66 DEV121 Coda_final 22/09/2011 09:27 Page 1
CODA
WeKnowYourWorld
THE FAQ PAGE: HIDETAKA ‘SWERY’ SUEHIRO Develop grills respected figures from the global development sector What was the most recent video game that you played, and did you enjoy it? The last game I played was From Dust, and it was awesome. What is your favourite game ever, and for what reason? It was the Super Famicom Zelda. Looking back at that now, it is kind of like a textbook for making a really good video game. How many hours a week do you get to spend playing games? It's two hours every night before I sleep.
Deadly Premonition creator Swery, who joined the games industry as a tester at arcade outfit SNK
Who are you and what do you do? My name is Swery, and what I do is I make video games that other people can't. What are you working on right now? There is a game that will be announced soon in Japan that I'm currnetly working on, and I am also working on a new video game project concept. That will be a completely new, very different game. And then I am also working on a few different Deadly Premonition-related projects. I think people do see Deadly Premonition as a cult game. When I was making the game I was trying to make something really fun and really cool, but at the same time I wasn't sure that it would be for everybody. In that way, maybe I was right and it wasn't for everybody. What was the first video game or product that you ever worked on in the industry? My first job was at SNK where I was working as a tester on a game called Ryuuko no Ken Japan, which is known in other parts of the world as Art of Fighting. What was the first video game that you ever played? For me it was a long time ago, and it was Space Invaders.
I'm not sure of the worldwide market, but speaking with regard to the Japanese market, the video games that become hits seem to be limited to just a handful of genres. What area of the industry needs more investment? Cult games, of course.
What hobbies, collections or interests do you have that are completely unrelated to video games? I like to dine, and I like to eat a lot. I really enjoy movies and watching TV dramas, and I like listening to music. I also like going fishing and drinking liquor. Of course, I like girls, and I like driving and traveling. What is your favourite book, movie, TV show and album of all time? The movie one is going to take a long time to answer. I'm not sure of the English title, but for the book I'd say a Japanese book by Hugashino Kago called Yōgisha X no Kenshin. For the movies I have to choose several. I would say Brazil, Pulp Fiction and Inception. The TV drama would be Full House, V, Twin Peaks, and Ghost. And the album? I think I would choose Mother's Milk by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. What game that you were not involved with would you most liked to have worked on? The first Silent Hill. What other video games developer do you most admire? It would be foreign developers like Valve and Epic games. Those are the developers I really do respect.
What disappoints you about the video games industry today? I'm not sure of the worldwide market, but speaking solely with regard to the Japanese market, the video games that become hits seem to be limited to just a handful of genres. Of all the games you have worked on, which has been your favourite? It is Deadly Premonition, because I have poured the most heart into the characters. What do you enjoy most about working in the games industry? For me it is the user feedback from the people that play my games.
Swery’s cult creation Deadly Premonition
We Know Your World
amiqus.com
the international monthly for games programmers, artists, musicians and producers
Deputy Editor
Staff Writer
Michael French
Will Freeman
Craig Chapple
michael.french@intentmedia.co.uk
will.freeman@intentmedia.co.uk
craig.chapple@intentmedia.co.uk
Editor-in-Chief
Sales Manager
Production Manager
Rob Crossley
Alex Boucher
Suzanne Powles
rob.crossley@intentmedia.co.uk
alex.boucher@intentmedia.co.uk
suzanne.powles@intentmedia.co.uk
Online Editor
Publisher
Managing Editor
Adam Butler
Stuart Dinsey
Lisa Foster
adam.butler@intentmedia.co.uk
stuart.dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk
lisa.foster@intentmedia.co.uk
Designer
Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations
CIRCULATION IS OVER 8,000
Tel: 01992 535646 Fax: 01992 535648 Web:www.develop-online.net Develop Magazine. Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street. Hertford, Hertfordshire. SG14 1JA ISSN: 1365-7240 Copyright 2011 Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ
Subscription
UK: £35 Europe: £50 Rest of World: £70
Enquiries, please email: dev.subscriptions@c-cms.com Tel: 01580 883 848
Contributors David Braben, John Broomhall, Rob Davis, Nick Gibson, Tim Heaton, Jack Hoxley, Will Luton, Louis Natanson, Matt Pettineo, Mark Rein, Jason Zink
66 | OCTOBER 2011
Charges cover 11 issues and 1st class postage or airmail dispatch for overseas subscribers
Develop is published 11 times a year, reaching 8,000 readers throughout the UK and international market