb 2022 00:00:59 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=307087

Game developers share their favorite Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro bosses

Not every boss out of From Software is a winner, but the high??lights are some of the best in the biz. The sense of dread, the adrenaline, the eventual payoff �ahh, it'??s so good!

We'd heard before that From Software president Hidetaka Miyazaki has a soft spot for the Old Monk �a fight that can flip the script with a bit of pl??ayer-vs.-player madness in hilarious and frustratingly wonky but often tens??e ways �and he's sticking with it.

In a PlayStation Blog article rounding up various game developers' favorite bosses plucked from?? the FromSoft? catalog, Miyazaki explained his love for the Old Monk.

"If we're talking about a boss that I'm 'most proud of' (to use those specific words), it would probably be the Old Monk from Demon's Souls. The reason being is there was a lot of pushback against that design and what we were trying to do with it. But it was something I really, really wanted to do.

I wanted to get that boss concept into the game, both from a visual design perspective and gameplay perspective, including the multiplayer element. From both the implementation and fun factor, we got a lot of pushback, and no one believed in it at the time. But in the end?, we came through, and I think it turned into an intriguing boss that the fans appreciated.

With Demon's Souls, there were a lot of mechanics throughout the development that were difficult to de?sign. For instance, the asynchronous online features were complicated, but I think the Old Monk encompasses those tribulations and how we ?pushed through and made something we were proud of."

??Here's an example of a ch??aotic Old Monk bout working as intended:

//youtu.be/yw_2yQ6hjlA

And here's, well, this. Players always find a ??way.

//www.reddit.com/r/demonssouls/comments??/s?5vmiq/parry_riposte_through_old_monk_fog_gate/

Not to knock Miyazaki?'s affection for this flawed gem �that fight is super memorable.

Other dev-favorite bosses mentioned in the PlayStation Blog round-up include Ornstein and Smough from Dark Souls, the Nameless King from Dark Souls III, Ludwig from Bloodborne, and the Guardian Ape from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. There's too many!

I do not envy the talented group of designers, artists, programmers, and planners who have to come togethe??r to bring bosses to life and push themselves to keep upping the ante. It's not enough to just dream up and execute on a cool creature design, moveset, and surrounding lore �the boss also needs to put up an interesting challenge that keeps all types of pla??yers on their toes. It's so much more than raw "difficulty," you know?

When it comes to games like Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and to an extent Bloodborne that offer a range of potentially ridiculous character builds, I can't even imagine the minutia involved in designing. Sekiro, on the other hand, has such a narrow my-way-or-the-highway ferocity for its protagonist Wolf. I personally loved it. I mean, I hated spending hours on just the final fight, but I loved the exhausted release after finally overcoming it.

If you're curious, that's my number-one pick. That said, I hope and expect to see someone (or something?) from Elden Ring making it onto a future "best bosses" list.

As a cur?ious explorer who likes to imagine wha??t's lurking out of sight, I'm definitely drawn into these worlds for their atmosphere �but I keep replaying them for their bosses.

_{[Image Credit: Video Games Source]}

The post When ranking boss fights, Miyazaki is “most proud” of the Old Monk from Demon’s Souls appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/hidetaka-miyazaki-most-proud-old-monk-demons-souls-ranking-boss-fights/feed/ 0 307087 //jbsgame.com/gardens-remote-first-studio-announcement-indie-creators/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gardens-remote-first-studio-announcement-indie-creators //jbsgame.com/gardens-remote-first-studio-announcement-indie-creators/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 14:40:06 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=306607

The new team is working on a multiplayer experience

A new remote-first studio ha??s been announced today, with goals set on both the games it wants to make and its own studio culture. Gardens is a studio aiming to create multiplayer games that foster meaningful moments, as well as growing a studio that's transparent, sustainable, inclusive, and empowering.

Gardens' co-founders are Chris Bell, Lexie Dostal, and Stephen Bell. Chris and Stephen both worked on What Remains of Edith Finch, the Annapurna Interactive-published narrative adventure. Chris' credits also include Journey and Sky: Children of the Light. Stephen has been working on Blaseball. Dostal, meanwhile, was a co-creator of Dustforce.

Other developers on the team have worked on Spider-Man, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the Fallout series, Ratchet & Clank, and The Hobbit. Gardens is a remote-first studio, though it is based primarily ou??t of Portland and Los Angeles.

"With Gardens, we wanted to create a studio that cares as much about the health, happiness, and wellbeing of its team ?members as we do the craftsmanship of the games we create together," said Chris Bell. "Our top priority is making sure our team?mates enjoy our lives and are given the tools and resources to grow while creating compelling, well-crafted, thoughtful games that cultivate novel shared experiences between players online."

The team says it aims to create artfully-crafted, living environments ????that will foster those multiplayer interactions. Their upcoming, unnamed game will build upon shared online experiences, with players "crossing paths in a mysterious and magical world."

You can find the studio's open positions here on Gardens site.

This is a team of developers that certainly caught my eye. Games like Journey and Blaseball certainly pu?t interesting spins on multiplayer gameplay. It'll be interesting to see where Gardens goes, and what its magical world has in store.

The post Gardens is a new remote studio from Journey, Dustforce and Edith ??Finch developers appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/gardens-remote-first-studio-announcement-indie-creators/feed/ 0 306607 //jbsgame.com/vodeo-games-form-first-game-studio-union-rights-industry/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vodeo-games-form-first-game-studio-union-rights-industry //jbsgame.com/vodeo-games-form-first-game-studio-union-rights-industry/#respond Thu, 16 Dec 2021 19:00:24 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=301237

Team hopes to set precedent for the industry

Independent outfit Vodeo Games is now officially recogniz?ed as the first unionized video game studio in North America. The certified motion, achieved in association with the Communication Workers of America, recognizes each and every U.S. and Canadian em??ployee who partakes in full-time, part-time, remote, or contracted work with the company.

"All workers deserve a union and a say in how their workplace is run, no matter where they work, what their employment status is, or what kind of conditions they work under," said Vodeo Games producer Myriame Lachapelle. "We have been inspired by the growing worker organizing within the gaming industry and hope we can set a new precedent for industry-wide standards that will better our shared working conditions and inspire othe??rs to do the same."

Vodeo Games, which was founded earlier this year, operates an entirely remote working environment and has the modest aim of releasing one title per financial year. The studio's first release, Beast Breaker, launched on PC and Nintendo Switch back in December. Speaking with Polygon, studio employees spoke of their pleasure at becoming?? the industry's first recognized video game development union, along with the team's hopes that it will set a growing precedent among the gargantuan developers and publishers frequently ??under fire for toxic and unhealthy working conditions.

"We were really inspired by what a lot of o??ur colleagues were doing in the game industry and the tech industry and beyond... Voltage Organized Workers, United Paizo Worker... there was a lot going on," said Vodeo employee and union member Carolyn Jong speaking with Polygon. "It felt like a natural next step for us to be talking about, 'Hey, ??maybe we should be unionizing,' and help set a positive precedent for the digital games industry as well."

"We’re here to say, 'Hey, it can be done,'" continues Lachapelle. "It’s often said that the digital game industry is special �that unions are good for other industries, like film, that it wo??uldn’t work for games, especially smaller indie teams. [...] But everyone deserves a union, like three, or 10, or 200, or thousands of people."

Lachapelle is right, of course. And while Vodeo Games might have found it a little easier than most to form the union �due to its small team and open and accepting manag??????????????????????????ement �it's vitally important that all studios and publishers within the industry take steps to both protect and respect the healthcare, rights, and integrity of their respective employees, implementing real, documented, and legally-binding change to ensure that we no longer have to hear horrifying testimony of crunch, workplace abuse, discrimination, and unfair pay grades.

More certified unions and fewer 'Workplace Responsibility Committees, if you please.

North America has its first vi????deo game union at Vodeo Games [Polygon]

The post Vodeo Games staff form North America’s first game studio union appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/vodeo-games-form-first-game-studio-union-rights-industry/feed/ 0 301237 //jbsgame.com/shin-megami-tensei-v-used-a-kawaii-hair-physics-plugin-and-the-creator-is-stoked/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shin-megami-tensei-v-used-a-kawaii-hair-physics-plugin-and-the-creator-is-stoked //jbsgame.com/shin-megami-tensei-v-used-a-kawaii-hair-physics-plugin-and-the-creator-is-stoked/#respond Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:30:02 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=301261

Via Unreal Engine 4

The next time you play Shin Megami Tensei V and see the protagonist's wavy hair, ??just remember it's running on somet??hing called the kawaii hair physics plugin.

So who is the culprit? None other than Epic Games of Japan's Kazuya Okada. They acknowledged the use of the plugin via Twitter, who gave a shoutout to Shin Megami Tensei V's team for usi??ng it in their game, running on Unreal Engine 4. It's definitely one of the first things I noticed as I did plenty of anime running and jumping, and helps give the hero a more pronounced look.

The plugin itself is very elaborate, providing options to tweak bone physics on the character model. Okada posits on the plugin page that kawaii hair physics is a better and more user-friendly alternative to the default AnimDynamics node, which is a default Unreal Engine perk. It was originally released in 1.0 form i??n late 2019, with tweaks going up all the way through December of 2020.

You can actually find the kawaii hair physics plugin her?e. It's been fairly popular as of late, as fans of Okada have pointed out that it's been used in games like Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier and Scarlet Nexus?. It's wild how collaborative aspects of game design have become, and it's nice to see a good?? example of a designer being excited for a studio using a free-to-use plugin rather than the nasty alternative of stolen assets or ideas.

[Thanks John!]

//twitter.com/paf?uhana1213/status/1468182636741152772

The post Shin Megami Tensei V used a ‘kawaii hair physics’ plugin, and the creator is stoked appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/shin-megami-tensei-v-used-a-kawaii-hair-physics-plugin-and-the-creator-is-stoked/feed/ 0 301261 //jbsgame.com/embracer-group-to-acquire-over-35-studios-in-12-months/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=embracer-group-to-acquire-over-35-studios-in-12-months //jbsgame.com/embracer-group-to-acquire-over-35-studios-in-12-months/#respond Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:00:43 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=295952

We're gonna need a bigger umbrella

Media holding company Embracer Group is not done with its shopping spree just y??et. Not content with already being one of the gaming industry's biggest umbrella corp?orations, Embracer's newest financial results references plans to acquire at least 35 more studios within as short a time frame as the coming months, adding to the group's enormous portfolio.

"In the past 12 months, we have made 37 acquisitions and expect to do a similar amount of transactions over the coming 12 months," posits Embracer Group in its second interim results report of the current financial year. "We currently have a large range ??of active processes and dialogues, including a good number of signed exclusive term sheets."

So, according to these comments, it seems that conversations are already being had, and contracts and offers are already being drafted. The studios about to join Embracer Group will be part of a very impressive portfolio, which already includes THQ Nordic, Saber Interactive, Koch Media, Gearbox Entertainment, Aspyr Media, DECA Games, all of their subsidiaries, and numerous independent studios. It's understandably unnerving to see so much of the major (and minor) gaming industry falling underneath the same few banners, but such is the way of modern business and the? entertainment sector.

Elsewhere in the report, Embracer Group announced it has a total of around 25 "AAA" titles scheduled for release between now and 2026. In the immediate future, these titles include the recently delayed Saints Row as well as an as-yet-unannounced game that is sched?uled to launch in the fourth quarter of ?2022.

The post Embracer Group expected to acqu?ire 35+ studios in the comin??g 12 months appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/embracer-group-to-acquire-over-35-studios-in-12-months/feed/ 0 295952 //jbsgame.com/remedy-entertainment-sweden-studio-location-industry-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=remedy-entertainment-sweden-studio-location-industry-news //jbsgame.com/remedy-entertainment-sweden-studio-location-industry-news/#respond Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:30:03 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=295369

The Control developer continues to grow

Remedy has several projects in the works, and it's also continuing to expand. Today, Remedy announced a new subsidiary in Sweden, offeri??ng another workspace for its developers.

Over the last 12 months, Remedy says it has embraced a more "hybrid" model of working, between in-office and remote. Multiple Sweden-based senior game developers ha?ve joined the studio, working fully remote.

As Vanguard project general manager Johnny Mang said in Remedy's announcement, the s??hift to location-agnostic work in the wake of COVID opened up new ideas for what Remedy could be—a "state of mind, rather than a place in Finland," as he put it.

So the studio is looking to hire up to 25 developers in Sweden by the end of 2022. Remedy also plans to open a workspace in central Stockholm for Sweden-based developers to be able to get together and work in an of?fice when needed too, with its doors set to open in?? the first half of 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5yMfC9LQM

"We understand that everyone is different, and has different needs, on different days," said James Salt, one of Remedy's game directors, in the announcement. "Some days are best spent focused, headphones on, working on something cool, whereas other days, such as when teams are working on planning, perhaps would benefit from in-person facetime. The hybrid mode??l is about letting people choose the method that works best for them, on any given day."

Remedy Entertainment has a few projects in the pipeline at the moment. Its multiplayer project, Condor, was announced earlier this year as a four-player cooperative PvE game. It's also working on a "bigger-budget Control game," though the specifics haven't been laid out for that yet. And it's also collaborating with Smilegate on the campaign for CrossfireX.

The post Remedy is opening a new studio in Sweden appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/remedy-entertainment-sweden-studio-location-industry-news/feed/ 0 295369 //jbsgame.com/mortal-kombat-ed-boon-invents-scorpion-spear-video/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mortal-kombat-ed-boon-invents-scorpion-spear-video //jbsgame.com/mortal-kombat-ed-boon-invents-scorpion-spear-video/#respond Wed, 13 Oct 2021 19:00:15 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=289034

'More like... Wah... GET OVER HERE!'

A fascinating piece of video has surfaced on Ed Boon's Twitter account, which sees the Mortal Kombat co-creator spontaneously invent one of the most recognisable and iconic moves in fighting game history: Scor?pion's Spear.

The clip, which was uploaded by Boon to announce the 30th anniversary of the gory fighting franchise, is pulled directly from the motion capture sessions used for the original 1992 Midway release, Mortal Kombat. In the video, series creators Ed Boon and John Tobias are busy shooting actor Daniel Pesin??a, (in costume as Scorpion),? capturing a variety of animations and martial-arts maneuvers to be later digitized into the game.

In a flash of inspiration, Ed Boon seemingly invents the famous special move on the spot, comically exclaimin?g "Do ninjas have some sort of ropes?... Like an arrow or whatever... it stuck into the other guy and dragged him across the... and then just went 'BAM' and nailed him." Pesina attempts the throw-and-drag maneuver several times under Boon's direction, with Ed �in a moment he was born for �suddenly blurts out "But more like... WAH!... Get over here..."

And just like that, Boon created not only one of Mortal Kombat's most recognized emblems, but perhaps the single most recognizable move in fighting games, (behind Street Fighter's Hadoken). It's funny how life works like that; Ed Boon posits and shoots an idea, and it eventually typifies a franchise, spawns a timeless quote, and eventually gets him landed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "Longest-serving video game voice actor." I guess the lesson here is to always throw your inspiration out there, you just never know? what is going to hit.

Ed Boon will appear at the DC FanDome event this coming weekend. It is unknown if any reveals are planne??d.

//twitter.com??/noobde/status/1447966875523162121?s=20

The post Mortal Kombat clip shows Ed Boon spontaneously invent Scorpion’s iconic spear appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/mortal-kombat-ed-boon-invents-scorpion-spear-video/feed/ 0 289034 //jbsgame.com/bokeh-game-studio-creature-design-video-concept-artist-miki-takahashi/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bokeh-game-studio-creature-design-video-concept-artist-miki-takahashi //jbsgame.com/bokeh-game-studio-creature-design-video-concept-artist-miki-takahashi/#respond Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:30:27 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=288800

'My drawings have been dark since I was a child'

Inch by inch, the fog surrounding the new horror game from Keiichiro Toyama's Bokeh Game Studio continues to recede. In ??today's behind-the-scenes developer interview with concept artist Miki Takahashi, the spotlight s??hifts to the game's enemy design.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lpMnZHWF4

Having previously worked on the memorable Shibito and Yamibito designs in the Siren series, Takahashi is no stranger to?? this line of ghastly yet beautiful art.

"My drawings have been dark since I was a child," Takahashi said in the latest "Focus" developer spotlight video. "This is simply the style that brings me peace, that I am comfortable with. This is why I feel lucky that I got to work on the Siren series."

"After the Siren series ended, I wanted to get to work again on a Keiichiro Toyama game. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance. As time went by, I was starting to give up. This is when Toyama told me that he was founding Bokeh, which motivated? me to join. He actually welcomed me in his team, so I felt that I had to join, which leads us to this day."

In her artwork, Takahashi draws inspiration from the natural world by taking a "broad view" of living creatures, but not a "specific species"; "I look for a life force that we wouldn't find in regular human beings, which I try to apply ??to the designs."

For Bokeh Game Studio's as-yet-publicly-unnamed first game, which is expected to release for PC in 2023 at the earliest, Takahashi is back in ?the "enemy design" headspace.

"The enemies have this part of them that used to be human. However, they're not simply terrifying, strong, or disgusting. They have a part of sorrow linked to them, a more laughable part too. I find it good that people who see my work ultimately experience fear. However, there are also emotions of humor, beauty, or sadness, that I hope people can grasp as well. In my case, the way I express those ends u?p taking that darker tone."

Apart from the finished personal pieces shown above (I adore that moth), Takahashi also shared some beastly and long-limbed creature sket??ches for Bokeh's horror game.

As curious as I am to see the new game, I'm loving this more intimate, slow-burn approach to (re)introducing the staff at Bokeh to the world of horror game fans. With these videos, I feel like I'm getting into the right s??tate of mind in a natural way rather than taking it all in with a Marketing Blitz. Slow and steady c??an absolutely work. I'm intrigued!

"Horror is an ??advanced, complex entertainment f?orm," said Takahashi.

"In life, we would normally try to avoid experiencing fear. However??, I find the fact that we make the effort to experience it to be interesting."

It's true. Some of us c??an??'t help ourselves. This month of all months.

The post Bokeh Game Studio spotlig?hts creature design with concept artist Miki Takahashi appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/bokeh-game-studio-creature-design-video-concept-artist-miki-takahashi/feed/ 0 288800 //jbsgame.com/deltarune-chapter-2-toby-fox-undertale/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=deltarune-chapter-2-toby-fox-undertale //jbsgame.com/deltarune-chapter-2-toby-fox-undertale/#respond Mon, 20 Sep 2021 16:00:12 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=284662

Chapter 2 is available now on PC

Toby Fox, the brains behind beloved RPG Undertale and its follow-up, Deltarune, has announced his intention to develop three more chapters for the latter, following on from the successful PC launch of Deltarune Chapter 2 last week.

Speaking in a brand new blog post, Fox thanked his team of collaborators and revealed his plans to develop Deltarune chapters three, four, and five all for release on the same day. At that time, Fox will sell Deltarune's first five chapters for an undisclosed price �though Fox noted that Deltarune will cost more than Undertale did at lau?nch. Chapters 1 &; 2 are? currently free to download, with Fox deciding to give away the latter chapter gratis as "the world has been really tough for everyone recently."

"Originally I had planned to release chapters only when all (of) them are finished, but honestly, it's hard both for creators and fans to go a long time without a release," says Fox in the blog post. "So, I changed my mind. I think most people will be happy about this[...] So, next time you want to ask "when's chapter 3", you can ask "??when can I buy Chapter 3/4/5? I'll give you a lot of money... I won't know the answer until it's done, though."

While Deltarune chapters 1 & 2 can be downloaded for free, Fox notes that this is not usually the case for indie releases. "If you can afford it, spend the money you saved from getting ??this game for free by supporting other indie devs??," he suggests.

The post Toby Fox confirms at least?? t?hree more Deltarune chapters are on the way appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/deltarune-chapter-2-toby-fox-undertale/feed/ 0 284662 //jbsgame.com/yakuza-creator-nagoshi-netease-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=yakuza-creator-nagoshi-netease-report //jbsgame.com/yakuza-creator-nagoshi-netease-report/#respond Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:30:58 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=281911

The developer could get poached as part of an ongoing talent rush

The creator of the Yakuza series is reportedly in talks to leave Sega for NetEase. Bloomberg reports that Toshihiro Nagoshi i??s in "final negotiations" to depart the company, where he's b?een since 1989.

People familiar with the matter tell Bloomberg that the final contr??act hasn't been signed yet and duties have not yet be?en finalized, but Nagoshi would reportedly be expected to set up his own team and create new games.

Bloomberg characterizes this as part of an ongoing contest between NetEase and rival Tencent to pick up video game talent from J??apan. The two have reportedly struck more than 20 deals i??n Japan so far, and according to Bloomberg's report, are zeroing in on individual creators.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkygiqC7ulQ

Nagoshi has worked on a number of major Sega franchises, ranging from Virtua Racing to directing  Super Monkey Ball, and he's also been very public-facing in his role as head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the team behind the Yakuza series. It may not be a death knell for Yakuza or its companion series, but it would be a noticeable loss.

NetEase did not respond t??o Bloomberg's request for comment, while a Sega spokesperson told the outlet that it doesn't comment on the employment status of individual employees.

The post Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi repor?tedly in talks to go?? to NetEase appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/yakuza-creator-nagoshi-netease-report/feed/ 0 281911 //jbsgame.com/swery-funny-no-more-heroes-not-my-game-autograph/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=swery-funny-no-more-heroes-not-my-game-autograph //jbsgame.com/swery-funny-no-more-heroes-not-my-game-autograph/#respond Mon, 30 Aug 2021 19:30:47 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=281914

'This is not my game'

We love Swery65 and Suda51, two entirely different people out there making thei??r own unique brand of video games that are fueled by their individual personalities and passions.

All the ??same, these two noteworthy Japanese game creators with numbers in their names are often lumped together by fans �sort of like a "peanut butter and chocolate" situation. They both make "weird games" for weirdos like us to enjoy, and I can easily s??ee how someone might mistakenly type out the wrong name in an online conversation.

On that longwinded note, while we continue to wait for the ultimate Swery x Suda team-up, here's a funny moment that went down at a signing in Moscow.

Swery was in town for an award at the Russian International Horror Film Festival, and during an autograph event, someone handed him a fresh copy of the just-released No More Heroes 3. He responded in the best �and ??most endearing �way possible: by placing his signature underneath a permanent note that "This is not my g??ame."

//twitter.com/Swery65/status/1432387984075067398

The Darick Robertson cover art illustra?tion with FU's rage fa?ce only makes this funnier.

Without knowing the full context of the Moscow signing, I'm hopeful the fan meant well, and was fully aware of the (potentially low-key disrespectful) autograph request they were making. If so, and the exchange was all in good fun, the race is on to seek out Suda and convince him to sign a copy of Deadly Premonition to complete this cursed set.

As folks pointed out in the aftermath of the tweet, this same sort of "wrong game" autograph scenario has happened before with John Romero and Doom 3.

[Update: The owner of the hilariously autographed No More Heroes 3 (and also the person with No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise) both know what's up. Thanks, @TheDulberth.]

The post Swery signed someone’s copy of No More Heroes 3 the best way possible appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/swery-funny-no-more-heroes-not-my-game-autograph/feed/ 0 281914 //jbsgame.com/woman-in-games-heartbreak-is-part-of-the-deal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=woman-in-games-heartbreak-is-part-of-the-deal //jbsgame.com/woman-in-games-heartbreak-is-part-of-the-deal/#respond Thu, 05 Aug 2021 21:00:25 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=277889

The sad truth of working in games

When I was in college, I rediscovered my love of games as ?an adult. In what felt like a blink of an eye, I dropped all my plans of pursuing graduate school to study British literature to chase my n?ewfound dream of telling amazing stories through the games industry.

In those early days, I spent a lot of time researching online, because I had absolutely no idea where to even start. I scoured all kinds of articles, Reddit posts, and Twitter threads, and while they provided valua?ble information about which coding languages to learn and why Unity is the best engine to learn on, I kept finding little pieces of information I wanted desperately to ignore �women are not treated well in this industry.

Oh, I thought, there's no way outright hatred, manipulation, and harassment still exist at these studios, right? Those stories are some of the most horrific things I've ever heard, surely it's impossible that these abus??ers could still be doing this in the 2010s.

But I wa??s lying to myself. I was in deni??al because I wanted more than anything to be a part of this artform that I love so much, and I was terrified to think that this is a reality that women in games would have to still face today.

In 2018, I was an intern out here in LA, getting ready to try and launch into my career for ??the first tim??e. I was shiny and new to the industry, and didn't have any expectations other than that working in games was going to be a magical, life-changing experience. 

Then the situation at Riot came to light for the first time, and everything felt like it cam?e crashing down around me?. Suddenly I felt like a bunch of walls sprung up around me, because I knew I was going to have to be on my guard from then on. What I wanted so desperately and stubbornly wanted to believe was long gone became my immediate reality.

As time?? went on and more studios came out with stories of abuse, interviews and press releases said that the harassers and abusers were going to be taken care of, but my Twitter feed said otherwise. Word of advice to any women or marginaliz??ed people, follow women and marginalized people in your industry if you don't already �you'll get a clue into what's really going on.

I felt especially sick this week reading about the "Cosby Suite" situation from past BlizzCons. It feels like something terrible out of a movie, not something that could be happening?? at such a well-loved event. Plenty of m??y friends have worked at Blizzard over the years, and I know their horror stories all too well. It's just terrible to feel like there's nothing I can do to help it or stop it.

I started here at Destructoid back in March, and it has been such an incredible part of my ??career. The people I work with are awesome, and I love getting to share my feelings about one of the things I'm most passionate about. But honestly, in times like these I find it insanely difficult to log on every day. It?'s literally my job to read the news, and it's the absolute last thing I want to do right no?w. I know I'm not the only one in the industry who feels this way.

At the same time, it has been incredibly encouraging to see people of all genders standing up for women in the games industry, especially these past few weeks in light of the Blizzard lawsuit. I k?now that there are more good players out there than bad ones. But that doesn't mean the bad ones don't still hold most of the cards.

Every woman or marginalized person in games has that moment, the one where they realize the deck is stacked against them. ??Often it's a moment that breaks us. It's why a lot of us leave the industry al?together.

That's not to say there isn't hope for the future, because I do believe that we're making progress. But to anyone out there who doesn't think this is a very big deal, remember that this is what we mea?n when we say this space is not for us. The abusers of the games industry are not relics of a time gone by �their names are in the credits of the games we play now.

Here are some resources supporting women in games, if y?ou feel inclined to help. All I ask then, is please be kind, and look out for each other. It feels like that's all?? we have left nowadays.

The post To be a woman ??in?? games, heartbreak is part of the deal appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/woman-in-games-heartbreak-is-part-of-the-deal/feed/ 0 277889 //jbsgame.com/spiritfarer-documentary-cozy-afterlife-game/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spiritfarer-documentary-cozy-afterlife-game //jbsgame.com/spiritfarer-documentary-cozy-afterlife-game/#respond Mon, 19 Jul 2021 22:00:14 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=275399

The Spiritfarer documentary is free on YouTube

Spiritfarer is a special game with a heart of gold. As the team at Thunder Lotus sums it up, it's "about dying, but not about killing" �a too-rare sight in this medium. In a new making-of documentary from The Escapist, the developers explore the original ideas behind Spiritfarer, their very personal inspirations, and how everything came together to form a ??s??oothing management game where your main reward is a heartfelt narrative.

"Spiritfarer is mostly like an open-ended questio??n," said art director?? Jo Gauthier. "What if we didn't fear death as much?"

//youtu.be/qxx8sEGjntI

Members of the development team sat down to talk through stories about their "loved ones who touched them deeply," according to marketing director Rodrigue Duperron. "Eventually, as a team, those stories w?ere sort of modified, but a lot of big pieces of people's stories would be the main inspiration for some of these characters."

"All the names that appear in the credits are people who influenced us in a way. But not all of them are a spirit, and not all spirits are inspired by entirely true characters," said creative director Nicolas Guérin, whose grandmother helped inform Astrid, one of many characters that players help guide and ??support in the lengthy a?fterlife adventure game.

Guérin also spoke about the management and farming aspects of Spiritfarer, and how the game isn't for everyone. "To a degre??e, there are some moments that many players can feel are a bit of a drag, a bit long, the loops take time t??o kick in," he said.

"In a way, the fact that the chores are kind of repetitive is the point. Some players are bored, and I get it. But if you take the time to accept? this, then you go into a state that's much more in acceptance to the message." [...] "For me what's important in the game is to have a takeaway from it. You play the game and then something should resonate with you not just as a player, but as a human being."

The Spiritfarer documentary a?lso shines a light on the game's warm look and tone.

"Spiritfarer's style was kind of a huge journey for us because we had done Jotun and then Sundered, but ?we were ??in a very dark place in terms of theme and mood," said Gauthier.

The art style took "a lot of iteration," going from "a comic book style-ish to something more gritty." But the team wanted to "make people feel comforted in talking about death because death is such a scary topic. That was when I remembered Hiroshi Yoshida, a woodblock painter. I remember all of his pieces bringing me serenity and it made me want to visit the place that he painted. The serenity of the landscape and a desire to explore was really something we wanted to communicate through Spiritfarer."

The art director brought up a point about the game's coziness that I innately felt while playing, but hadn't really dwelled on: the "texture of paper" in the art style??, which draws from woodblock printing and watercolor to pull off a much-needed "homey" vibe. "It's about balancing the colors and what people feel about those colors."

One other fun tidbit: Spirtfarer could've been set on a train, not a boat, but the latter gave the level des??igns mor??e flexibility (and it's more thematic).

I know plenty of you have connected with this game on a deep level since its 2020 release, and some of y??ou are likely waiting until you're in the right mindset to try it, which I fully understand. J?ust don't let it fall off your "eventually" list and slip into obscurity.

_{[Destructoid and The Escapist are both a part of the Enthusiast Gaming network.]}

The post The cozy afterlife?? game Spiritfarer has a new making-of documentary appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/spiritfarer-documentary-cozy-afterlife-game/feed/ 0 275399 //jbsgame.com/rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-new-company-report-news/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-new-company-report-news //jbsgame.com/rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-new-company-report-news/#respond Fri, 02 Jul 2021 20:30:07 +0000 //jbsgame.com/?p=273590

Up to some Absurd Ventures

Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser seems to have a new venture in the gaming industry. A new li?sting details Houser as Director at Absurd Ventures In Games.

As reported by Rockstar Mag, Houser is listed on a new company in the UK called Absurd Vent??ures In Games. Further details are sparse, ou?tside the business' nature described as "ready-made interactive leisure and entertainment software development."

Alongside being a co-founder, Houser was a producer on many major Rockstar Games. He also has writing credits on most of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, as well as other Rockstar games like Max Payne 3 and Bully.

Houser left Rockstar last year, following a long hiatus from the company. He founded the Grand Theft Auto studio alongside Terry Donovan, Jamie King, and his brother Sam Houser in 1998. His departure was confirmed in a filing from parent co?mpany Take-Two, which said it was "extremely grateful" for Houser's contributions, and that Rockstar would remain focused on current and future projects.

The post Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser looks to have a ?new company appeared first on Destructoid.

]]> //jbsgame.com/rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-new-company-report-news/feed/ 0 273590