Another game had opened for pre-orders, and it was going to be released directly next month. Players were thrilled, but many developers in the industry were utterly baffled.
How on earth was this company developing games so quickly?
Among those with the same doubts was Akane Kosaka.
Her own company was currently split into two development teams. One was using the engine she had obtained from Ichin to work on small, high-quality indie games, while the other was sticking to the original plan of developing a large-scale single-player game.
Neither team was taking too big of a step this time. The smaller team was working on a pixelated roguelike action platformer inspired by The Binding of Isaac and Hollow Knight. The larger team, meanwhile, was developing a linear ARPG.
As for making another open-world game, the studio had decided against it for now. To do it well would consume enormous effort and costs, and there was no guarantee of success. It simply wasn't worth it.
Just when both of her company's games were moving along smoothly, with plans to announce something in about half a year, Ichin's side suddenly launched a free two-week online test of a brand-new game—Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.
Akane Kosaka couldn't for the life of her figure out when this game had even been developed.
Out of curiosity, she downloaded Fall Guys.
And then, she ended up playing it for two straight weeks, logging in almost every day for over two hours at a time.
Her grind was far more extreme than even Utaha and Eriri's.
When the test ended and the servers closed, she barely had a chance to catch her breath before the game opened for pre-orders—set to release officially the very next month.
Even during testing, Kosaka could already feel how polished the core gameplay system was. All that remained was adding new maps and levels over time to keep the game fresh.
And knowing Ichin, she was certain the official release would still have plenty of content that hadn't yet been shown. There was no need to worry about the game becoming dull.
Still, with her head full of questions and thoughts, Akane picked up her car keys and left her company, heading straight to Ichin's office building.
After parking in the underground garage and confirming Ichin's car was there, she pulled out a compact mirror from her bag, touched up her lipstick, and only then took the elevator up to the company floor.
She'd been here several times before, so the receptionists didn't stop her. After signing in and being announced over the phone, she stepped inside.
As always, the place was bustling with energy.
In the art department, she spotted Eriri discussing something with Kou Yagami.
"Kashiwagi Eri-sensei, long time no see~~~"
The name made Eriri instinctively flinch. Eyes wide, she turned and snapped at Kosaka:
"I told you not to call me that! And didn't we just meet at a banquet last month? What are you doing here?!"
"As a fellow developer, of course I'm here to pay a visit and learn a little. After all, your company's results have been amazing."
With a bright smile, Kosaka walked over and glanced at the 3D modeling on Yagami Kou's screen.
"Hmm~~ nothing I shouldn't be seeing, right?"
Kou waved her off without much care. "It's just a model in progress, nothing sensitive. Miss Kosaka, you're really here to see Ichin, aren't you?"
"Mm. Then I won't disturb you. I'll go find Ichin-kun."
Nodding politely to Aoba and Hifumi, who were watching nearby, Kosaka headed for Ichin's office.
She knocked, then stepped inside.
"Sorry to intrude, Ichin-kun~~"
"Long time no see, Miss Kosaka."
Though a little surprised by her sudden visit, Ichin didn't turn her away. He stood up with a smile and gestured toward the sofa.
"Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Coffee, perhaps? We just got in a batch of great beans. And since it's afternoon tea time, there are also fresh pastries from a nearby bakery."
"Then I'll trouble you for that."
"It's no trouble at all."
He sent a quick message to HR, and before long someone brought in steaming coffee and a slice of cake, setting them down before her.
Ichin carried his own cup to a single armchair and sat.
"People don't usually drop by without reason. You must have something in mind, Miss Kosaka?"
After tasting the cake with a satisfied nod, she said, "Yes, I do. It's something that concerns both my company and myself."
"Your company? And you personally?" Ichin sipped his coffee, curious. "What's the matter?"
"Ichin-kun, the game your company just released for testing—Fall Guys—I played it," Kosaka said with a smile. "It was so much fun. The moment I tried it, I was hooked."
So… was she just here to praise his game?
"If you think the game is excellent, you should really be telling that to Hazuki. I only came up with the initial concept. She was the producer and handled most of the development."
"But that's still your contribution, isn't it? The initial concept is vital—it sets the tone for the whole game."
Smiling warmly, Kosaka continued, "Actually, the main reason I came today is to discuss game development with you. My company is currently working on two titles—one is a pixel-style roguelike action game, the other a linear ARPG."
Two projects at once? Given her company's size, it wasn't unreasonable.
She went on: "Development is going smoothly, but I keep wondering about the future. Should my company focus on making big AAA single-player games, or should we follow inspiration and create different kinds of titles? From what I see, your company has clearly chosen the latter."
Ichin nodded firmly. "That's right. I don't set a single rigid target for development. As for you, if you're unsure of your company's path, why not simply follow your instincts for now? Didn't you hire a lot of talent? Put all the ideas on the table, let everyone discuss them, and pick out the ones that are most suitable to develop. You hired them for a reason—make use of them."
"Make use of them…"
Indeed, she was still clinging to her old way of doing things. Maybe it was time to give her team more freedom to shine.
Akane Kosaka fell silent, deep in thought.
*
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