RPG Developer Bakin (hereafter Bakin) is a PC game development engine coming from Japan that lets you create RPGs using intuitive controls, even if you’re not well-versed in programming. Its event editor lets you create events simply by placing and combining commands such as “have a conversation” or “branch by choice.” The map editor works like a sandbox-style game, boasting a range of 3D post-effects to enrich visual expression. Supporting both 2D and 3D assets, Bakin has drawn attention as a promising new tool for creating games in the so-called HD-2D style.
AUTOMATON recently spoke with Nobuki Nagai, leader of the small team behind Bakin’s development, to find out more about this no-code dev tool. Bakin has been in development since around 2017, and its Early Access build was released in October 2022, instantly earning a massive response from Steam users. Since then, Nagai and his team have rolled out about 15 major updates and dozens of smaller patches throughout the years, refining Bakin and adding features based primarily on user feedback.
“I want people to start making games without overthinking it. People tend to think that there’s no point to game development if they don’t make a finished product or something grand, but that’s not true at all. Not everyone who draws aims to become professional. Many just do it for fun. […] Yet when it comes to games, I feel many people perceive too high a hurdle, and assume you need to create something impressive. But game-making can also be casual.”
Stressing that “even just picking it up is a victory,” Nagai encourages beginners to use Bakin as their first step into game development. While more advanced users are free to go wild with customization through C# plugins, novices can make use of Bakin’s Event Templates and default presets. Additionally, map creation is designed to “feel like painting a picture” – you can sculpt terrain, raise or dig ground, place objects like trees and apply post-effects such as lighting and aerial perspective in real time. “Even if you don’t understand it at first, it’s designed so that you’ll gradually get a hang of it as you poke around,” Nagai explains.
What’s possible in RPG Developer Bakin?
Bakin’s developers were surprised to see how much potential users have drawn from the tool. “I’m amazed every day. In terms of quantity, I was surprised to see someone make 200 to 300 unique maps. There was also someone who made 100 mini games in a year – two per week, spanning RPGs, action games and quizzes, it’s incredible.” Nagai also saw a range of genres being made using Bakin, including side-scrolling platformers, first-person shooters, and even a Super Robot Wars-style TRPG. The latter was developed despite there being no official plugins yet for building TRPGs in Bakin, which left the dev team bewildered.
Speaking of TRPGs, Bakin is scheduled to receive support for tactical battle gameplay through future updates, amongst many other new features and improvements outlined in the dev team’s roadmap for 2025-2026.
RPG Developer Bakin launches fully on August 28 for PC (Steam).
