Mega Man artist and Mighty No. 9 creator Keiji Inafune has been an enormous identify within the trade for almost 4 many years, so you would say he is acquired a good bit of expertise. Just lately, the producer gave a chat at South Korea’s Console Sport Developer Convention 2025, and has just a few robust phrases for builders and publishers counting on large IPs and style traits.
Reported on by ThisIsGame (by way of Automaton), Inafune was important of studios that depend on these established manufacturers and IPs or simply shoot for “style traits” as a result of they’re supposedly assured to earn cash.
“I am not saying it’s dangerous to proceed current franchises or make video games that riff on well-liked genres,” Inafune states (translated by way of machine by Automaton), “What I imply is that these shouldn’t be the one video games being made.”
It is laborious to argue with that, although clearly each studio goes to differ. Nintendo has an enormous vary of IPs to dip into, for instance, and whereas we see regulars equivalent to Mario, Pokémon, and Zelda pop up each different yr (or generally yearly), the Huge N sometimes dips into its deeper previous (Rhythm Heaven in 2026, anybody?).
By way of “well-liked genres”, looter shooters, Battle Royales, and extraction shooters are all carrots the trade has been attempting to chase for years with various outcomes.
In his speech, Inafune talked about “Monster Hunter-style” and “Remaining Fantasy-style” video games and that, again in his day, new ideas have been “merely the norm” and put down his personal success to leaping between completely different tasks, although he spent probably the most time engaged on the Mega Man sequence.
He advised the viewers that his success “was attainable as a result of I didn’t dwell on my previous hits”, and that the trade has taken a way more “defensive” stance because the trade has matured.
Whereas he understands that enterprise might have to fall again on the more-popular issues, “when contemplating the essence of sport improvement and the fervour for creation, it mustn’t change into the whole thing of the gaming scene.”
Inafune has certainly had an especially diverse profession, labored as a graphic designer on Road Fighter, numerous Disney Capcom video games, producer on the DualShock launch of Resident Evil, the Onimusha sequence, government producer on Misplaced Planet, Apollo Justice: Ace Lawyer, Ghost Trick… we may listing tons of.
Put up-Capcom, Inafune has labored with Inti Creates on the Azure Striker Gunvolt sequence and launched the massively profitable Kickstarter for Mighty No. 9, a sport which was closely impressed by Mega Man and, sadly, turned out to be a important flop. In 2022, he introduced an NFT venture referred to as Beastroids, as soon as once more impressed by Mega Man.
Inafune additionally joined Stage-5 after the acquisition of Comcept in 2017, finally working as producer on Fantasy Life i: The Lady Who Steals Time. He left the corporate in 2024, with Stage-5 CEO Akihiro Hino saying that following his departure, “we needed to reassess and restructure the venture”. He has since joined Rocket Studio.
What do you consider keiji Inafune’s phrases? Do you would like there was extra selection from the massive sport builders? Tell us within the feedback.
