Level-5 CEO promises future titles will be available on the Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch users might be sad about Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom being a PlayStation 4 and Windows exclusive, but Level-5’s CEO, Akihiro Hino, promises that all future titles will be available on the Nintendo Switch. In an interview with Nikkei Trendy, the CEO sheds some light on why 2017 has been a grueling year for Level-5.
Issues with Level-5’s production
Mr. Hino cited issues such as titles originally announced for release in 2017, being delayed and how it impacts the entire IP (Intellectual property) more than he originally thought. He further details this by expressing the difficulty of moving over from managing game production to managing an entire IP. Something that he admits is one of Level-5’s weaknesses.
The CEO pointed to Ni No Kuni II as an example. Stating that despite the title’s phenomenal success, it was a challenge to organize and execute a cross-platform project. The reason being they, simply didn’t have enough people working on it.
He explains that he thought it was undesirable to suddenly increase the number of employees working on specific projects; instead, he opted to place a lot of effort in training new employees; making the transition slow, but efficient.
He also talked about the 20th anniversary of Level-5 and mentioned that while the studio’s still exhausted from the earlier years’ production rush, they will be making something special for the anniversary because it marks all the hard work done by the studio for the past two decades.
Furthermore, when asked about the studio’s plans for 2018, Mr. Hino answers that this will be the year they properly thank everyone who worked with them through the decades. He also wishes to create an even stronger relationship with these people; business or creative alike.
Finally, Mr. Hino ends the interview by talking about the upcoming Level-5 Vision 2018 that’s set to take place in the Fall. He plans to talk about the company’s current place in the gaming industry during the event.
If you own a Nintendo Switch and you’re eager to play a game from Level-5, then check out The Snack World: Trejarers Gold which will be available on the Nintendo Switch starting April 12 and is the studio’s first game on the Switch.