Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino recently sat down with Famitsu to discuss the studio’s latest projects, including Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road — which marked the series’ return after a ten-year hiatus — and the Japan-exclusive mobile title Inazuma Eleven Cross. When reflecting on the challenges of crafting a new mainline Inazuma Eleven game for a fanbase that had grown considerably older, Hino noted that the development of Megaton Musashi had a profoundly positive impact on him, ultimately benefiting Victory Road as well.
The mecha hack-and-slash RPG Megaton Musashi debuted in Japan in 2021, followed by its definitive global release, Megaton Musashi W: Wired, in 2024. Looking back, Hino humorously refers to the project as a form of “emotional rehabilitation.” He explains that while working on the game, he rediscovered his approach to connecting with players, pondering the question of “what it truly means to engage with your audience.”
“It’s not about striving for high sales expectations, but rather pouring our hearts into a project if even one person is eagerly awaiting it. I realized that’s the only way to approach it,” he states. “During development, I noticed dedicated creators on YouTube frequently covering Level-5 games, and it felt like I was crafting the game for them. I believe the essence of entertainment lies in creating something for someone; otherwise, you won’t produce anything truly exceptional.
To illustrate his point, Hino references the Professor Layton series, which Level-5 developed with the concept of “making a game mothers would enjoy.” In this regard, he views projects conceived with a specific individual in mind as the key to achieving success. Although this philosophy has always been part of his mindset, Hino says Megaton Musashi helped him refine his focus on visualizing his audience more clearly. “I constantly envisioned the players who had been waiting for the game and deeply considered what would bring them joy or resonate emotionally. After its release, their positive reception convinced me, ‘We can make Victory Road work too.’”
Notably, Hino mentions that despite its turbulent development timeline, the actual production period for Inazuma Eleven Victory Road was shorter than its numerous delays implied. He attributes Level-5’s success to their ability to establish a precise understanding of “who” they were creating the game for.