{"id":67758,"date":"2026-06-05T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=67758"},"modified":"2026-06-05T17:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:44:13","slug":"persona-veterans-new-school-jrpg-villioncode-is-a-return-to-console-games-after-10-years-fueled-by-his-fascination-with-genome-editing-and-the-origin-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/persona-veterans-new-school-jrpg-villioncode-is-a-return-to-console-games-after-10-years-fueled-by-his-fascination-with-genome-editing-and-the-origin-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Persona and Megami Tensei veteran Kouji Okada\u2019s new school JRPG\u00a0Villion:Code\u00a0is a return to\u00a0console games after 10 years,\u00a0fueled by his\u00a0fascination with genome editing and\u00a0\u201cthe origin of life\u201d\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by Compile Heart, Villion:Code<\/strong> is just around the corner, set to launch in Japan on June 25 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4 (digital-only). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villion:Code<\/strong><\/a> is a school-themed JRPG set in an academy city dedicated to training individuals to save the Earth from impending extinction. The story begins when the city is suddenly sealed off from the outside world. Trapped in isolation, the students must confront strange anomalies engulfing the city and fight off people who have transformed into monstrous creatures. Amidst these dire circumstances, each character is forced to face the \u201ckarma\u201d they carry. Gameplay revolves around action-based combat, randomly generated tube-shaped dungeons, and \u201cGenome Editing\u201d among other features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villion:Code is designed and produced by Kouji Okada, known as the co-creator of the Megami Tensei and Persona series. The scenario is penned by Tadashi Satomi, another Atlus veteran and longtime collaborator of Okada, while the soundtrack is composed by Tsukasa Masuko, also of Shin Megami Tensei fame. The character design is handled by illustrator Ilya Kuvshinov, known for his involvement in Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project will mark Okada\u2019s return to console game development after over a decade. AUTOMATON recently sat down with the developer to find out what made him come back, as well as the ideas that shaped his new game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kouji Okada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A game you\u2019re meant to \u201csit down and play for a long time\u201d<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although Okada had spent years working in mobile and handheld development at his own company Gaia, he says the COVID-19 pandemic was a major factor that influenced his decision to return to console games. During that period, he became more aware of how games function as a way for people to stay connected even while physically isolated from each other. \u201cI think there was a renewed awareness of the connections made through games, and the meaning and necessity of entertainment in general,\u201d he comments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, he felt that mobile games tended to be developed and consumed as a \u201cquick form of entertainment to pass the time\u201d rather than something to be deeply engaged with. Since Okada personally preferred the latter, he decided that his next project would, regardless of the platform, be a game \u201cyou can really sink your teeth into.\u201d His goal was to create a \u201cdeep and immersive experience\u201d that players would sit down and play for a long time at their homes, preferably with a bag of chips at the ready. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Everything started from \u201cGenome Editing\u201d <\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of Villion:Code\u2019s key mechanics, Genome Editing, originated from Okada\u2019s personal interest and came before any of the game\u2019s specifications were even in place. \u201cIt might sound a bit self-deprecating, but right now, I\u2019m in the latter half of my life,\u201d he says, \u201cOr rather, I\u2019ve reached an age where I\u2019m starting to think about the end of life. Perhaps it\u2019s partly due to the impact of the pandemic, but I\u2019ve become even more conscious of the themes I\u2019ve always been interested in, such as viruses, iPS cells, and the mysteries of humanity, like how are humans made and how do they exist?<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Okada was first approached by Compile Hearts, he was actually offered a proposal for a different project, but he pitched a \u201ccounter-proposal\u201d for a game centered around the theme of genome editing, to which the company responded positively. From there, Villion:Code\u2019s school setting was chosen to make the game relatable to young players both in Japan and globally, while the near future sci-fi aspects emerged later in development, as a way to support gameplay systems and worldbuilding tied to technological advancement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When asked about his favorite part of Villion:Code, Okada says, \u201cI\u2019m not sure if I can call it a favorite element, but starting off from the theme of Genome Editing, a subject I\u2019m personally interested in, I began to wonder, \u2018What kind of creatures are humans, really?\u2019 From there, I expanded my thoughts to encompass not only humans but all living things; and tracing it further, I considered the Earth, the Moon orbiting it,  the Sun, the Solar System and Milky Way. I condensed all of those reflections into a single, concentrated thought, and pondered the origins of life. I feel that I\u2019ve managed to successfully incorporate this genome editing theme, with all its depth, into the game as well as sublimate it within my mind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing never-ending conflict and uncertainty about the future<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Okada also describes his new game as a work tackling contemporary social issues around the world. \u201cI believe there are many people in Japan today who feel a sense of negativity and uncertainty about the future, and whilst some countries around the world are enjoying economic prosperity, conflict, including war, continues unabated. That is why I hope that by playing Villion:Code, everyone will be able to live their lives with a positive outlook. It may sound lofty, but that\u2019s the message I wish to convey.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, he mentions that earlier versions of the setting were \u201ceven more radical\u201d in addressing these issues (due to his strong personal feelings on the matter), but the content was subsequently toned down in a way that wouldn\u2019t affect its balance or quality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The player is the protagonist, no romance<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In terms of Villion:Code\u2019s structure, Okada continues to base his design philosophy on the idea that \u201cthe player is the protagonist,\u201d like in his previous work. That approach, which comes with the need to organize events and changes based on dialogue choices, was the main reason he brought scenario writer Tadashi Satomi on board (after concluding that Satomi was the only person who could possibly execute his vision). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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