CLOVERS, the game studio headed by Devil May Cry and Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya, posted a new episode of its YouTube talk show Cafe Four Leaf on January 23. In the latest installment, NieR and Drakengard creator Yoko Taro, who is a close friend of Kamiya, appeared as a guest on the show, and the topic of discussion inevitably turned to Kamiya’s infamous social media antics.
Kamiya is known for having no reservations when replying to mentions from fans and haters alike on social media, as well as making liberal use of his right to block anyone who rubs him the wrong way. While he’s often happy to share stories about his work and development trivia, when someone breaks his rules (like by being rude or asking him a question he’s already answered before) he’ll promptly label them as an “insect” and most likely block them. Granted, he is also generous when it comes to unblocking people who repent and ask him nicely.
Yoko Taro pokes fun at Kamiya for having such a chaotic online persona while being quite reserved privately, but on a more serious note, he says he’s relieved that there are people like Kamiya in the industry.
“When you’re a game creator and a public-facing personality, you draw attention from a lot of people, including some real weirdos,” Yoko Taro explains. “Some of them say things that are seriously absurd or out of line. But since they’re your customers and your audience, you can’t really clap back at full force.” The predicament Yoko Taro is describing is likely much more prominent when it comes to Japanese developers, given how strong the “customer first” sentiment is even within the game industry.
While major game companies like Sega and Square Enix have recently started implementing more robust countermeasures against so-called “customer harassment,” there’s still little developers can do on a personal level when it comes to protecting themselves from the daily harassment they’re faced with online.
However, as Yoko Taro explains, this is what makes Kamiya’s online presence so important. “But Kamiya does clap back. He just tells them, “Go away, you insect! (laughs). Just like how there are people who will tell you off in real life when provoked, I think it’s a net positive to instill the fear that are also game creators who have that edge. (…) That’s why I think having Kamiya-san around as a game industry peer is super reassuring.”
Kamiya agreed with the sentiment, commenting, “A lot of people assume we’ll sit there and be their punching bags, so they get stunned when you suddenly punch them back.” Although Kamiya’s a force to be reckoned with on X, Yoko Taro and his colleagues at CLOVER vouch that he’s an entirely different person in the workplace and in private.
