In a recent interview, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino expressed the desire to work on an 18+ “Violent and Erotic Game” one day.
After revealing the next title in the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and The New World of Steam, at the Level-5 Vision 2023 event, there has been silence surrounding the Level-5 studio and what they could be working on. This is until a joint interview was organized by Defaminicogamer, which includes Grasshopper Manufacture’s Suda and the CEO Akihiro Hino, released to the internet just yesterday, and courtesy of Automaton Media has been translated for the West to dive into the details.
Similarly to the recent interview with Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami, in which he expressed that he wanted to move away from the survival horror genre, Hino expressed that he would like to make games with more mature subject matter. While Level-5 is known for its cartoonish animation style portrayed in Yo-Kai Watch and the Professor Layton series, Hino says, “Creators who can release such edgy titles into the world are amazing” in reference to Suda’s work for Grasshopper Manufacture.
The Level-5 CEO then goes further by saying, “If I were to put it in extreme terms, I would go as far as to say that I want to make things like erotic games and 18+ games with violence,” while laughing. CEO Hino also expresses he understands his position as CEO, and that his obligations prevent him from ‘doing anything he wants’.
Hino then explains, “There’s an ‘abnormal world’ inside of me, but I’m trying not to go there, only making things from the righteous part of my mind instead. However, deep down, I really want to visit that abnormal world” after Suda asked if he has any ideas on a potential darker-toned title. Hino closed out this section of the interview by saying he would wait until “Level-5 is stable, and I have the room to make what I want” before exposing his darker side.
Fans can head to the Automaton Media site for the full translation.
