Interview Transcript: Keita Takahashi, May 2025
As a freelance writer, uncertainty is a constant. In order to have my work published, I must not only write a decent article, but also to come up with a concept, set up interviews, liaison with PR agencies, pitch my ideas, and pray constantly that those ideas align with the needs and wants of the editors and magazines to which I pitch.
Retro Gamer Magazine has been a joy to write for since they accepted my first pitch sometime in early-2024, and the editorial team at the magazine is excellent in all ways. But being published is never guaranteed, nor do I take it for granted.
In April 2025, I reached out to Keita Takahashi to arrange an interview, thinking Retro Gamer might be interested in publishing some sort of feature on this singularly gifted game creator. I never really expected that I’d get to chat with Takahashi, a game designer whose work I have adored for over 20 years, but remarkably, he wrote back almost immediately and we set a date. This good fortune was even more surprising when you consider that his new game, To a T, was nearing the end of its development and was due to release in just a month’s time.
I conducted the interview in May, and though I was nervous to talk with someone whose work I had loved for so long, Takahashi ended up being one of the kindest and most thoughtful creators that I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing. It was truly special for me, and I’ll be forever grateful.
The article itself took some effort to get rolling, but eventually, Retro Gamer Magazine accepted my pitch and “The Making of Katamari Damacy” was published in issue 274. That article contains a number of key moments from my conversation with Takahashi, however, due to space and scope of focus, much of the interview is not included in the magazine.
Here is the complete, barely-edited transcript of my conversation with Keita Takahashi.
Keita Takahashi: Hello!
James Tocchio: Hello!
Keita Takahashi: How are you?
James Tocchio: I’m very well! I see the Prince behind you. [The Prince from Takahashi’s first game, Katamari Damacy, sits on a shelf just over Takahashi’s shoulder.] Is this your work studio?
Keita Takahashi: I mean, it's a garage. Why I'm wearing the jacket. It's so cold.
James Tocchio: Well, I'm so thrilled to talk to you, and the editors at the magazine are so happy that you were able to find the time. So I thank you for that and thank you, as well, as a fan. I've been a fan of your work for a long time, and the things you've made have brought me a lot of joy.
Keita Takahashi: Thank you. Thank you for playing my stupid games.
James Tocchio: And thanks again for the demo access to To a T [Keita’s newest game, unreleased at the time of this interview.] We've played that a few times and love it, my two young daughters played as well.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, how old?
James Tocchio: They are 8 and 9.
Keita Takahashi: Okay.
James Tocchio: They're obsessed with it. I catch them humming the songs that the giraffe sings. And then the other day I walked upstairs from my work office, and they had drawn this little drawing of your giraffe character. [Shows Takahashi a drawing of the character Giraffe.]
Keita Takahashi: Perfect.
James Tocchio: You must be very busy right now.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I'm sorry in advance. My brain is. My brain is still stuck in the work, so maybe it's not ready to give proper answer interviewing? But I will do my best.
James Tocchio: You're getting close to the end of the development cycle.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I think so. Yes, at least. For the day one patch. I have to keep working on additional patch.
James Tocchio: The release date is in May.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, may 28th
James Tocchio: You're very close. So, I’m interested in chatting with you about your career and of course Katamari [Retro Gamer Magazine had commissioned me to write a feature titled “The Making of Katamari Damacy” published in Retro Gamer #274]. But I would also like to chat about To a T.
So if you don't mind, do you think we could start with the early days. What was your first job in the game industry?
Keita Takahashi: My first job was the artist, 3D artist of the Arcade Game Department in Namco.
James Tocchio: Do you remember any of the games that you worked on at that time?
Keita Takahashi: To be honest, I didn't make any product at all. I know the other people who join with me were able to ship some consumer products for the arcade, but I'm not. I was so picky about the project. Also, my boss understand what I want. So he protected me, which is super great. Instead of pushing me to a project as soon as possible. He gave me a chance to join some small project instead of the bigger one, which is a prototype project.
Since I didn't have the computer or any console when I was study sculpture at the Art University I have no idea how to make a video game, so I needed some time to learn how to make it. How the game is… how do you say, assembled or made. So I think I spent a few small prototype project, and then I think that was maybe one, no, almost two years and then all project is canceled.
James Tocchio: Oh, wow!
Keita Takahashi: But I was not the game designer. I was just a part of the artists, so it was not my fault. [laughs] Maybe. Maybe.
And then even my boss kind of feels so bad since I didn't ship any consumer product. He said ‘Hey Keita, do you want to join the other like a regular project.?’
But I couldn't decide if I want to join or not, and I just ask him. ‘Give me more time,’ and then the Katamari Damacy idea just came from… I just saw. I just came up with the idea. It was great timing. And then I had to present a pitch of the idea to my boss. And he said, ‘Oh, that may be cool.’
James Tocchio: Was this the same person that had sort of been guiding you through early days at the company?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah.
James Tocchio: That's really lucky to have someone like that.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I mean, I was just lucky. I just keep being lucky in this. I still don't, I still don't understand. I still don't believe that I have been working on video games since the start of my career. It's almost 20 years. It's crazy.
James Tocchio: And did you know that Katamari Damacy is in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, yeah, I know.
James Tocchio: Were you involved in that? Did they talk to you, or did you go there.
Keita Takahashi: I didn't go there, but the Moma asked Namco, when I was in the Namco studio. It's crazy.
James Tocchio: Do you look at that with pride, or is that something you don't think about?
Keita Takahashi: Mmm. I mean. It's hard to describe. I have two [thoughts on this]. Maybe the one is that I don't care. Another one is that yeah, just ignoring. Yeah.
James Tocchio: I understand. I've spoken with a lot of people who create things, and many of them are simply focused on the thing that they're creating. And they're not too worried about all of the extraneous aspects that surround it. They're just focused on the work. Does that sound like how you see yourself?
Keita Takahashi: Maybe I mean, I don't know what's the difference between art and video game. I still don't know what the definition of the video game is, as well. So if they just pick the Katamari as art, that's fine. But I don't care about the genre or categories, it's so stupid.
James Tocchio: You just want to make what you want to make, and if it resonates with people, then that's great.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, if the people makes happy or smile with the game I made. That's, that's it.
James Tocchio: Are you a musician? Besides game development. [Takahashi is shaking his head incredulously. And smirking.] No, you don't play any instruments. I’m surprised because your games have such amazing music.
Keita Takahashi: Because I have amazing composer around me.
James Tocchio: Who composed the music, for To a T.
Keita Takahashi: My wife, Asuka [Sakai].
James Tocchio: That's wonderful. It's great music. My girls have been humming it for days. Do you play video games? Besides the ones that you're working on.
Keita Takahashi: No, no.
James Tocchio: It’s funny. I've talked to a lot of people that develop video games at a high level and many of them don't play video games.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, really.
James Tocchio: They're too busy making them, I think. They're just so focused on their work.
Keita Takahashi: I think so. But even when I was not busy I don't play video games.
James Tocchio: But surely you played games at some point.
Keita Takahashi: Yes. Of course. Yes. But in the art school, I think I stopped playing the video game because I realized that making something is more fun than just playing.
James Tocchio: Do you remember the first game that you ever played?
Keita Takahashi: Oh, the first one, I think that's a Japanese specific console. I forgot the name. It's a Cassette Vision. Maybe it's before the Famicom. No, yeah. Before the Famicom. I had a friend who had a lot of video game console. And it was called a Cassette Vision. Do you know that? Let me check, let me search.
James Tocchio: I'll have to look it up.
Keita Takahashi: It looks like an Atari.
James Tocchio: Okay.
Keita Takahashi: Oh! This! [Keita shows me the Cassette Vision.]
James Tocchio: Oh, Cassette Vision. I don’t know that one.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, this is a Japanese.
James Tocchio: 1984. That was when I was born, you know.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, really. Oh, Super Cassette Vision, maybe this Super version was my 1st game. It was super simple.
James Tocchio: 1984, yeah, I would imagine. So let's talk a little bit about Namco and those early days again. When you pitched Katamari, was it difficult to get them to give you a team and funding, and all of that?
Keita Takahashi: So that, my boss, said that's gonna be difficult to use the regular path to get the green light. So he was working at the different department to teach students how to make a 3D model as an artist. The curriculum was making the game with them. So my boss was very smart. He picked my idea as a prototype game.
James Tocchio: I see.
Keita Takahashi: And then we hired some engineer who were almost fired from the company because, I don't know, I forgot the reason, but the other department want rid of them and we rescued the person, then used them as an engineer in the prototype project. So [the team was] the student, the artist, then an almost fired engineer, and then me as a very beginner, amateur, a no experience game designer. Then I think we had at least two professionals.
James Tocchio: To guide the ragtag group.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, then I forgot how much time we spend to make a prototype but six months or five months. And we use the Nintendo [Game]Cube hardware, because I believe, for the engineer that was easier than PlayStation.
We made a prototype, then pitch to the company. The initial goal was to exhibit the game to some event. I forgot the name. But there's an art event. Then we put the game as a school project.
James Tocchio: I see.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, then we show the game to the executive in the company. Also the other employees as well. It seems like they like the game a lot. So then my boss came again, then negotiate to the executives, but they said, I guess they could not spend a lot of money for such a new experimental game. So they wanted to use outsourcing company, not the Namco itself. But I really wanted to work inside of Namco team because they are more higher spec. But you know, it was better than nothing. So I just. I said, Okay, let me go to the outsourcing company. Namco is at the Yokohama, around Tokyo, and the outsourcing company was more West Side, in Osaka. So I moved to Osaka.
James Tocchio: What about when the sequel was made? Was Namco more more willing to spend some money on it after you'd proven a success.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I think so. But the reason I wanted to make Katamari was there's so many similar games, like even now there are so many similar games, but that’s 20 years ago.
Namco was making very same similar types of games, like a racing game, a shooting game, RPG, it's nothing new. They made a more unique game in 1980s or ‘90s. So I wanted to make a very unique game that only play, in the game like a… you can just drive a car, if you have a car, there's no point to play racing game, because you have a car right. You can play football. You don't need to play football game, right?
So I wanted to make a video game that only a video game can do. So making the sequel is not what I wanted, so the first time they asked me, I refused. But it seemed like they still wanted to make a sequel, even without me. Which also I hated.
So I decided, maybe just only one sequel. And then I leave after this. So yeah. I did it.
James Tocchio: Yeah. So you made the sequel with them, and then you became independent. You wanted to go see what else you could do, you're always looking for the next interesting thing, not just repeating what you've done.
Keita Takahashi: I think so. Yeah.
James Tocchio: Are you happy with how things have gone since then, with all the different projects that you've done?
Keita Takahashi: Of course not. I mean, I think that all developers are never happy about their games.
James Tocchio: I find that with many people who create things. I talk to a lot of writers as well. And we're just never happy. You finish something, and even if it's a success, it’s embarrassing. You don't want to look at it. You don't want to think about it. You want to just move on to the next thing and do better next time. So I think I understand.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah.
James Tocchio: You said you weren't content to be a 3D artist. You wanted to create a game of your own. That said, your background was 3D art and making models. When you were making Katamari, did you spend any time yourself creating character models in that game, or the models and objects? Or were you directing artists to do that kind of work.
Keita Takahashi: I did. Actually, I made The Prince model by myself. also, animation. I mean, I like to. I like modeling. I like the making picture. Of course I was. I like art.
But this was a video game company. That's a very huge chance to make a video game. So that's why I just set my goal. If I join the company, I should make my own game rather than just being the artist, because this is a video game company, not the artist company.
James Tocchio: I understand.
Keita Takahashi: That's it. [Takahashi shrugs.] Then I made it. Oh, that was so lucky.
James Tocchio: I find it very interesting how understated you are. You've created one of the best video games of all time, and you talk about it like, well, it's not a very big deal.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. But I mean, it's hard to tell. It’s just a video game. Right?
James Tocchio: Yeah. Okay. I see where you're coming from. [I don’t.]
Well there’s a reason that I asked you about making character or object models. And that’s because some of the models in Katamari, for me personally, and I know other people have spoken about this before and written about this, and a lot of fans say this- it's almost as if every single 3D model in that game is special. There's something about them. Taken as individual components, they're all gorgeous. They're beautiful, they're charming. They're cute. They're funny. There's just some magic about each and every little object that you can roll up in that game. And so obviously, a lot of care and attention must have gone into that. So I was curious if you were sitting there for hours and days and weeks creating all these little creatures and objects and people and animals, or if you were more directing, saying, no, this cat needs to be cuter, or this mouse needs to not have legs and just roll around. So I was curious about the nuts and bolts of creating these games, I guess.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. I think that all came from the spec of the PS2. Also the concept of the katamari, because we need to put tons of objects on the katamari ball. My understanding was the GPU was not so strong in the PS2, but we want to show a lot of objects as much as possible. So each single object would need to be very simple, low poly. and then, if they’re low poly then I know this is some decision for the art style, but for me, if it's low poly, then the texture shouldn't be very realistic. The texture also should be simple. Easy to understand.
James Tocchio: Right, yeah.
Keita Takahashi: I don't think it required a lot of time to get that direction of the art. I spoke to the art director, and he also agreed to that direction. I know many people love that simpleness and clean texture like. What… Minecraft.
James Tocchio: Yes. I think your designs are a little more charming than Minecraft. But I know what you're saying. Okay, let me ask specifically about one model. I think it was in the sequel? Your scuba diving cat? Do you remember the scuba diving cat [In the Katamari Damacy sequel We Love Katamari, there’s a stage which takes place mostly underwater and this stage contains a number of fun little low poly cats wearing low poly scuba masks and snorkels].
Keita Takahashi: Yes.
James Tocchio: Have you seen that the low poly scuba cat has been tattooed on people, and people are making it into T-shirts and all sorts of pins and key chains.
Keita Takahashi: What?! Really? No, no, no. I didn't know that.
James Tocchio: There's a lot of internet threads and memes and posts on social media of the snorkeling cat, where people are sharing their tattoos and their shirts and drawings.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, that's crazy!
James Tocchio: I wonder if you knew who created that particular model.
Keita Takahashi: I don’t remember.
James Tocchio: Yeah, that's hard to remember.
Keita Takahashi: I mean, we only had two level designer, including me. So either me or the other one made that.
James Tocchio: But that art style has followed you along in your career, though you say that it was originally brought about by technical limitations. But as technology has improved, you've maintained that similar sort of aesthetic. I know that simple design is actually extremely complicated. It's more difficult to design something simple than it is something super complex.
But do you think that sort of that aesthetic is a part of your identity now as a creator? Or is that just what you're drawn to you.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, I think I just like the simple design. I don't know, because of…. It's hard to tell why I like the simple style, or why I choose this style. I think I don't have any confidence about my drawing skill. I'm not good at realistic photo type of art, but I do like the manga, or just simply drawing like a picture book, or young children drawings. Maybe that's why.
James Tocchio: If you weren't a game designer, do you think you would be an artist making children's books, or something else?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, the art school. So there was a in Japan, maybe only in Japan, that the Japan is very unique. I'm not sure, because I was not able to spend my time in other country. But it's not only Japan, I mean for me, the college time was four years. I thought this would be the last freedom for me before I go to the company.
James Tocchio: The real world.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. So I have one big concern, which is. I like, make something I like. I also like drawing something. But then I'm in the sculpture department, which is very unnecessary stuff. So I had no idea how to earn the money after graduate to school. And also, yeah, I was not clear what I want to do. I had this idea from way before I went to the art school. But I choose that because I like the art. I like making something. I spent four years to think about what I can do, what I want to be, what I want to make.
And the answer is super simple and stupid. But since I got the idea by myself, so that is very big to me. It's not something I steal from others, and it’s still precious and still stick to me even after graduate school, after like 20 or 30 years, which is make people smile. That was a very unforgettable moment. At the school I made a goat shaped flower pot, planter.
Yeah, you know this story.
James Tocchio: I've seen a picture of your goat. Yeah.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, goat.
James Tocchio: I think I saw it on Twitter. I think you posted it. But tell me the story again.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, yeah, yes.
So, every time in the arts college, you need to do like a presentation like a show and tell about stuff you made. So I did. I made a goat shaped flower pot or… planter. And for my presentation I just put the water on the water can, and then adding the water on the back of the goat, and the extra water [drained through] from the… how do you say this… boobs.
James Tocchio: The udder??
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, udder [laughing], but that stupid presentation makes the student or other professor laugh and smile. That was a, that was a moment for me. I think, “Oh, this is what I want to do! This is much nicer than like ‘Oh, this is beautiful and nice.’”
James Tocchio: Then is it fair to say your whole career has been an attempt to make people smile.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I think so. Also the other stuff. Other important stuff was I wanted to make a tool rather than art, because I saw the other students just throw away the stuff they made after the presentation, which I really hated. So if I make a tool, then I can keep using this, and I like that idea as well. So that's why I made a goat flower pot and other stuff, I made a low table that could be transformed to a robot.
James Tocchio: Oh, wow!
Keita Takahashi: I still have that in my house.
James Tocchio: Do you have the goat planter?
Keita Takahashi: No.
James Tocchio: Where did the goat go.
Keita Takahashi: Broken.
James Tocchio: Aw, well that does happen sometimes.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. So making a tool and making people smile was my two biggest make a point, but the making people smile is more higher priority for me. So I don't know, if I was not being the game designer, maybe I could be a comedian or something [laughing].
Right: Keita, speaking to me from his garage studio.
Left: Me in my office, star-struck.
James Tocchio: Is your ultimate hope for To a T that it just makes people smile then?
Keita Takahashi: I think so. Yeah, that's it. I think I was cursed about the idea of interactivity. In doing the Namco, because I believe the interactivity is most highest priority, for the video game, because of the interaction is the key of the video games.
James Tocchio: Right.
Keita Takahashi: I don't know any other media that has interaction other than video games. So that's why I was making like a Katamari and Noby Noby; Katamari is rolling, Noby Noby is stretching and Wattam is connection and exploring. But after I finished Wattam I had a time to think about the video games, and I just noticed, “Oh, I could be happy and smile to watch the anime or manga, or just movie.” I thought, “Oh, I don't need any interaction. Just consuming something can make me smile. Which is nice.” And I thought, “Oh, why, I got the curse from the interactivity.”
Also, I still didn't know what's the definition of the video game. I know there's so many genre or category inside of the video games. But there's no specific definition of what a video game is, because we don't need lose or win. But the video game is not only about the collection or fighting, or how do you say, solve the puzzle. Timing, press the timing in like a sound game music game, but there could be more. So I just this time for To a T I tried to ignore interactivity. I didn't put interactivity to the first priority.
I said, “More narrative and more like an unclear atmosphere.” How do you say, like a nice… nice vibe? Or mood?
James Tocchio: Vibe, okay. Yeah. Nice vibe.
Keita Takahashi: I know that I'm very unclear and abstract, but that's what I want to try to put into the game, because the current situation, the real world, our world is so… [mischievous smile] so nice, you know.
James Tocchio: Yeah, gotcha.
Keita Takahashi: So I wanted to make something very positive. Put the spotlight to our life, not a billionaire’s life.
James Tocchio: The story of To a T seems like it's going to focus on the main character’s struggles with being picked on for something that makes them different from other people. Now, I haven't played the whole game, so I don't know if that's where we're going with this, but that's what it seems like to me so far. Were you picked on as a kid in school.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, yeah.
James Tocchio: Did that influence this game?
Keita Takahashi: Of course, that's a part of the reason I picked the student time or school time for the main scenario. Yeah. I was bullied between elementary and middle school. But somehow, I survived through that tough time very nicely, which is also another lucky [thing] for me, and I learned a lot of stuff from that hard time. So, at this moment, when I look back at the past, that was a nice experience for me, but I know when I was younger that was very tough.
Maybe the reason I was bullied was I was fat, very fat. So, if there's a t-posed stuck person in your class… Different from people. Same thing.
James Tocchio: I'm very interested to see where the story goes. You're talking about interactivity and you were saying that you're not sure what defines a game, and I think I agree with what you were saying, but I think the difference between video games and other media is not just about interactivity. With a game there’s a deeper connection much of the time, you experience something that no other media can really help you experience when you are sort of inhabiting that character. And so I know when I'm playing To a T, and I'm experiencing classmates that aren't being nice, that brings in more emotion than if I was just watching it in a TV show or a movie because you're part of the character, and you're part of the world, and you're the one that’s got your arm stuck in a T pose. So I'm very interested to see where that goes, and I want to play it with my daughters and see what they take away from it as well.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, thank you. Also, I'm worried. But just worry. Concerned how people will react to it.
James Tocchio: Yeah, that must be stressful. I read an interview that you did with somebody that I follow, and they were playing your new game, and they were talking to you, and I think they said something like, “It's very weird,” or “You made another weird game!” And your response was to look a little disappointed and say something like “I was trying to make a normal one this time.”
Keita Takahashi: [Takahashi smiles.] I mean, yes, different definitely, because it looks so normal compared to the other my games.
James Tocchio: Normal? Maybe. I mean, there's a dancing giraffe, you know.
Keita Takahashi: The reason why we have the giraffe in the game is just my pick. But you know oh, this person looks like a giraffe or elephant. It’s imagination.
James Tocchio: Is To a T coming to Nintendo Switch or Switch 2?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I hope.
James Tocchio: You hope? Okay. But there are no plans right now?
Keita Takahashi: We have plans. But no time to spend for Switch or Switch 2 yet.
James Tocchio: I want to know why you made Crankin’ Time Travel Adventure so difficult.
Keita Takahashi: Oh, because people love these hard game. Maybe that's my mistake.
James Tocchio: No, no! I love the game, it’s just really challenging!
Keita Takahashi: I mean, yeah, I don't play the video games, but people really love difficult, like a tough game, like From Software game. So I just wanted to prove I could also make a difficult.
James Tocchio: I was surprised though. I got the Play Date, and I was like, “Wow, a game from Keita Takahashi. This is great!” And I thought it was going to be this fun, easy, cute little thing, and I got maybe 10 stages in, or something, and it just gets so tough! Brutal! You have to be pixel perfect on this.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [Keita is laughing and nodding, looking a bit embarrassed.] I should… I should have more tuning, doesn't it?
James Tocchio: Okay, when you think of your career in game development, what’s the best part of the job?
Keita Takahashi: The best part of the job...
[30 second pause]
This… Hmm.
Let's see, it's a difficult question. Hmm.
[20 second pause]
Best part of the… Oh! I like the moment.
Sorry. This is super super tiny stuff, but I really like the moment when we see stupid bug that makes us super stupid, awesome.
James Tocchio: You. You like finding bugs.
Keita Takahashi: Uh huh. Super unexpected, but also super silly. Bug. Yeah.
James Tocchio: Silly bugs, so something breaks the game, or…
Keita Takahashi: I think.
James Tocchio: Like when a bug breaks the game?
Keita Takahashi: Yes. Which nobody will ever see in the product, but we can see it.
James Tocchio: Okay. And do you record them, and save them for your own pleasure?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. Yes. To share with the teammates, of course.
James Tocchio: That's so funny. And how many bugs have you found.
Keita Takahashi: It's a lot. At least a thousand.
James Tocchio: Wow, at least a thousand. So that's your favorite part, and you've had the pleasure of enjoying it a thousand times.
[Pause.]
Keita Takahashi: [Sighs] It's not true, I think. [Laughs]
James Tocchio: That's great. Can you think of what is the toughest part of your job, or the least favorite?
[Takahashi pauses to think again.]
James Tocchio: Is it interviews?
Keita Takahashi: [Laughs] I don't. I don't want be so serious about this, but the getting the money by making the video game itself is amazing, and a miracle for me. Right. I'm not a teacher. I'm not a doctor. I'm not making any necessary product. But I can get money and live. Which is great.
I'm sorry, so serious, stupid answer but sometimes I feel bad being a game developer, because I should be more nice for the earth and people, because I know I happy to see the people making smile and be happy when they play my games, or when they play other games as well, which is great. But playing video games requires many conditions, like you need a TV, and you need hardware and internet, also a couch and electricity and a house, whatever. So much stuff you need to buy. And then finally, you get the game, which are tons of effort and tons of financial requirement, which feels so bad.
But if I was a musician or something, maybe I could just go to a public space and to sing or play the guitar, and people just pass through and maybe they could listen to my voice randomly, but that's still maybe giving some impression, which doesn't need any commitment. I feel jealous about musicians or other performers.
James Tocchio: So you wish you could just give this away. You could just make people happy without any requirement from them?
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, Yeah, that's one of the reasons I wanted to create the playground.
James Tocchio: Yeah, I read about your playground project.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, because it's free. I know it's not free, because it's based on like a tax.
James Tocchio: Yes, but I know what you're saying. It's there and anyone can enjoy it whenever they want without having to pay or do anything extra.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, so maybe I need to be a billionaire and make my own playground. Then make it open to the public.
James Tocchio: Yeah. So we just need to sell a lot of To a T.
Keita Takahashi: Yes, please.
James Tocchio: And then you can give it all away and make-
Keita Takahashi: Yeah.
James Tocchio: -all sorts of free public works.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah. Then I'm gonna be homeless or living at the playground that I made.
James Tocchio: Okay, well, that sounds beautiful in a way.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, I think so.
James Tocchio: Is there anything that you'd like to make sure we mention or or include in this in this, write up.
Keita Takahashi: No. But yeah, please support us. Yes, the game will be funny and funnier than everyone expect so hope people like it.
James Tocchio: I think people are going to like it.
Keita Takahashi: Yeah, at least your daughters.
James Tocchio: I told them that I was going to be talking with you when I picked them up from school and the first thing they asked was, “When is To a T coming out?”
Keita Takahashi: Okay, wait. Did they play the game, or did they just watch.
James Tocchio: They both wanted to play it, so they both played it.
Keita Takahashi: Oh!
James Tocchio: All the way through, two times each over the last two days. They love it, and I think it's very well designed. You don't need me to tell you this, but it's very well designed
Keita Takahashi: That's a good feedback from the play test, though. Thank you. That's good to know.
James Tocchio: Okay, we’re approaching an hour, so I’m going to wrap things up. But again, I want to thank you for the opportunity to chat with you. I've been enjoying everything that you've done for the last 20 years. So this is such a treat for me, and I know that my readers are going to love it, too.
Keita Takahashi: Great. Thank you so much.
James Tocchio: Oh, thank you so much truly appreciated, and have a great rest of the day.
Keita Takahashi: You, too. Thank you.