Square Enix launched fantasy RPG Towa Tsugai for iOS and Android in Japan on February 16. The company has established guidelines regarding fan-made derivative works based on the game, and the content of these guidelines has drawn the interest of users on social media.

Towa Tsugai is an RPG that depicts battles waged by pairs of girls in a world that has been eroded by the “Black Sea.” The game focuses on the relationship between the girls that form each pair, and there are likely many players who are looking forward to the yuri (girls’ love) elements. For those fans who want to go a step further and create their own derivative works based on these girls, there are some guidelines that have been established by the publisher.

In discussing the guidelines, the game’s producer Yoshinari Fujimoto said, “I would like to show my respect and support for all of the creators that produce fan-made works based on Towa Tsugai.” The clearest indication of this welcoming stance can be found in clause 4 of the guidelines, “Showcasing of Derivative Works by the Company,” which states that Square Enix may choose to showcase derivative works during livestreams or via social media.

The declaration by the official Towa Tsugai team that they will be actively involved with fan-made content was met with surprise by users on social media and elsewhere, as the guidelines initially stated that the company had the right to showcase the derivative works without prior confirmation with the fan creators.

Each player will likely have their own interpretations of the relationships between the girls in Towa Tsugai, whether it be love or a more complicated connection that can’t be put into words. As such, it’s not hard to imagine that fan-made works will be infused with the desires of how their creators think things should be. There are surely some people who wouldn’t want their wild fantasies to be shared in an official capacity, so it should be no surprise that many were taken aback by the guidelines stating that derivative works could be shared without prior confirmation. Perhaps upon considering these concerns, as of February 16, Square Enix had altered the controversial clause to one that included the phrase: “After first contacting the creators of the work…”

In recent years, there have been many mobile games that have set guidelines for derivative works, including Fate/Grand Order, Blue Archive, Arknights, and Genshin Impact. However, it’s rare to see the publishers become actively involved with derivative works, as is the case with Towa Tsugai. You get a strong sense that they are hoping to build excitement for the game through the fan community.

Towa Tsugai is currently available in Japan on iOS and Android as a free-to-play title.

Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-02-16 19:10 JST)