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What to Make of Keita Takahashi?

Posted by Zonk on from the spin-a-sphere-get-some-fans dept.

Edge Online has a piece looking at the rise of Keita Takahashi, the creator of Katamari Damacy. From the article: "But just how do you accelerate from unknown newcomer, through cult hero, to toast of the establishment in the time it takes most developers to produce a single game? Back in 2003 Katamari Damacy was unknown, a demo disc given away at the Tokyo Game Show which was dismissed by many as a one-note wonder - a novelty game which no one would play for more than ten minutes. Then, some neat timing: just a fortnight after the game's release in Japan, and the early flurry of word-of-mouth from those whose interest had been piqued at TGS, Takahashi presented the game at GDC's experimental game workshop."

15 comments

  1. what to make by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Ah, a teak ash tiki.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  2. I don't think it matters. by AEther141 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really, he could be the saviour of the games industry or he could be a one hit wonder, he could be a nice guy or an asshole. It's all irrelevant - he produced a superb work of art and should be applauded for it. Everything else is just pointless punditry.

    1. Re:I don't think it matters. by mendaliv · · Score: 1

      Agreed, it's a damned good game. As to Takahashi's fate, I fear that he'll end up typecast as "the guy who makes acid trip games".

    2. Re:I don't think it matters. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree it doesn't matter much, but I met him and he is nice, and not an asshole. He spoke very little English but made an effort through his English-speaking friends and my lesson-1 japanese to have some sort of conversation. I still would have played the game otherwise, but I'm glad he isn't an asshole. He might be a one-hit wonder. It's hard for somebody like that to get in just the right circumstances to have that kind of success, especially in that industry.

  3. I don't think it matters-Footsteps. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Everything else is just pointless punditry"

    Not if you want to follow in his footsteps, it's not.

    1. Re:I don't think it matters-Footsteps. by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

      You mean "to be in his shadow"?

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    2. Re:I don't think it matters-Footsteps. by earthbound+kid · · Score: 2, Funny

      Look, Takahashi made his name by creating a cool, unique videogame like no one had ever seen before.

      Therefore, in order for us to make cool, unique videogames, we need to copy absolutely everything about his game, except for a enough small parts to let us say, "hey, here's a *new* game." The job of videogame makers is to find out what is the smallest quantum of change needed to constitute a new game. For example, in Madden 2006, you'll notice the box has a "6" on the front, where Madden 2005 had a "5." This constitutes one quantum of change.

      Duh.

  4. UGLY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    My god Slashdot looks ugly. Wtf is up with these people?! It's one of the ugliest looking sites on the Internet. Ever. I know most people here are aesthetically-challenged dorks. But this is fucking ridiculous!! My eyes are literally bleeding!!!

    1. Re:UGLY by Kent+Simon · · Score: 1

      You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

      literally bleeding?

      --
      Kent Simon Multitheft Auto
  5. Um... well, I think... by meringuoid · · Score: 1

    ... that he should lean on his publisher to release Katamari Damacy in Europe, dammit!

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
    1. Re:Um... well, I think... by Kazzahdrane · · Score: 1

      Here in the UK we're getting the second game in the series next month. Can't understand why they won't release the first one though...

    2. Re:Um... well, I think... by fuzzix · · Score: 1
      Here in the UK we're getting the second game in the series next month. Can't understand why they won't release the first one though...
      Because they can't be arsed translating it into all the languages usually found on a PAL release.

      If you want to waste some time try signing this petition.
  6. We only have one thing to say by AngryMuppet · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wikki wikki zip zip wikki zikki zikki wip wip, wizzzip!

  7. I heard.... by JPyun · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...that he gave up creating games and went on to design childrens playgrounds in Japan. Was that just a rumor or something?

  8. I love Katamari Damacy by Genkobar · · Score: 1

    But I can't really hail Keita Takahashi as some new Game Designer God until he comes up with something not-Katamari Damacy.

    I do understand his desire to do the katamari sequels himself rather than seeing someone else at Namco possibly sodomize it :/