Otorakobo is an indie game development company That pursues “brand new games that nobody has ever seen.” Its CEO, Okuda, who has development experience at Sega, talked about his path to independence, his unique expression method with a theme of “color,” and the outlook for Otorakobo.

Otorakobo’s CEO Okuda talks about his thoughts on “color” and the future.

Indie games are garnering attention in the gaming industry, and an indie game studio, Otorakobo Inc., continues to take on new challenges with its unique worldview. CEO Okuda was interviewed and talked about his work on the theme of “color.” He also spoke about his thoughts on developing indie games.

Interviewer: Yuri Iwabuchi. Born in Saitama, she lives in Iwate and has a soul of Akiba(Akihabara). She has worked at Akiba for a long time due to her love of games, manga, anime, and Nico Nico Douga.

”I can’t do it” turns into “Then I’ll do it myself” | A path of challenge continued since the Sega era

——Could you tell us what prompted you to establish Otorakobo ?

Okuda: I was initially employed as a game creator at Sega. At that time, I did not have the opportunity to write code, which was unexpectedly stressful for me.

Originally, Sega did not allow side jobs. However, I couldn’t suppress my inner conflict as a game creator at that time, so I started developing games on my own during my free time. That is how Otorakobo was born.

—When did you decide to be independent?

Okuda: I started working on my own around 2015. I released my first game “White Girl” in 2018, and my second game “Rainbow Yggdrasil” in September 2020. “Rainbow Yggdrasil” ranked second in the “paid mobile download” category, giving us a sense of accomplishment in indie games. We decided to incorporate and founded our company in November 2020, the same year we released “Rainbow Yggdrasil.”

However, when the incorporation was done, I still belonged to Sega. I was planning to work on my third game in parallel while continuing my work at Sega, but eventually, I decided to go independent for these reasons. In April 2022, we released the Nintendo Switch version of “Rainbow Yggdrasil,” and there was a certain response to success. Also, I could create better games if I fully committed myself to making only indie games. I was confident about it.

—Nowadays, the indie game market is rapidly expanding. Did you feel like there was a tailwind when you decided to go independent?

Okuda: When we went independent, I didn’t feel like the wind was blowing from my back. I was just focusing on writing code with all my might and presenting the games I wanted my users to play.

In the midst of all this, some people said to me, “The social background is helping the growth of the indie game industry, isn’t it?” Then I realized that indie games were getting even more attention.

So to speak, I didn’t decide to go independent because I felt the tailwind. After I went independent, I felt like, “Oh, maybe I’m riding the wave of the times…” (laughs)

Weaving emotions through color | The reason why this unique expression method was born

—What kind of games does Otorakobo want to create and present?

Okuda: We create games with one belief: “We want to showcase brand new games that nobody has ever seen.”

Let me tell you some of my old stories. I love a game Sega released, which has the name “CYBER TROOPERS VIRTUAL-ON.” I loved this so much that I copied this game with my eye and made my own VIRTUAL-ON. At my job interview at joining Sega, I appealed this, and I successfully got hired.

After I joined Sega, a senior colleague advised me, “Now it’s time to create something new.” This advice motivated my creative spirit as a game creator at the time and still has been a significant relief.

—All of Otorakobo’s games have the theme of “color.” Please tell us why.

Okuda: I think a “brand new work that nobody has ever seen” equals a “work that is difficult to understand.” Therefore, while keeping the concept of an unknown experience, I wanted to make it easy for users to understand.

We chose the universal method of expression, “color,” as a communication bridge. The theme “color” was born from our hope to provide a new experience and our wish to be understood intuitively.

—Why did you choose “color”?

Okuda: I am moved by people’s backgrounds and changes in their emotions. Therefore, I want to express humanity in the game.

“I want to color my characters with my favorite emotions and personalities.” To express this, it would be fun and easy to understand if I could link the characters’ appearance and emotions through color.

For example, a lively personality is red, a calm emotion is green, and an admiring emotion is blue. Users can visually enjoy the changes if the characters’ inner changes link with color. This is why I chose the theme “color.”

Three different personalities | Otorakobo’s unique team structure

—Could you tell us about your current team composition?

Okuda: We work with external companies and creators, but Otorakobo’s internal staff consists of three people: Okuda, Yada, and Inami.

I, Okuda, am the engineer and initiator of what to do. Yada is the game planner who puts the ideas together and is also in charge of sounds. And Inami is a “professional consumer,” believe it or not. (laughs)

—“A professional consumer”! What is he in charge of?

Okuda: He can list all the emotions, feelings of the controls, etc., of the game he played. In other words, “he is a specialist in quality assurance from the user’s perspective.” We rely on him so much because he can clearly verbalize what he has experienced and give us feedback.

He plays an essential role in creating games that are not only from a developer’s perspective but also in tune with the player’s sensibilities.

—Where did the three of you first meet?

Okuda: When I was at Sega, I worked on the online cooperative battle game Wonderland Wars. Right after its release, I used to go to arcades after work, and that was where we first met.

We played the game until closing time, then went to a nearby bar and drank until late at night. At the bar, we often talked about games and shared all kinds of ideas.

When I decided to create an indie game, I wanted to turn my ideas into reality, so I asked those two guys, “Let’s create a game together.”

Drunkers’ dreams | The thoughts behind “Otorakobo”

—Could you tell us the origin of the company name “Otorakobo”?

Okuda: “Otora(大虎)” refers to a drunk person. The three of us often drink together, develop ideas, and play games. So we named ourselves “Otorakobo(大虎工房),” showing that drunk people get together to make games.

It also contains our mind to create works with free imagination without being bound by formal frameworks.

Also, the word “Otora” is meaningful to users who play our games as well.

“We want to create something that can be played in a more relaxed, fuzzy mood. It is not a game that requires tension or concentration, but it is something anyone can enjoy casually. Something that can enjoy even while drinking.” Such thoughts are also embodied in the company’s name.

Using experience to advance into new territory | Taking on the challenge of the third work, “Irisy Aqua”

—What kind of work is your third game, “Irisy Aqua”?

Okuda: While I was at Sega, I worked on Wonderland Wars. This experience gave me much knowledge and experience regarding online games, competitive games, and battle royale games.

Building on the experience with Wonderland Wars, the keyword of Otorakobo’s third game, “Irisy Aqua,” is Battle Royale x MOBA. We want to create a brand new game that nobody has ever seen.

—What kind of feeling do you want users to have when they play this “brand new game that nobody has ever seen”?

Okuda: I want them to realize that the world is freer than they think. As we grow up, we learn what not to do. However, after I experienced being independent, I realized that taking on challenges and taking action is more important.

I want to ask them, “If the thing is not a rehash of an existing system and you cannot understand, wouldn’t it be more fun as a festival?” Genuine fun is not recreating something conventional but unexpected developments and experiences. Through my work, I want to convey the importance of having the courage to challenge new experiences without being bound by traditional frameworks.

Aiming to fuse the digital and the real | Otorakobo’s future vision

—Could you tell us about your prospects?

Okuda: First, as a concrete goal, we aim for first place in the indie game download category of Nintendo Switch with our third title, “IrisyAqua.” Beyond that, we also dream of developing the title into a media mix, such as making an anime in collaboration with “studio.”, the animation production company we work with.

We also want to create opportunities for direct interaction with fans by opening collaboration cafes. “IrisyAqua,” currently in development, has the potential to be released as an arcade game. Including this, Our goal is to provide a place where people can experience the world of our work more prosperously, both in digital and in real life.

—Thank you for your lovely story.

Otorakobo continues to pursue its unique style of expression in indie game development. They keep creating “brand new works that nobody has ever seen” with subtle emotions through “color.”