{"id":17179,"date":"2022-12-19T11:59:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T02:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=17179"},"modified":"2022-12-19T11:59:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T02:59:17","slug":"20221219-17179","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/20221219-17179\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Yoshinori Ono: Why he became president of Lasengle and insights into the future of FGO developers [PR]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><br><br>In May 2021, former Capcom executive <strong>Yoshinori Ono<\/strong> attracted a lot of public attention when he became the president of Delightworks. In February of this year, the company transferred its game operations to a new company named Lasengle, making a fresh start as an affiliate of Aniplex. The company continues to be led by Ono and is currently recruiting members on a large scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a><\/a>While it is known that Lasengle is responsible for the development of <em>Fate\/Grand Order<\/em> (<em>FGO<\/em>), there is still much about the company that remains a mystery. Therefore, we decided to ask Ono why he became the president in the first place, what he brought to Lasengle, and what his goals are for the future of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>*This article is based on a sponsored interview posted to the Japanese edition of AUTOMATON on November 2 (JST).<br><\/strong><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reasons for joining Delightworks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-001-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>\u2015\u2015Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My name is Yoshinori Ono, and I am president and representative director of Lasengle. Before coming to Delightworks, I worked at Capcom for nearly 30 years. From morning to night, I spent my time creating games where people would beat each other up. In my later years, I was also the one responsible for going online to read all the bashing\u2014I mean, constructive criticism made by players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m getting older now, though, so I had sort of settled into an executive position at my previous company. As a result, opportunities to be directly involved with the creation process began to grow fewer and farther between. After speaking with the president of my previous company about whether it would be a good idea for me to continue as I was, I made the decision to leave the protection of the calm bay I\u2019d found myself in and venture out into the vastness of the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2015\u2015The ocean, huh?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As soon as I did, the pandemic hit. My family said it may not have been the best idea to quit my job. Despite the bad timing, however, I still was optimistic that I would be able to see and experience things I hadn\u2019t in the last 30 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also knew I really enjoyed games, and I wanted to challenge myself by looking at them from a different angle. Fortunately, I had people from various companies reach out to speak with me. Among them was chairman of Delightworks, Akihito Shoji, who contacted me to say, \u201cIf you want to create a game, let\u2019s work together.\u201d For a time, I was on the fence about what to do. Even though they had a great track record, I found a few negative remarks here and there at the time when searching their name. This meant taking the plunge would require a bit of courage on my part, although I&nbsp;had dealt with plenty of that sort of thing in my day as well. (Laughs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shoji invited me to join him, saying, \u201cI&nbsp;would like to work together with a friend, as well as someone more experienced in the game industry than myself. Joining Delightworks is likely to give you another opportunity to do the things you\u2019ve always wanted to do.\u201d After that, I decided to take him up on the offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Before you joined the company, what was your opinion of Delightworks?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They seemed to have faced quite a few challenges since being founded. Things weren\u2019t going very well after their initial launch, but I\u2019d say things started getting back on track for them around the middle stages of the first chapter of <em>FGO<\/em>. As someone looking in from the outside, I got the impression that the first three years were a difficult venture of trial and error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, I also felt a strange enthusiasm from the members; a drive to keep fighting. It reminded me of the energy I&nbsp;had back when I first started in the game industry, staying up all night fixing bugs for <em>Darkstalkers<\/em>. (Laughs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was tough at the time, but it was also fun, and I felt that same level of enthusiasm from Delightworks. The company has grown steadily since then, and despite the setbacks along the way, I\u2019ve watched their games continue to grow as well. That was my impression as an outsider looking in, but it also turned out to be true.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why working at a Japanese company is better suited for him<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-002-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>\u2015\u2015What made you choose Delightworks from among the many options available to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a certain meticulousness to Japanese game creation that I admire. This is what made me decide to challenge myself by working for a Japanese company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While in charge of Capcom&#8217;s Vancouver studio, I was involved with many titles that required working alongside teams from overseas. Based on all my experiences with people from different countries, I decided that working on Japanese titles would be the best way for me to fully demonstrate my personal gamer\u2019s DNA, cultivated over my lifetime. To add to that, creators who grew up with the same TV shows, reading the same manga&nbsp;and creators who love Japanese culture would be more likely to understand cultural references. In that sense, it would simply be easier for me to relate to the people at a Japanese company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was one other major reason I decided to work for Delightworks\u2014I wanted to try working somewhere with more flexibility. The larger a corporation gets, the less flexible things become. Of course, smaller companies have a disadvantage when it comes to power and leverage, but I considered several things such as how I could best demonstrate my abilities, what I had to offer, and whether we could walk the same path or not. Where would I enjoy myself more? Where could I be the best version of myself? After considering these questions, I concluded that somewhere with more flexibility would better suit my needs. As for the power and leverage, I could just find a way to boost that later. The thought that I might soon be able to wake up each day and have the freedom to think, \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll try doing this today,\u201d definitely helped me reach my decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a><\/a>I knew working for Delightworks was going to be tough, but I was prepared for it. Still, I was hopeful the joy of pioneering a new frontier would win out against the difficulties that were to come. I was also drawn to the idea of working with a company full of like-minded people who loved games as much as I did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I finally did join the company, the situation wasn\u2019t as bad as the impression I\u2019d been given from all the things I\u2019d read online. Due to the popularity of our titles, we were surrounded by a passionate fanbase. However, the company\u2019s continued efforts to meet fans\u2019 expectations had been somewhat unsuccessful. The company and the fans were not on the same page. Nevertheless, I soon came to realize the relationship of mutual trust between the company and the fanbase wasn\u2019t completely gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this company, I can create the kind of games I\u2019ve always wanted to. It\u2019s also become a place where I can take the experience&nbsp;I\u2019ve cultivated over my nearly 30 years in the game industry and use it to give advice and guide others. Those are the events that led to my decision to give this place a try, and the announcement in May of last year that I would be taking over as president.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cI wasn\u2019t told I\u2019d be president until after joining the company\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-003-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Was the offer you received contingent on you accepting the role of president?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe it or not, they kind of tricked me. I wasn\u2019t actually told about becoming president until after joining the company. (Laughs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Wait, what?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019d only been working at the company for a few months when I was told they were assigning me to the role of president. A few days later, all the employees were gathered in the main hall of the office where Shoji told everyone he was considering making me president. Before that, I\u2019d had no intention of taking on that role. My plan was to support the development team whenever problems arose and to teach the know-how&nbsp;I\u2019d learned over the years about how to prevent problems from cropping up during the creation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a slightly different topic, I didn\u2019t play <em>FGO <\/em>until after joining the company. I didn\u2019t hide this fact, and actually told Kinoko Nasu\u2014the creator of the <em>Fate<\/em> series\u2014and the other creators that I was going to begin playing the series and sharing my impressions with them along the way. As I did so, Nasu and I grew close enough that we began having regular talks. Nasu would even chat with me about fighting games. As we continued to speak and I played through <em>FGO<\/em>, I became a huge fan of the series myself. I began to understand the intrigue of Kinoko Nasu\u2019s work, and why tens of millions of fans are constantly waiting anxiously to see what\u2019s next. The team had done a wonderful job of planting seeds among the gamer community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a><\/a>However, the challenge became a question of how best to breathe life into these seeds. The members of Delightworks are excellent, but I began to wonder if their methods of making content were leading to a gap between what the fans were expecting and what they were actually getting for some titles. This was likely the reason negative reviews and sentiments were being made in the first place. I thought taking on the role of trying to improve such things could be done regardless of whether I was president or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I assumed the role of president, I suggested to everyone that we draw a hard line between the Delightworks of the past and the Delightworks of the future. I made sure everyone knew I wasn\u2019t simply going to throw out all their amazing accomplishments up until that point, but I also wanted to encourage them to start off on a new foot. I asked for everyone\u2019s help in working together so that Delightworks might evolve into something better. That was my first message as president.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Surprised by the enthusiasm of the staff<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-004-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>After joining the company and seeing things from the inside, what was your impression of Lasengle (formerly Delightworks)?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I used to have this flawed idea that the people who worked for mobile game companies were more about the business side of things\u2014simply making games for the sake of making games. However, everyone\u2019s passion has shown me I could not have been further from the truth. It\u2019s true that mobile games are very different from the types of games I\u2019ve worked on in the past, but the people here really do breathe life into the games they create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a sense, the titles I\u2019d worked on up until this point were also mostly character games, where each character is meticulously crafted with a variety of unique attributes. I thought my passion for making characters was quite unmatched, but Lasengle\u2019s passion turned out to be even stronger. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take the time to properly think about it, you\u2019ll quickly realize there\u2019s no possible way anyone without proper passion could have created such an influential game. <em>FGO <\/em>has both the passion and enthusiasm necessary to make for true entertainment. It isn\u2019t the sort of game that arises from cold, calculating, business-oriented thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, there were some elements of its creation that were a bit unpolished. I recognized these as places I could offer my advice as the new resident \u201caged veteran.\u201d While doing my best to preserve everyone\u2019s creative methods, I was driven by the urge to guide them in a better direction. As the saying goes, you\u2019ve got to open the lid if you want to know what\u2019s inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the president, I must think carefully about how best to continue creating games that are full of passion, while also maintaining a healthy work environment. As a result, I\u2019m constantly reviewing and reworking the systems we have in place. So, while I moved to a new company to focus more on creating games, I don\u2019t think what I\u2019m doing now is much different than what I was doing with Capcom in Osaka. (Laughs) Still, the systems being utilized have definitely been improving. It\u2019s quite fun watching how quickly things can change now that our creation processes and speed have become so much more flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing that surprised me was how much passion both Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi have. I\u2019ve been involved with several projects that use existing IP in the past, but these two exhibited levels of enthusiasm toward their projects that far exceeded those of most other creators. They seemed much less concerned with questions like, \u201chow can we make our designs look as cool as possible?\u201d and instead were always having passionate discussions regarding questions like, \u201chow do we make sure the players have the most fun?\u201d or, \u201cwhat will the players think if we do this?\u201d I believe that is also why the team was able to work so earnestly on the development of <em>FGO <\/em>despite the obstacles they faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, the festival events were always overly lavish, to the point that the cost performance did not make sense. To be perfectly honest, I could never have even considered doing such a thing at my previous position. Although, since joining the company, I\u2019ve come to realize that the level of fan engagement that can be felt during these events is a huge part of the <em>FGO <\/em>culture. I became keenly aware of how much life everyone was bringing to the game through these events.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" data-id=\"17197\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00a-630x420.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" data-id=\"17196\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-00b-630x420.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:14px\">*This message board on display in the Lasengle office gives you a sense of the overall office culture.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First comes study and preparation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Are you currently involved in <em>FGO<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m watching over them from a distance. I may have been here a year and a half now, but I feel I still haven\u2019t been able to fully familiarize myself with the essence of the work quite yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is the true essence of this series? What is it that makes fans fall so deeply in love with it? I don\u2019t feel as though I\u2019ll be ready to make judgment calls for questions such as these until I have a deeper understanding of the series myself. Once that happens, I should feel more comfortable giving my input on the game\u2019s development. For now, however, the best thing I can do is focus on making the creation process more efficient.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-005-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Depending on the title, do you give advice on development and management?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I do. For example, I gave quite a lot of feedback on <em>Melty Blood: Type Lumina<\/em>. In the&nbsp;initial stages of development, game developer French Bread, Aniplex, and Delightworks were each working quite diligently. Having said that, there were some elements that just weren\u2019t meshing well. I started wondering why other titles were experiencing such issues when <em>FGO <\/em>seemed to be going so smoothly, so I joined the team and started working hard alongside everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>From what we can tell, the development of <em>Melty Blood: Type Lumina<\/em> finished strong. The update schedule seems to be going smoothly as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am glad to hear you think so.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ono&#8217;s Ten Commandments of what you should never do<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-006-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Is there anything in particular you consider most important when it comes to creating games?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&nbsp;have a sort of \u201cTen Forbidden Commandments\u201d. There\u2019s, \u201cDon\u2019t make something if nobody likes it,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t make something if nobody is passionate about it,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t continue something if nobody finds it interesting,\u201d and, \u201cDon\u2019t make something you can\u2019t see having an audience,\u201d to list a few. Unfortunately, there have been projects in the past that were started despite having these problems from the get-go. In order to create games that people are going to want to play, I think it\u2019s important to have a list of things you shouldn\u2019t do, and then actually make sure to refrain from doing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve noticed these Ten Commandments have begun to permeate Lasengle. This makes me want to power up my \u201cI want to create something new\u201d engine sometime around the end of this year or at the beginning of next year. As president, all I can currently do is work on improving the administration on the backend of things. Nonetheless, what I really want to do is create, so I\u2019m also looking to recruit people to help with that. One day, I hope to get down in the thick of things so much so that everyone starts telling me to get back to doing my role as president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>That being said, you must have received a bit of harsh treatment when you first joined the company, right? You mentioned you didn\u2019t start playing <em>FGO <\/em>until after getting hired. What was the reaction of those around you when you joined the company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still remember being treated a bit standoffish by a few members when I first started. If you asked them now, though, I\u2019m sure they would all insist that wasn\u2019t the case. (Laughs) Of course, that\u2019s a perfectly understandable reaction. If the positions had been reversed, and someone joined Capcom without ever having played any of the <em>Resident Evil<\/em> or <em>Street Fighter<\/em> games, I\u2019d likely have wondered why they\u2019d joined the company as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At any rate, their reactions weren\u2019t&nbsp;outside the scope of my expectations. I was prepared for a bit of animosity. However, I didn\u2019t want to rub anyone the wrong way, so I tried to convey that my hope was simply to try and pass on the knowledge I had gained from my years of experience in the industry. I also asked for a bit of patience to allow me time to catch up with the seven years\u2019 worth of <em>FGO <\/em>content. Then I bought a bunch of prepaid cards, charged them up, and asked everyone to wait for me. (Laughs) It felt a little like asking to come inside somebody\u2019s house, but then hanging back in the entryway for a while before finally taking off my shoes to join everyone in the living room.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-007-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>For the first few months after I joined the company, there were a few general managers who never came to speak with me. But despite that, as I talked more about the future, we were finally able to start a dialogue. They told me things such as, \u201cI was thinking it would be best to do that as well.\u201d My first thought was, \u201cIf that\u2019s the case, then why didn\u2019t you come speak to me sooner?\u201d (Laughs) After that, we were able to speak more and more about a number of different topics. \u201cThere are problems with operations and development, so let\u2019s improve them. If we do that, everyone will end up with more free time on their hands,\u201d for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more free time you have, the more time you have to take on new challenges. Indeed, one of the new initiatives we implemented was the allocation of 100 million yen (about 750,000 USD) to be used for the initial costs of creating new games. We told the employees the funds could be divided up in whatever way they wished\u2014and we were going to make sure the entirety of the 100-million-yen budget was used\u2014then asked them to start submitting their proposals. In the end, we didn\u2019t actually end up using all of it. (Laughs) However, our main purpose in doing this was accomplished. We wanted to make sure everyone on the team knew they were welcome to take on new challenges should they find themselves with extra free time on their hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first took over as president, I also talked about doing the four C\u2019s: Change, Challenge, Chance, Confide. I encouraged everyone to cycle through these four C\u2019s while working on both <em>FGO <\/em>and other titles. It was around this time that I started opening up more with everyone at the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>So, things started looking up after about three months at the company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s right. I wanted to be optimistic, so I took this as a sign I was finally able to dispel the team\u2019s wariness of, \u201cthis guy seems out of his area of specialty. I hope he doesn\u2019t do anything strange,\u201d and turn it into more of a&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201csome weird old guy is here to make games with us.\u201d (Laughs)<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be a creator<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-008-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>I have heard you often tell the general managers to \u201cbe a creator.\u201d Would you explain what you mean by this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When working with existing IP, especially with highly creative people like Nasu and Takeuchi, it\u2019s easy to get stuck in the role of catcher. Although, creators like Nasu are the type who like to play catch, not just be the ones always throwing the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to play a proper game of catch, we must also be creators. I believe people like Nasu like it when those they work with can come back and say things like, \u201cI want to try this next time,\u201d&nbsp;to think more from the users\u2019 perspective and come up with ideas the fans of the <em>Fate<\/em> series would enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, it was a good learning experience for me to see how busy things are with the live service type titles. It feels almost as if the team members are constantly being chased by an air of busyness. That\u2019s just another reason I want the more experienced developers, the ones leading the projects, to be creators first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re going to help create something, don\u2019t just follow someone else\u2019s lead and do what they say. I would much rather have everyone consider what it is they think they should do to make the project better and share those ideas with the team. Doing so will ultimately help improve the overall atmosphere of the company and help convey that same atmosphere to the players as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Games aren&#8217;t food, so ultimately you don&#8217;t need them to survive. That\u2019s precisely why games need things like the passion and love of the creators. Without that passion, a game won\u2019t last in the players\u2019 memories even if it ends up selling well. And our goal is to create memorable games, not ones that will be easily forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re going to create something, the first thing you must do is be able to convey what it is you are trying to achieve. We can then evaluate that internally and work on improving it. A creator needs to have a clear idea of what it is they would like to accomplish. If they start receiving critiques while they are still unsure of their goals, then it is much more likely the project will end up becoming more of a business-oriented title. This lack of passion will then translate into the game and be felt by the players.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why write impressions of indie games on a blog?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-009-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>You also write a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lasengle.co.jp\/onoblog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blog<\/a> and post about what\u2019s going on at Lasengle as well as impressions of games you have been playing, particularly indie games. What is your intention with these types of posts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do a search for \u201cYoshinori Ono,\u201d you\u2019ll get a mountain of results. However, I like to think that maybe somebody will see that I play a lot of games and perhaps become interested in us. We also have a lot of members in the company who work remotely, and since we don\u2019t get a chance to speak in person, I see my blog as a way to help show them a little more about what sort of person the \u201cold guy who\u2019s always talking during video calls\u201d is.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1356\" height=\"626\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010.jpg 1356w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-600x277.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-380x175.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-768x355.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-150x69.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-696x321.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-1068x493.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-010-910x420.jpg 910w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Examples of Ono&#8217;s blog posts on the Lasengle website. The pictures tend to focus on gaming gadgets.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>I don\u2019t just play indie games, of course. I also play a lot of major titles as well. However, if I\u2019m going to invite like-minded people on board, I think it\u2019s important that my messages inspire a sense of kinship. For that reason, I thought it would be best to get a sense of the passion small indie groups and solo developers have, as well as get a feel for the differences in sensibilities between our generations. If I have the chance to make others think, \u201cI may not be thinking of joining this company, but I&#8217;d still like to hear what they have to say,\u201d then it might help change things. All that makes it sound a bit like I do this solely for the purpose of learning and recruiting, but don\u2019t get me wrong. For me, playing games is as natural as breathing, and so I want to spread that kind of thing as well. (Laughs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>It certainly feels as though the way Lasengle communicates with the outside world has changed since you became president. Is there anything in particular you are aiming to accomplish through these communications?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I aim to be honest and upfront about how I confront the challenges of game creation. By doing so, I hope to reduce the sense of distance we have with players and creators. I also want to create an inviting atmosphere here at the company that will help draw in more people with whom we can create games. I want to gather people together who enjoy both playing games as well as creating new things. I don\u2019t want people to work here just because they see Lasengle as a profitable company where they can make money.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Creating a team that shares a vision for the next five to six years<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-011-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Have your hiring practices changed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quite a bit, yes. First off, we\u2019ve changed our attitude toward hiring. One of the main questions we ask those who apply is what their vision is over the next 5, 10, and even 15 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even mobile games take two to three years to make, and if someone is looking to create a game for PC or a next-generation console, they can expect it to take three or four years. If you include updates after release, you\u2019re looking at working alongside the same team for a good five or six years, possibly longer. That\u2019s going to be difficult unless you have a team that shares a vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a side note, I\u2019ve been told in the past about how someone who interviewed for Delightworks had a bad experience with an interviewer who seemed very arrogant. Companies need to establish a chain of command, but nobody is going to want to join the crew of a ship when the interviewers act overly conceited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s perfectly acceptable to make it clear a job will have its challenges, if you come off as arrogant during an interview, it means there is already some sort of issue with interpersonal relationships from the get-go. If you\u2019re going to be recruiting members to join your crew, you\u2019ve got to have the capacity to imagine what things will be like after sailing around the world with that person for five or six years. It\u2019s imperative that you can consider the future visions of your fellow crewmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone who applies to Lasengle who has read this, be sure to let us know on Twitter if you feel your interviewer seems arrogant during your interview. If that is the case, we will be sure that is the next subject for us to reflect on and improve.<br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The appeal of Lasengle as a company<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-012-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>In your opinion, what do you find most appealing about Lasengle right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes the best parts of larger organizations and wraps them into a smaller company which still has the benefit of flexibility. When it was announced back in February of this year that the company would join the Sony Group and become an affiliate of Aniplex, there were many people who were concerned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, I think this was a very good thing. You could say Sony Music Entertainment is the company that created the PlayStation, and many of the people who work there have said, \u201cWe are self-reliant, and the mentality that gave birth to the PlayStation in the 90s is still alive and well today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people say that anything is possible so long as you\u2019re willing to throw your hat in the ring. This makes me believe this kind of corporate culture is a real thing. It\u2019s very similar to what I am currently telling everyone at Lasengle. It&#8217;s only been a little over half a year since we became a group, but I think we&#8217;ll be able to hold on to the advantages small organizations enjoy while also incorporating the best parts of what large organizations have to offer. I feel like Lasengle is in a particularly good position right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lasengle is still involved with the <em>Fate <\/em>series, but there is now a possibility of working with the various IPs owned by the Sony Group and Aniplex as well. When I mention ideas of turning certain IPs into games, a number of opinions come up and discussions expand rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I feel that joining the Sony Group has put us in a position where we are able to come up with more ideas. So long as you continue to be a creator at Lasengle, I\u2019m confident you can continue making the four Cs\u2014Change, Challenge, Chance, and Confide\u2014a reality. I really do feel a sense of fulfillment being where I am now.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-015-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Thank you so much. Is there anything you would like to say to those considering applying for a job at Lasengle?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you tell me you want to create a game, or that you want to finally complete an idea you\u2019ve had for a long time, Lasengle is the place with the potential to realize those dreams in a shorter span of time. When you compound the desires of everyone, it makes it even more likely an interesting project will become a reality. We can start things off with a small budget. At other companies, it\u2019s normal for proposals to undergo many levels of review, requiring approval from many different people. Here at Lasengle, however, you\u2019ll have the chance to get started on your project right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you\u2019re looking to create a game, why not ask Lasengle for an interview? I welcome you to come see how things work here for yourself so you can make your decision. If things are better than you\u2019d pictured, I\u2019d be thrilled to see you remove your tinted lenses so you can see past any preconceived notions you might have carried. And even if you end up joining a different company in the end, if you find that things don\u2019t go the way you had hoped, you\u2019re always welcome to come knock on Lasengle\u2019s door once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If possible, we would love to work with people from all over the world who share a passion for creating things. While it\u2019s true we don\u2019t yet have many members who can speak English very well, we do plan on implementing a system that will assist staff who wish to improve their English skills. In doing so, we hope to create an environment better capable of spreading our passion to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regarding remote work, I feel we are really making strides in fully embracing this form of work. Ultimately, I want to make it so that there won\u2019t be any problem even if I work remotely from Osaka. (Editor&#8217;s note: Lasengle\u2019s office is located in Tokyo.) This makes it easier for some who are raising children or taking care of elderly parents. I think Lasengle is unique in that it offers an environment for those who want to create games to do so from wherever they may be, whether that\u2019s Okinawa, Hawaii, or anywhere else in the world. Other companies may have started doing something similar, but we are becoming the sort of company that makes me think, \u201cMan, I wish I\u2019d known places like this existed when I was younger!\u201d So please, if you\u2019re interested in joining us, we\u2019d be happy to welcome you as a part of the Lasengle team.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/20221102-224547-017-630x420.jpg 630w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong><strong>\u2015\u2015<\/strong>Thank you very much for your time.<\/strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:12px\"><em>Translated by. Braden Noyes based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/articles\/hiring\/20221102-224547\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">original Japanese article<\/a> (original article&#8217;s publication date: 2022-11-02 12:00 JST)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why did Yoshinori Ono become the president of Lasengle, the developer of Fate\/Grand Order (FGO)? What did he bring to the company, and what are his goals for the future [developer interview]?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17202,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-pr"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Interview with Yoshinori Ono: Why he became president of Lasengle and insights into the future of FGO developers [PR] - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why did Yoshinori Ono become the president of Lasengle, the developer of Fate\/Grand Order (FGO)? 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