Japanese game studio Re;AER, alongside their creative brand Acacia, launched the acclaimed mystery visual novel Magical Girl Witch Trials in July 2025, earning widespread praise. A year on, the title has surpassed 700,000 sales on Steam and Nintendo Switch within Japan and China, with English, Spanish, and French versions imminent.
Following the game’s massive success, Japanese media outlet Dengeki Online sat down with Toshiyuki Hata, producer of Magical Girl Witch Trials and CEO of Re;AER.
Originally a scenario production firm, Re;AER was established by Hata and fellow writers, primarily handling contract work for other game projects. Hata explains that despite this, he and his team “yearned to craft stories we truly wanted to tell, using our own resources,” which led to the creation of their debut original work, Magical Girl Witch Trials.
Hata notes that “sticking to the concept” is a core principle for Re;AER during development. Throughout the process, the team ensures all elements of their games are “tied to the unique emotional experiences of that specific work.” For Magical Girl Witch Trials, the guiding tone was “as terrible as beautiful.”
“We aimed for a quiet, beautiful, and ultimately captivating feel rather than relying on mere cruelty typical of horror,” Hata clarifies. This dedication extended to the game’s CGs, each selected for offering a visually distinct perspective not found elsewhere. The team deliberately avoided “conventional” CGs that merely “highlight characters” without adding deeper value.
Hata acknowledges that developing Magical Girl Witch Trials posed challenges, particularly as it marked Re;AER’s first full involvement in an original project. “The true test was how far we could push something we genuinely found intriguing,” Hata observes, describing the creative journey as “a continuous cycle of self-doubt.”
Nevertheless, this iterative process of questioning, refining, and reworking ideas resulted in a significantly larger product than initially planned, featuring around 30 hours of gameplay and full voice acting.
Looking ahead, Hata confirms Magical Girl Witch Trials will remain active. As a studio focused on original works, Acacia plans to expand storytelling beyond video games. Hata reveals they are already preparing the next installment in the series.
Additionally, Acacia is developing new titles, including Magical Girl Taboo Village and The Streamer’s Alt Account Labyrinth, both set for 2026 releases.
Magical Girl Witch Trials is available on PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch.