While the name Xeen may not immediately ring a bell when it comes to major game developers from Japan, the studio has a long history of doing contract work for big game publishers. Despite being relatively obscure among general consumers until recently, they’ve started gaining wider recognition for the steady quality of remakes they did for Square Enix. Alongside fully developing Trials of Mana (2020) and Romancing SaGa 2 (2024), Xeen has also been credited on titles like Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio. Their wide scope of work across arcade and console games, as well as 19 years of experience and deep relationships in the industry, have allowed them to distinguish themselves.
As Xeen marches into their 20th year as a company, AUTOMATON talked to president Yosuke Satomi about the studio’s future prospects and plans for branching out to original game development alongside contract work for other companies.
Recently, Xeen was acquired by NTT, a Japanese telecommunications holding company. Although large acquisitions tend to have a bad name, the studio considers the steadier backing a huge plus. However, this move inevitably made some major clients worry if Xeen would stop doing contract development work altogether. Satomi assures both fans and future partners that Xeen will continue making games – and that they’re eagerly waiting for new offers and opportunities. “Thankfully, our hands are full right now, but we’ve been increasing our development lines, so new offers are always welcome,” Satomi commented.
On the other hand, he emphasizes the importance of doing new things as well, which is why Xeen are also focusing on developing original games. What’s interesting though, is that they’re currently developing analog board games. This decision comes not just from the need to branch out into new in-house projects, but as a way to prepare the new generations of creators for developing more elaborate digital games, teaching them the “essence” of gameplay. As Satomi suggests, this is a crucial factor for creating games that stand out, and something the whole industry needs to pay close attention to.
“I believe that the game industry needs to reconsider the ‘essence’ of games. Of course, games that look like Hollywood movies are wonderful too, however, the core trait of Japanese game companies has been the conception new gameplay, new rules and new genres. We want to be a company that is able to do just that,” Satomi commented.
“Of course, we’re fine with making games that look like movies – provided we had an endless budget, but we specifically want to teach young generations of creators that the strength of Japanese game companies lies in the craft of gameplay and its rules. We are a company that has the knowledge for it, so we’re constantly urging our creators to make content that is rudimentary, but can be enjoyed no matter how many times you play it. If we manage to continue this, I think we can become a company that doesn’t miss.”
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