Tetsuya Mizuguchi Interview 2005

We sit down for a comprehensive new interview with one of gaming's most acclaimed developers. Discover more about Mizuguchi's career, Lumines 2, working with Sega again in future, and much more.

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Kikizo: What upcoming games are you looking forward to?

Mizuguchi: From other companies? Nothing right now, but I want to play the finished version of my next games! Right now my game is in my brain, and I really want to finish up my next game so that I can play it myself!

Kikizo: What's your opinion about the upcoming console systems from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo?

Mizuguchi: I don't have any real opinions about them right now. I'd love to see a hard disk in all of them, so that there are no ROMs. I'd like to see that right now, because I don't want to have a lot of devices lying around. We have so many things, so I'd like one thing that does everything. The iPod is a very useful thing like that. I don't go to music shops any more, because I'm buying the music online right now. When I was young, I wanted to go out in the city, but unfortunately I'm a little older now [laughs], so it's more convenient for me to download music with iTunes.

Kikizo: What made you decide to join forces with Microsoft on their next Xbox console, especially in light of the fact that the first Xbox was mostly unsuccessful in Japan?

Mizuguchi: The people at Microsoft were very persuasive, and they wanted to talk about future possibilities between us and them, and they're really excited to make something new with us, so that's the reason we teamed up with them.

Kikizo: What do you think about the future of portable gaming systems as cellphone games are becoming more and more popular?

Mizuguchi: I think the DS and PSP will survive. Portable media like the PSP or iPod or mobile phones have the same vision. I don't know how long, but we have a lot of media with the same vision, but they might end up killing each other. Whichever media has strongest infrastructure and connection to infrastructure will be the ones that succeed.

Kikizo: Do you have plans to make games for phones or online only?

Mizuguchi: Not yet, but in the future...

Kikizo: Do you see any big differences in style and taste among Japanese and Western games? What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each? Are their styles starting to converge more now that it's a more global market?

Mizuguchi: I'm still trying to find the differences between them right now! The differences are really evident with the social culture and the region, basically. These kinds of things have a huge influence on the art and the people, and in the United States, FPS and shooters are popular, but in Japan there are no guns... we have some violence problems, but no gun problems. In the US there are many problems with guns and violence, so in a game like GTA, it exists because it represents the culture of the region. So the game is basically a mirror to that society.

There's also a big influence with Christ figure in Western games, I think. I think this kind of thing exists under the table. With Japanese games, it's based on Buddhism and Shinto religion, because it's the native religion. Japanese people believe gods exists in everything, but we have different religions on this planet right now, so that also influences everything.

With Japanese games, they're too cute! Japanese games are well done, but have no freedom in the game design, so it gets a little boring, and it's kind of old-fashioned. With US games, you have a lot of freedom in the world, like in GTA. You can do anything, so this kind of change is from the game to interactive experience. Ten years ago, the US games were too difficult for Japanese gamers, and they said "I don't understand how to play", but I think this kind of basic structure of the brain is based on the culture of the gamer... or maybe their DNA.

Kikizo: How did you meet Nobuchika Eri?

Mizuguchi: Mondo Grosso is making her music, so he wrote the music for her and introduced us.

Kikizo: Were they pleased with Lumines?

Mizuguchi: I think so! I hope so! We had some parties recently about four or five times in Japan, and we played Lumines in the back all the time, so they seemed to enjoy it. Mondo Grosso is also a DJ, and before DJ'ing he always asked me how to get a score over 200,000. He said he always plays in the bathroom. As for Nobuchika, this is her debut song and in the game, she can play a game with her voice and her song in it, so she's pretty good at it.

Kikizo: Did you have a lot of involvement with Ubisoft for the localization of Lumines?

Mizuguchi: Yes we had some involvement, but we trusted them as a publisher. They had some questions, but not too many, just stuff to do with the box art and what colours to use.

Kikizo: There are some features gamers really wanted in Lumines, such as a shuffle mode for single player mode...

Mizuguchi: We didn't do that on purpose! [Laughs] I want to play like that too, but maybe with the next Lumines.

Kikizo: Will there be a next Lumines?

Mizuguchi: Yeah, I have a plan right now... but I haven't decided the platform yet. But maybe the PSP again.

Ninety-Nine Nights

Kikizo: Before our upcoming special feature on Ninety Nine Nights with you and Mr Lee from Phantagram, let's just talk about it now just briefly: where did the decision to work with Phantagram come from?

Mizuguchi: During my UGA years I experienced both managing and running the studio, and it was an enormous task. I don't think big studio management is for me. So at this point there are no plans to make QE into a studio. We'll concentrate on producing titles by increasing the speed of cranking out ideas and lightening up our footwork. I first got to know about Phantagram through Kingdom Under Fire. It's a wonderful game and I was greatly interested in it, and after actually meeting them, I thought, I want to work with them.

Kikizo: Many of your games are based upon futuristic themes. Ninety Nine Nights [N3], in contrast, is a fantasy game. Why did you choose this theme for the game?

Mizuguchi: I've always thought that once the technology improves, and the resolution becomes Hi-Def, I would take on a fantasy theme. A chemical reaction of deep fantasy and action, so to speak. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I'm just interested in any themes that touch your emotions.

I have a strong inclination for movies and such visuals. Also, I studied literature in the art department when I was at college. That's probably why I have quite a strong point of view for the game scenario. You can throw yourself in an enormous AI or physics-driven army of hundreds, blowing them away by magic or slashing them with your sword. N3 game will have this sort of huge army action and strategy components. And there'll be lots of items too, so you'll be able to enjoy it over and over!

Thanks as always to Miz for his time and stay tuned for our detailed feature on N3.

Kikizo Staff
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