Famitsu has conducted a year-end interview with 110 game creators about their aspirations and keywords for 2017. Two of the developers interviewed include Katsura Hashino (director and producer of Persona 5) and Kazuyuki Yamai (producer of Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse).
Katsura Hashino (Atlus)
Keywords and aspirations of 2017
The beginning of a journey.
As it was just announced, Atlus will take on the challenge to create a completely new RPG while developing other series titles. The production that has begun for this effort is still on a small scale, but the members who were gathered to participate are people who have volunteered and who have been making “friendly competition” together regarding RPGs for a long time. With them, 2017 will be the year full-scale production begins.
Anyways, as the motivation to do something that cannot be done without being where I am is brimming, I am looking forward to what kind of things will be able to happen in the future. More than anything, I was many more players to have the chance to get our games and enjoy them! I hope to continue providing warm support for the future titles in other series titles, as well as for our new initiatives!
Things or entertainment works of interest in 2017
In 2017, the various phenomena that society has experienced so far will be in the transition period towards the conversion of the next new values, or that transition period has already passed and it will “do nothing” but accelerate new behaviors… I think that it will be a year when things like such a branching point will become clearly visible.
For various “pools” of society, we are all ignorant and inexperienced, and what should be the “fun” that can be produced with games as entertainment? I think it will be the year to more strongly consider this. As I am thinking about “fun,” I am also thinking I should be able to continue while having fun, and I hope those who begin to move forward, whatever the case might be, will stand out.
Kazuyuki Yamai (Atlus)
Keywords and aspirations of 2017
25
In February 2016, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse was released. In 2017, the “Shin Megami Tensei” series will be celebrating its 25th anniversary year. In terms of aiming to further development of the brand, we believe that next year will be an important milestone.
Things or entertainment works of interest in 2017
“Red Dead Redemption 2”
This feature follows the Dengeki PlayStation end-of-year 2016 interviews with members of the P Studio team, as well as Atlus’ recent message about how they will be announcing several games in 2017.
These interviews will also be available in the January 26, 2017 edition of Weekly Famitsu magazine (released on January 12, 2017), with different questions for the interviewees.
— Famitsu
