My interview with honored designer Keita Takahashi, maybe known for casting Cutmy Damasi And Vattam In the eternal universe, strange fashion began.
I was invited to talk with the Japanese veteran and take his new title, For a tFor a spin in a huge hotel suit in GDC 2025. After being amazed through a brief demo, who showed the upcoming Sojern in all his eccentric, offbeat glory, I parked myself next to Takahashi to learn more about my process.
Before I could fire the recording app on my iPhone, however, Takahashi asked if he could inspect the handset. The device, which I considered, was a run-of-the-mill iPhone 15 with a yellow color, which clearly enhanced his interest due to the colorful color. We argued in the next few minutes whether ‘yellow’ has been formed and whether this special morsel of technology was actually more than a ‘banana’ shadow. We eventually agreed to the latter.
It was a small exchange that told me two things quickly: it would not be a direct interview, and it is a person who spends to make video games for decades – which is unattainably curious. In the next 25 minutes we spoke in length about the need for a creative revolution in the niche region of the design of the playground design.
Here I learned everything during that surprisingly curved conversation.
There was no immunity for scoping issues for a tea
Takahashi tells me thoughts For a tThe story of a ‘Kishore’ is trapped in a T-poz, who should try to navigate life in a small city with the help of a drunken partner, he came to him quite quickly.
Nevertheless, it took longer than expected to turn the concept into some viable. He explains about the development team (Takahashi now works in a studio called Uvula) initially thought that they can finish For a t In about two years. Finally, Project was in the oven for five.
Although production took longer than anticipated, the nucleus remained unchanged. “It’s like a Sutcom,” Takahashi explains, who says that he gave a story to the beginning of the game to strengthen and communicate his vision for the project. After our chat, Takahashi sent some storyboards that you can see below.
Kita for a T storyboard through Takahashi
12 people worked on the title when production was in full swing, but the team size has upset over the years. Takahashi says, it was important to accept his strength and weaknesses during that time.
For example, he explains that they usually try to avoid involving physics because they can be “so hard and difficult”.
“We only use physics for VFX and accessories,” they say. He notes that the story is always glue that binds the experience together. “I thought about the story and then tried to think about what kind of mini-marks would fit,” he continues.
Those mini-games will help players to help the teenager brush their teeth, choose their outfit, and some grains to understand how to understand how worldly actions appear when you exist outside the alleged criteria of society.
For all its eccentric and Burmese attraction, the demo was also a sensitive and influence, which is like life when “small things” are difficult and what is the meaning of having “right size”. There was also a singing giraffe surrounded by sandwich. Wonderful.
“It is very risky to be a game developer”
As our conversation turns into a large-scale industry in the last five years-a short-lived Kovid-19 boom and later over-investment, leading to a large-scale trimmed, studio shutdown and weakening for funding challenges-I give any advice for the developers who were doing what they were doing during that time.
Initially, he is reluctant to whisper any sage words. “I am still too young to offer knowledge,” they say. The fear is that he may unknowingly give bad advice. “I’m the worst, man,” he continues with a laugh. However, he suggests that the sports industry has always been full of danger.
“It is not only in 2025 – I think it is very risky to be a developer,” he says. “Especially being a game designer. Engineers and artists can be fine, because at least they have a skill. But being a game designer, it’s not very clear (what they do). What is a game? I don’t know what a game is?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-qlrc4vfk
Despite knowing that he is uncertain as to what is the formation of a video game after releasing several acclaimed titles, Takahashi eventually honors on the same word: “Interaction.”
In addition, they feel that the industry has become very prescriptive. Putting the video game in categories and styles, a comfortable focus on, adventure, shooter, RPG, Battle Royale-, is, in Takahashi’s words, in Takahashi, in Takahashi’s words, assured people to “follow without thinking – to follow that direction”.
I ask that does this mean that in industry – and especially in executive suites – which they think are ignorant what they know what success is for the formation of success. “There may be a good chance,” he responds.
He believes that business leaders should serve developers – not in another way. Recently generous AI Gold Rush, he suggests, is an ideal example of that imbalance.
“I don’t care whether the equipment (they) are creative or not,” they say. “I hate that they are just doing this for business. Nobody said ‘please make them,” but everyone is asking them to improve the environment. (But big companies) just keep making what they want, which is money. “
Takahashi says that a playground remains a “dream”
It is clear that Takahashi has an unbreakable belief that creativity is about avoiding norms in favor of unknown.
I wonder whether this spontaneous congenital instinct to eliminate the expectation feeds back in his long-held desire to design and build a real-life game-like desire that he revealed to the audience at the (Ab-Doshi) Gamesity Conference in Nottingham in 2005.
Takahashi tells me that designing a park is still his “dream”. For example, there is a overlap between that mission and its game design tendency, he suggests that he has “virtual and physical identical.”
“I also know they are different,” he quickly combines with a smile, such as not to assure me that he is not an existing recession. Internal I indicate relief.
We press. Takahashi dissects her vision for the new era playground. He tells me that he sees most of the examples of the old entertaining field at that time as overplay and dull.
“I think it’s a meaningless idea,” he continues. “When I see the current playground equipment -it’s boring. It is only designed for the child. Parents are just sitting on the bench and looking at their smartphones, or talking with other parents. It is not designed for an adult.”
It is difficult to argue. See-mills. Swinging. Round round. Slide. Everyone tried, tested, and of course tired. There has been a significant shortage of innovation in this region for decades. The playgrounds have become stable. I ask Takahashi how he will innovate.
Their answer is one that can make health and safety inspectors sleepless sleep: “Risk.”
Nevertheless, with that one word, I wonder whether Takahashi probably also said what is becoming increasingly absent from the sports industry – especially within the largest studio.
Fast-following can only breed imitation, and when ideas such as originality and creative risk become novels, you will be surprised whether a person like Takahashi would be able to break into the industry even when he is a newcomer. Thankfully, in this example, this idea is completely imaginary.
