Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue

X
News

Katamari Creator Says Japanese Game Industry Is A Zombie

by Matt Helgeson on Nov 23, 2010 at 07:03 AM

Speaking with Develop, Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi has some frank and harsh words for the Japanese game industry, calling it a "zombie that never dies."

He says that Japanese companies – like his former employer Namco Bandai – are too focused on sequels to bring enough truly original games to market. Oddly, he seems to suggest that a total collapse of the Japanese industry might be a good thing in the long-term.

"“When we go down, we see new technology like PlayStation Move and things pick up a bit," Takahashi said. "We never hit rock-bottom, and it’s like a zombie that never dies. It needs an injection of life."

Since leaving Namco Bandai, Takahashi has been working on establishing his own studio, Uvula, which he hopes can partner with a western company in the future.