PS4: Here’s What 13 Japanese Developers Think, as They Also Tease Unannounced Games and More

PS4: Here’s What 13 Japanese Developers Think, as They Also Tease Unannounced Games and More

Giuseppe Nelva January 31, 2014 7:01 AM EST

Sony’s PS4 is about to be released in Japan and local gamers aren’t the only ones excited about it. Developers are quite fired up as well, and 13 of them shared with Dengeki Online their impressions on the console, it’s features and its games.

Even more interestingly, Compile Heart, GungHo Online Entertainment and Regista clearly teased unannounced games in development, even if only Compile Heart was explicit about the new game being for Sony’s new console.

The developers were asked the six questions listed below, and under the list you can find a summary of their answers.

What interests you the most personally about the PS4 console or its features? What are the greatest benefits of the PS4 for its users? What are the greatest benefits of the PS4 for developers? Would you like to use any of the features you mentioned in your answer to question 1? Please mention up to three PS4 titles that interest you. About your own titles, what’s your message to the readers?

Idea Factory (Compile Heart) Game Development Division Director Takahisa Kochiwa

Remote play and uploading video with the share button. Reduced wait times for start up and downloads, and increased graphical capabilities. The increased specs augment the creativity power. He wonders if he can make prettier girls than ever, though ultra realistic graphics don’t fit the style of his company, so he wants to design at his own pace. Both remote play and the share button. Final Fantasy XV, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Creation, Kingdom Hearts III “Although we talked briefly about a new PS4 title before, it’s an RPG. It’s also a Compile Heart title. Since there’s an unannounced title besides Neptunia for PS Vita and Moero Chronicle, please look forward to it.”

Idea Factory (Compile Heart) Game Development Division Neptunia Series Producer Naoko Mizuno

Touch pad on the controller, share button and remote play. The large increase in specs, that can also increase the enjoyment of games. The higher specs lead to less limits to what you can achieve. Interacting with a cute character with the touch pad and using the share button is planned. Final Fantasy XV. “Thank you for supporting Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 and Noire Gekishin Black Heart on PS Vita! Please wait for the next Neptunia title. We’ll tell you about it as soon as possible.”

Idea Factory (Compile Heart) Game Development Division Agarest Senki and Mugen Souls Series Producer Kenta Sugano

The share button. The increase in specs is the biggest. The ability to play while downloading a game. The specs don’t allow only to improve the graphics, but also to increase the breadth of games. The ease of development. Just increasing the memory made quite a difference. Of course using the whole power of the PS4 is difficult, but as developers will get familiar with the system they’ll be able to create high quality games. He’d like to implement a system using the share function that actually allows the viewer to lead gameplay. Something that can be used even in single players like RPGs. Watch_Dogs, inFAMOUS: Second Son, Final Fantasy XV. “Even if we have released various titles like Agarest Senki, Mugen Souls and Neptunia, we want to make something for PS4 soon after it’s released. So we will work hard and make an announcement as soon as possible. Look forward to it.”

Acquire President Endo Takuma

Remote play with PS Vita. The fact that graphics have become “beautiful, amazing, a clear difference.” It’s easier to develop for PS4 because with older consoles the memory was too limited. (No answer) FIFA 14, Idol@master, Thief. “Acquire celebrates it’s 20th anniversary this year, and we’ve released titles that amazed and amused users like Tenchu, The Way of the Samurai and Akiba’s Trip. With the new hardware we want to continue making games that surprise our customers.”

Acquire Producer Junichiro Tamura

The Share button. Network improvements. The specs create an environment where you can create what you want. First I want to try it myself, then I want to think on this. Idol@master, Dream C Club: Host Girls on Stage, The Order: 1886. “Acquire makes challenging titles every year. I’d like to make an interesting game using the Share feature.”

Imageepoch President and Producer Yashie Mikage

The SNS feature. It creates a new connection between gamers. A lot of good games can be created on a console that doesn’t just stop at graphics but is also easy to develop on. Ease of development. He’d like to make a game based on traditional RPGs, but involving cooperative and competitive systems. Assassin’s 4: Black Flag, Yakuza Ishin, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. “We’ll release Toshin Toshi and SoniPro for Nintendo 3DS, but as Imageepoch approaches its 10th anniversary we’re back to working on the strategy JRPG genre we debuted with. Please stand by.”

Imageepoch Director Mitsunori Takemoto

The balance between pricing and good performance, the ease of use of various social features and the improved usability of the operating system. Various social features, the ability to watch other users and cooperate, that will improve the community. Quick iteration due to the ability to develop on PC. The support of indies makes the development environment look more welcoming, encouraging a variety of styles. Network gameplay e cooperation,social networking and a new community design tat bridges the gap between casual and core gamers. Watch_Dogs, Yakuza Ishin. “Toshin Toshi will finally be released on January 30th. I think the improved 2D graphics merged with the stereoscopic 3D feature are worth a look. Thank you for your support.”

GungHo Online Entertainment President and Executive Producer Kazuki Morishita

“For the time being, I want to buy one as a gamer!” Also looking forward to the share feature and the connection with smartphones and tablets. The ability to connect online comfortably has been increased from the old hardware, and the connection with portable devices like smartphones. Easy porting between different hardware, making multi platform development what it should truly be. Joining with Grasshopper Manufacture he wants to focus on online gameplay, that is one of the main features of the PS4, and the connection with smartphones. Watch_Dogs, inFAMOUS: Second Son, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. “I’d like everyone to enjoy Lily Bergamo made in collaboration with our partners Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda-san. We want to deliver the true strong points of GungHo with Online gameplay and smartphone connection, creating an element of surprise. We’ve thrown in our best development staff, so stay tuned!

GungHo Online Entertainment Management Division Development Director Hiromichi Tanaka

The Share button, that can change the life style of gamers by a lot, finally making the world he envisioned with PlayOnline (he was the Producer of Final Fantasy XI) come true. The new features of the DualShock 4, that shows a much larger evolution than its predecessors. It can improve the variety of gameplay. Ease of development and ability to record gameplay, which is useful for debugging. Not just video publishing with the share feature, but also actual gameplay, like an escape game that prompts the participation of a large number of people analyzing the video. Deep Down, Final Fantasy XV, The Order 1886. “An unannounced title is in development”

Grasshopper Manufacture President and Designer Goichi Suda

The cloud, the feeling that you can reach deep inside the network. The confort of having snappy hardware which is also easy to use. “I don’t know yet.” The increase of the value of assets and data. The Order: 1886. “Stay Tuned for more on Lily Bergamo, we’re developing it so that we can make further announcements soon.”

Sega Director Hiroyuki Sakamoto

“Yakuza Ishin!” He also wants to make a game that will challenge the limits of the PS4 one day. The benefits given by the memory. Before textures and animations were tragically compressed. Now games will be much more immersive. Developers can focus on making games because many things are handled on the system side of the PS4. For example it’s unnecessary to develop special features for the share feature or remote play. “It’s a good time (laughs).” The share feature, to deliver your gameplay to the community or creating gameplay that uses everyone’s smarts in collaboration. Watch_Dogs, Hohokum, Final Fantasy XV. “At last on February 22nd, the PS4 edition of Yakuza Ishin will be released. We’re excited because it’s a launch title! The PS4 version uses the features of the console like PS Vita remote play, the share feature and cross save, so thank you for supporting Yakuza Ishin!

Nippon Ichi Software Producer Ryoji Yanase

The share button, the camera and the touch pad. The network makes it more fun to connect, share and compete. The ability to deliver a new gaming experience to the users. He thinks it’d be really cool to provide a new gaming experience connected with smartphone. Not just using it as a second monitor, but also creating experiences like a game in which the story begins by picking up a smartphone someone dropped. The Playroom. “Please wait until we can make a new announcement.”

Regista Producer, Director and Planner Takumi Nakazawa

The share button ad from the development side, the ability to block spoilers. The speaker on the DualShock 4 and the second screen feature on Vita and smartphones. It’s hard to pick one between the many features of the PS4, but the most relevant thing is how they’re integrated in one hardware. They can probably created a new way of gaming for the user. He doesn’t know yet at this stage. Performance has been increased and many features have been added. He wants to explore new approaches to tying fun and innovation in the approach to the user and to business as he develops in the future. He envisions a way to tying up the world inside a game and the world outside via the share feature. Letting the user and others participate in a more natural way. He’d also like to use the speaker of the DualShock 4 to produce new sounds like heartbeat, secret whispers, telepathy or mishearing. The Playroom, Deep Down. “Time has passed since its release, but Root Double is our most recent work.” (…) “Moreover, a new original title is under development now, and it’s one in which we’re challenging different ways and mechanics. Please stand by for the day in which I’ll be able to deliver additional information.”