{"id":21613,"date":"2023-11-29T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=21613"},"modified":"2024-01-05T08:46:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T08:46:40","slug":"interview-with-hasegawa-hitoshi-from-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-hasegawa-hitoshi-from-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Hasegawa Hitoshi from Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hasegawa Hitoshi, serving as the representative of 91Act Japan and an executive producer for BlazBlue Entropy Effect, found his entry into the gaming industry rooted in his student days. Captivated by CAPCOM’s “Final Fight” and “Street Fighter,” his passion for creating captivating games became the driving force behind his career trajectory.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q1. Please provide us with a brief bio of yourself and your background.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am Hasegawa Hitoshi, the representative of 91Act Japan and an executive producer for BlazBlue Entropy Effect. During the NEOGEO era in 1995, I was responsible for designing the fighting games “NINJA MUSTER’S” and “Beast Busters Second Nightmare.” While working at TECMO (now KOEI TECMO), I managed character design, art direction, and project management for the “Yomawari” and “Fatal Frame” series. Later, I became the second director of Team NINJA, where I oversaw the development of “NINJA GAIDEN 2-DLC” and “NINJA GAIDEN 2?” action game series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After contributing to the development of various action games, I served as a producer and executive director\/development department head at Kadokawa Games. Some of my notable works include the “Yomawari” and “Fatal Frame” series, “Dead or Alive -Online-,” and “?Letter ??????”. My background in the arts allows me to specialize in creating games that blend visuals and action elements. Currently, I am the legal representative of 91Act Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2. What led you to become a Game Developer \/ Marketer?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my time as a student, I became obsessed with CAPCOM’s “Final Fight” and “Street Fighter.” This desire to create captivating games led me into the gaming industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3. What is your role in the company, and what traits should a game developer \/ marketing professional possess to be successful in their role?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the representative of 91Act Japan and an executive producer for BlazBlue Entropy Effect, I believe that while success is significant, the journey towards it holds greater importance. It’s not about succeeding or failing, but about continuously producing results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most crucial aspect of achieving results is taking ‘action,’ which includes having the courage to embrace challenges. It’s important to take action without fear, face the outcomes, and take action once more. This is of utmost importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4. Tell us more about your studio \/ company.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are a game development and operation company that was first established over 10 years. Our development headquarters are located in Chengdu, China with additional offices in Shanghai and Tokyo, Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, 91Act collaborated with ARC SYSTEM WORKS to bring forth \u201cBlazBlue RR\u201d. We also partnered with Sega for \u201cDengeki Bunko: Crossing Void\u201d. Currently, \u201cBlazBlue Entropy Effect\u201d marks our second collaboration with ARC SYSTEM WORKS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5. What is your own definition of a great game?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining what makes a game outstanding can be complex, considering the multiple factors involved. However, in my opinion, the most essential criterion is when a player is immediately drawn to try the game upon seeing its visuals. This attraction goes beyond the enjoyment experienced during gameplay; it encompasses the initial feeling of “This game looks intriguing; I want to give it a try.” This is the primary definition required for a game to be considered outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q6. Describe the genres of the game(s) your studio \/ company specializes in, as well as its main characteristics.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 91Act, we are confident in our expertise within the gaming domain and firmly believe that we can compete with the most elite game studios out there. We have two pivotal pillars that substantiate our conviction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, we excel in crafting high-quality action games, which are the cornerstone of our game development prowess. With our innate ability to blend captivating animations, visual effects, and immersive storytelling, we can instantly captivate players and ignite a strong desire for engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, we possess an exceptional aptitude for shaping Japanese IPs and believe that we can surpass our peers in creating outstanding work. What sets us further apart is our unique capability to foster trusted relationships with IP rights holders, which is a crucial element in realizing our ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q7. Tell us more about your ideation process. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our experience in the ACT genre and history of creating products under the BlazBlue license have equipped us with the necessary skills to introduce new experiences and innovations in our upcoming product. Our primary focus has been Roguelite, and creating a game that surpasses historical masterpieces is an exceptionally challenging task. To achieve this, the BlazBlue Entropy Effect development team has gathered a group of passionate gamers who are enthusiasts of this genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started with experimental in-house demos in 2019 and gradually honed and refined the concept and gameplay until we established a clear vision and direction in 2021 when we began formal development. We have continually collected feedback from users who have experienced the game through various means, recognizing the importance of obtaining user feedback and support to steer the game’s development direction and enhance the gaming experience. In essence, this game is a collaborative effort between players and the development team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BlazBlue Entropy Effect is the latest work by Team 91Act – a veteran Action game development team. As the \u2026 (Read more at NYX Game Awards<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about this interview<\/a> with Miles Whittaker from the United States, the Gold Winner of the 2023 NYX Game Awards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hasegawa Hitoshi, serving as the representative of 91Act Japan and an executive producer for BlazBlue Entropy Effect, found his entry into the gaming industry rooted in [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":21659,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[372],"tags":[413,415,382],"yoast_head":"\nInterview with Hasegawa Hitoshi from Japan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Winner interview with Hasegawa Hitoshi of 91ACT from Japan for BlazBlue Entropy Effect, the Gold Winner of the 2023 NYX Game Awards.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-hasegawa-hitoshi-from-japan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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