What Discussions Beyond Boundaries Create

Why did you join Nagoshi Studio?

Before joining this studio, I worked at a video production company making cut scenes for games, and videos for amusement machines. However, ever since my student days I had a strong desire to get involved in game development itself, so I decided to change jobs. Right around that time, I was hooked on the games that Nagoshi had worked on in the past, which is why I considered joining Nagoshi Studio. The fact that the studio develops games not only for Japan but also for the world was also a major deciding factor.

What is it like to work at Nagoshi Studios?

At the moment [as of May 2024], I’m the youngest in the studio and have had a short career in game development, but my coworkers with seniority have been very kind to me.

One of the distinctive features of Nagoshi Studio is its culture of listening flexibly, even when discussing with staff who have significantly more career experience. It is true that the senior members are highly experienced, so they will point out mistakes and offer different opinions if necessary. However, if an idea is deemed good, it will be adopted as is. Observing the environment, I find it attractive that ideas are evaluated purely on their merit, regardless of rank or position.

What kind of atmosphere does the team have?

In the design team, I can feel on a daily basis that everyone is seriously looking in the same direction to create a good game, regardless of the detailed boundaries of their responsibilities. Because we all have the same objectives, it’s easy to talk to them regardless of whether they are staff from different parts of the company or with higher positions. Being in charge of effects, I have many opportunities to talk with planners and programmers, and I like the fact that I can feel the atmosphere of “wanting to make a good game” running through the entire company.

Can you describe a time when your work feels most gratifying?

As I said, I had a strong desire to make games so I changed jobs from a video production company, and now I find it very rewarding to be involved in game production from the core. As with other jobs, in the field of effects, there is a process where I come up with my own drafts, decide on specifications, and incorporate them into the game, and I enjoy all aspects of that process. I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment just to see something I thought up actually moving in a game.

Please give a word to those considering a career change to Nagoshi Studio.

When working as a game developer, there presumably have something that you really want to do, no matter what type of job you have. On the other hand, I wonder if it is difficult to find an environment where that can be achieved. At Nagoshi Studio, I can work with a great deal of discretion within my job area, and in other areas as well, I have opportunities to make use of my ideas through discussions with creators in other sections. If you are a creator who is self-motivated, this is definitely a fun place to work.