Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3]

Here is the final part of our interview with Keiji Inafune on his new game project, Mighty No. 9.

Inafune: Trying it made me understood that Kickstarter is a very good way to pursue our goal together with the fans. All the members of the project are giving money to it in some way. In other words, they were resolved when they entered the project. That’s why in order to achieve the ideal content for the game, everyone contributes their opinions and ideas, which is not irresponsible in any way. Even if there were comments like, “This is not the game I want!” or, “Inafune, hurry up with that game!” if they are messages from the participants of the project, I will feel that as a creator, I have to answer them earnestly.

TOM: I think it’s because you want the fans to participate in making the game that you proposed as rewards the ability to put their own voices into the ending theme and the ability to have their faces appear somewhere in the game. Did you have the same conception when starting up the Kickstarter project?

Inafune: I wanted to make the game together with the fans from the beginning. That in itself is not so new, since we also invited applications for the boss character back in the Mega Man series. Recently, however, they don’t really do such experiments like that with other games, so the timing for starting Mighty No. 9 was superb.

TOM: Among the rewards, there are NES- and Famicon-like versions of the game manual and other packages. Is this meant to be a message to make fans remember the goodness of your past games?

Inafune: What our fans expect from us isn’t one of those new FPS games. They expect a Japanese game from the era when Japanese games were said to be the best in the world, and that’s why we added items to the rewards that remind people of those times. Plus, even though the game will be sold as a download, creating just a package without any disc or cartridge is an interesting idea, right? (laughs)

TOM: It certainly is! But it also comes with trouble.

Inafune: It does. If we were to make it in a way that you could actually hold it in your hands, that would raise the production costs, so we decided to separate the digital and the print-out version. To be honest, this reward costs a lot of money. We probably should put all the funds into game development, but I wanted this to be a project that makes people feel that there are other valuable elements besides the game itself. It resembles old games, but it’s a whole new work, and if you try playing it, you will find new ways to enjoy it, isn’t that amazing? Also, since we went through all the trouble of using the Kickstarter system, I’d like people to think of this and the game as an event and enjoy it. Even those who didn’t participate in this project because of the timing, they will still have the chance to play the game when the official version is out. However, I think that part of it is the wonder of the moment. I want to make the content so cool that those who are looking from the distance now would say, “If only I had participated in project Mighty No.9.” I won’t reveal the details now, but we have even more surprising plans up our sleeves, so don’t miss the updates.

TOM: Yes, we are definitely curious!

Inafune: This is slightly off topic, but when I told my wife that the reward for donating $10,000 is a meal with me, she laughed at me, saying, “That’s not going to happen!” When I told her there were already three candidates, her reaction was, “No waaay!” So I said, “I’d bet there are people who would pay $10,000 if they could have a meal with an idol they admire.” Her reply was, “But you’re not an idol,” and I was like, “I know, it was just an example” (laughs). The value of a creator is decided by his work, and I feel that my fans understand me, unlike my wife (laughs).

TOM: Do you think that in the future, Kickstarter will take hold in the game industry as a game developing platform?

Inafune: No one knows if it will take hold. However, I myself would like for indie games to increase, and I think Kickstarter would make a powerful platform for the indie game industry. I think that in the present situation, when attempts to create brand new concepts and characters are decreasing, indie games are going to prevail because they are not bound by different regulations. As a catalyst, I’d like more creators to try using Kickstarter in Japan, too. There is no successful precedent in Japan, but hesitating is a waste, so I am leading the vanguard to make it easier to for others. My long-time dream is for people to say, “Indie games became popular in Japan thanks to Mighty No. 9!” So my advice for people who are considering opening a project on Kickstarter is to do it; you won’t regret it.

TOM: Could you elaborate on what advice you’d give if such people appeared?

Inafune: The most important thing is resolution. I would ask them if they are taking it seriously enough. I think that applies to everything, but I would like them to know that you can’t collect money just by holding a collection box at the station. In order to get money, you have to make it clear to the supporters want you want and why you need their support. You won’t reach anyone’s heart just by lining up flowery words on the surface. You need a producing capability with which you can induce feelings in the users, and most of all, you have to seriously think from the user’s point of view. Otherwise, your project will fail.

TOM: As a game fan, I hope you will train those who will follow.

Inafune: I don’t know how big a project Mighty No. 9 will become, but I think we should gradually increase our plans to surpass our present record. However, I want everyone to note that it’s most difficult for the first person who tries it. Since I overcame many challenges as someone in the frontlines, I have a deep understanding of these things, and I know that the more time passes, the more the road will become paved. There will no doubt come a time when people will easily surpass the amount of money I’m so desperately trying to gather now. Nevertheless, I don’t want people to look at the records of Mighty No. 9 and say, “No big deal.” (laughs)

TOM: So you are a person who has always liked plunging into the deep end?

Inafune: Yes. I love expressions like “for the first time,” “the first in Japan,” or “the first in the world” (laughs). And even though I’m aware that I won’t be rewarded, I won’t get discouraged.

TOM: I hope you can set the game industry on fire again. Lastly, I’d like you to give a message to all the game fans of the world.

Inafune: This time, I can finally feel that I am connected with fans the world over. I’ve been to various countries, and I was told everywhere I went, “Thank you for making Mega Man.” There were even fans who cried when they met me, and it made me once again realize the influence of the game I made. It made me really happy. Now, this project is advancing thanks to the small contributions and joint power of the fans, but I want to become a creator who can create an even bigger expansion. I will do my utmost, so I’m counting on your support.

Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter Page

photo by Miyuki Suemitsu

This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.

Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 1
Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 2
Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 3
Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 4
Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 5
Interview with Keiji Inafune, the Father of Mega Man, on Choosing Kickstarter to Expand the Potential of Game Development [3/3] 6

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