Over the previous few years, Crew NINJA and Koei Tecmo launched the superlative Nioh 2 on PS5 and PC, the Ninja Gaiden Grasp Assortment on all platforms, Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty on dwelling consoles and PC, and introduced Rise of the Ronin with PlayStation Studios for PS5. I’ve been an enormous fan of the studio for some time now and contemplate Nioh 2 its finest recreation by far even immediately. I loved my time with Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty final yr and with the Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty Full Version releasing this week, I spoke to Masakazu Hirayama who’s the Producer/Director for Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty and Crew NINJA Division Supervisor about fairly a couple of subjects together with what gamers ought to anticipate from Rise of the Ronin, the opportunity of Crew NINJA returning to Lifeless or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, the demand for a bodily launch, and extra.
TouchArcade (TA): Inform us a bit of bit about your self and what you do at Crew NINJA.
Masakazu Hirayama (MH): I’m Masakazu Hirayama, and presently the Producer/Director of Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty.
I work below Fumihiko Yasuda, Head of Crew NINJA, and am the Division Supervisor of a division that primarily produces console titles.
TA: How did you get into the video games trade and ultimately into Crew NINJA?
MH: I joined Crew NINJA proper after ending graduate faculty. I began as a recreation designer within the NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor’s Edge workforce, then labored on the DEAD OR ALIVE sequence, the DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY sequence, and as director on the Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty primary recreation, which brings us to the current.
TA: What does a day in your life appear to be at Crew NINJA?
MH: It depends upon the timing of the title(s) I’m in control of, however in our fiscal 2023, we had the Wo Lengthy DLCs, so I principally spent half a day in conferences for varied initiatives, and the remainder of my time making an attempt the sport to examine the gameplay and growth progress.
TA: As Division Supervisor at Crew NINJA, are you able to inform us what number of initiatives the studio is engaged on without delay often?
MH: It depends upon the timing and varies in depth, however round 3 titles without delay.
The picture beneath is from Rise of the Ronin from Crew NINJA and PlayStation Studios
TA: After Rise of the Ronin which is being dealt with by Crew NINJA, Koei Tecmo, and PlayStation Studios, is there any plan for Crew NINJA to return to its basic franchises like NINJA GAIDEN and DEAD OR ALIVE?
MH: Whereas now we have no plans in the mean time, the NINJA GAIDEN and DEAD OR ALIVE are IPs which can be essential to us, so we’re all the time contemplating the likelihood.
TA: Crew NINJA has finished fairly a couple of fascinating initiatives in recent times with exterior companions like Stranger of Paradise Last Fantasy Origin with Sq. Enix and Marvel Final Alliance 3 with Nintendo. How does the studio strategy these initiatives in comparison with inner titles for Koei Tecmo?
MH: There isn’t any main distinction within the fundamental manufacturing course of in comparison with our inner titles. We develop our titles by aligning what every of our companions worth and the concepts and route we take into account at every stage of the manufacturing course of, such because the strategy planning stage, prototype stage, and manufacturing stage.
Once we develop titles in partnership, we additionally be taught so much from the experience of our companions, so I really feel that this has led to the expansion of our present workforce.
The picture beneath is from Stranger of Paradise Last Fantasy Origin from Crew NINJA and Sq. Enix
TA: Now I’d prefer to deal with Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty. I ended up liking it so much once I performed it on PS5, Xbox Sequence X, and Steam Deck. How was it engaged on so many consoles and PC concurrently in comparison with when delivery Nioh and Nioh 2 which was simply PlayStation earlier than doing a PC launch later?
MH: To be trustworthy, I feel it was robust for the event workforce, however I’m really blissful that this new IP is being loved by gamers on all kinds of platforms.
TA: Are there plans to convey Wo Lengthy to any future consoles as nicely, or has the workforce moved on now with the Full Version being accessible?
MH: At this level, now we have no plans to increase to new platforms.
TA: What do you consider extra video games specializing in parrying as a core mechanic?
MH: Motion video games let gamers take pleasure in tactical elements, so I feel that the sport mechanics during which your technique will change relying on the enemy’s assault is one thing that may stay, even when it takes totally different shapes or codecs.
TA: After I performed Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty, I noticed lots of issues I’d like to see improved in a sequel, and questioned if we might ever see a Nioh to Nioh 2 stage bounce in high quality and polish with a possible Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty sequel. Are you able to touch upon what you’d love to do should you had an opportunity to make a sequel?
MH: We’ve no plans for a sequel at this stage, as our focus in fiscal 2023 was on the DLCs and updates. On high of that, I really feel that the historic interval after the one set in Wo Lengthy has its personal distinctive attraction because the period of strategists, and now we have a need to depict it with motion and in a narrative, so we’d prefer to tackle this problem if the chance arises.
TA: Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty has seen a number of updates with new options and content material along with paid DLC. We additionally had some fascinating collaborations. With all of the content material now accessible and Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty Full Version out now, how do you’re feeling in regards to the state of the sport?
MH: Throughout the yr following the discharge of the primary recreation, we made enhancements by means of a variety of updates, together with changes associated to battles, extra options to make it simpler to play, and stuck stability points. In consequence, we’re glad with the state of the sport and determined to launch this Full Version. Because it consists of all three extra DLCs and collaboration DLCs and has an intensive quantity of gameplay, I hope it encourages individuals who haven’t performed the sport but to present it a strive.
TA: Whereas I beloved the boss fights regardless of getting very pissed off with two of them, Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty’s soundtrack has caught with me since launch. How did Crew NINJA find yourself working with Kenichiro Suehiro who had by no means finished online game music earlier than?
MH: Thanks! Along with the sound director, we thought of composers who may broaden the picture of this title and contacted Kenichiro Suehiro. The great music he offered exceeded our expectations and created an ideal environment for the world of Wo Lengthy.
The picture above is from Nioh 2.
TA: With Nioh and Nioh 2, I favored the video games sufficient to purchase the usual version digitally and bodily, after which acquired the entire editions digitally and bodily to help the releases to have the entire video games on disc with all DLC included. I wished to precise disappointment within the lack of a bodily launch for Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty Full Version even in Japan. I’d have fortunately imported it. I hope the workforce considers doing one even whether it is later.
MH: I recognize your remark. At the moment, there are not any plans to launch a bodily model of the Full Version, however we could contemplate it if there’s demand.
TA: Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty is Steam Deck Verified. I wished to ask how the workforce approached engaged on the sport for Steam Deck, if any extra work was finished on the event facet. I favored it fairly a bit on Steam Deck regardless of the visible cutbacks in comparison with the present consoles.
MH: To fulfill immediately’s various providing of platforms, and in order that extra folks can play it, we made the sport Steam Deck suitable. The extra work we did was issues equivalent to altering the preliminary font measurement of subtitles to match the display measurement of Steam Deck and different platform-specific options.
TA: Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty has good DualSense performance. That is one thing I even beloved in The Nioh Assortment on PS5. How does Crew NINJA strategy platform-specific capabilities like this and PS5 Exercise Playing cards?
MH: We assigned devoted employees to every platform to implement DualSense and different particular capabilities, and to optimize and adapt the sport to every platform.
TA: How essential has participant suggestions been whereas engaged on the DLC and updates for Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty?
MH: We seemed by means of the feedback each day as an essential indicator for updates. And we contemplate the DLC content material and updates, And day-after-day we stored observe of and up to date our information about what gamers are having fun with and what they’re dissatisfied with, and used that when contemplating the DLC and updates. We’ve continued this from the primary demo, and we really feel that it has been a yr of working along with each single participant.
TA: When Nioh launched again in 2017, I beloved it, regardless of some points it had. Nioh 2 principally fastened each downside I had with the unique, and is without doubt one of the finest video games I’ve performed in a few years. I hope Crew NINJA offers a possible sequel to Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty the identical remedy as a result of the three kingdoms setting and darkish fantasy had been excellent to expertise in-game.
MH: Thanks very a lot! We presently haven’t any plans for a sequel, but when the chance arises for us to tackle such a problem, we wish to contemplate a sequel that may meet your and everybody’s expectations.
TA: Are there plans to additional enhance Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty’s PC port or implement newer options?
MH: After the discharge of the Full Version, we are going to repair bugs and different points as mandatory, however there are presently no plans for a serious replace.
TA: Is there an opportunity we are going to see Nioh and Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty collaboration content material for Rise of the Ronin? I additionally wish to know what Nioh and Wo Lengthy followers ought to look ahead to in Rise of the Ronin.
MH: There isn’t any info on collaborations at the moment. Properly, Rise of the Ronin is a title that displays the positives and addresses the negatives of earlier Crew NINJA titles together with the Nioh sequence and Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty, so we consider will probably be a title that followers of every of those titles will completely take pleasure in. We hope that every one followers will look ahead to this upcoming title.
The picture beneath is from Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon from FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Leisure
TA: Final yr was an important yr for video games throughout platforms. What did you take pleasure in taking part in throughout your free time in 2023?
MH: It was a yr that I performed a variety of video games no matter style. In motion and motion RPGs alone, I performed all kinds of video games, together with Lies of P, which we collaborated with, Hello-Fi RUSH, ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, so I obtained lots of inspiration a developer this previous yr.
TA: What are you presently taking part in and having fun with?
MH: At the moment, I’m primarily taking part in Baldur’s Gate 3 (which was launched in Japan on December twenty first, 2023). I’m impressed by the overwhelming quantity of freedom, together with the branching narrative.
The picture beneath is from Baldur’s Gate 3 from Larian Studios
TA: Do you’ve got a message for the Crew NINJA followers studying this interview and what they need to anticipate from you and the studio in 2024?
MH: Thanks to everybody who has performed Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty over the lengthy interval of just about a yr since its launch. If there are a few of you who haven’t performed it but, Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty Full Version shall be launched on February sixth and can embrace all three extra DLCs and collaboration content material so we hope you’ll give it a strive.
Lastly, Rise of the Ronin, which is developed by Crew NINJA and printed by Sony Interactive Leisure, will lastly be launched on March 22. After journeying by means of the Three Kingdoms interval of China, we hope you’ll benefit from the world of Bakumatsu period Japan!
I’d prefer to thank Masakazu Hirayama from Crew NINJA, Koei Tecmo, and Marc Bianchi from ONE PR Studio for his or her time and assist with this interview.
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