The Somnium Files series’ original creator Kotaro Uchikoshi has taken a back seat in the development of the upcoming new spin-off entry No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files. While the franchise’s first two titles were directed and written by Uchikoshi himself, his role in the third game is that of a supervisor. In a recent interview with Famitsu, he talked about the actual extent of his involvement in the new title’s development and how faithfully it inherits the essence of the series.
Officially, Uchikoshi is credited on No Sleep For Kaname Date as “series director” and “scenario supervisor,” with Kazuya Yamada replacing him as game director and scenario writer. According to the dev team, they decided on this arrangement because they saw a high demand for a new Somnium game among fans, but Uchikoshi (who is now part of Too Kyo Games) was too busy to helm a new project himself. As such, they decided to fill the gap with a spin-off entry under his supervision.
Elaborating on his role in development, Uchikoshi comments, “I read through the plots and scenarios written by Yamada and gave him feedback. My demands were quite strict, so at first, I was sure he wouldn’t accept all of them. However, I was surprised when I saw that he implemented everything I wanted him to.”
Uchikoshi goes on to say fans of the franchise have nothing to worry about when it comes to No Sleep For Kaname Date not being written by him, as he was “frightened by how well it compared to the AI series so far” when playtesting the game. “The storyline and portrayal of the characters were as if I had written them – my know-how has been completely stolen from me,” he jokes. The new title apparently also inherits the series’ penchant for gags and dirty jokes that “strike the right balance without going overboard.”
Although Spike Chunsoft is releasing No Sleep For Kaname Date as a spin-off to the series, Uchikoshi says it’s “too well-made” to be considered a spin-off, feeling closer to a full-fledged entry.
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files launches on July 25 for the PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Related Article: No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files details new room escape-style gameplay
