Uncovering the Origins of Monolith Soft (2020)

The following is a translation of an interview with Hirohide Sugiura, co-founder of MonolithSoft, from the June 4th 2020 edition of Famitsu. Translation by: Lugalbanda Uncovering the Origins of Monolith Soft Sugiura Hirohide is a founding member of Monolith Soft and its Representative Director. This feature will share an interview that was conducted over email and edited whenever suitable. What is the story of its founding, Sugiura's career, and the future that Monolith Soft envisions...? Starting Monolith Soft After Experiencing Various Roles Interviewer: Although it's a bit late, congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the founding of Monolith Soft. Please tell us how you're genuinely feeling about this right now. Sugiura: I would like to thank all the staff, all the companies that helped or educated us, my teachers, and all the friends who supported us. I'd like to keep on working hard towards our goals. Interview: Let's go over your career first. You've worked at various companies, including KONAMI, Warp, and Square. Sugiura: I had originally gone to music college so that I could become a teacher, but I felt like it wasn't for me, and decided to work in the private sector. And so I started working at ASCII (now known as KADOKAWA) out of admiration for Kazuhiko Nishi (founder of ASCII). I started out working in sales, and through business negotiations and retail visitation events,*1 I was able to interact with those closest to users, and that was very informative. At the time, Hiroyuki Sonobe of Derby Stallion fame was also there, and I witnessed the process of (him) starting a company firsthand, and that was very influential to me as well. Looking back on it, you could say this was when my desire to start a company first took hold. *1Translator: I honestly have no idea what this is referring to; seems to be some kind of Japanese. sales jargon, where sales reps will go to retailers and develop relationships with retailers Interviewer: So you had been thinking about it from an early stage. Sugiura: I started thinking about what kind of skills would be necessary when starting a business. I'd experienced sales, so I wanted to get experience in various roles like development, advertising, general affairs/human resources/finance, and media. So I requested a department transfer to the advertisement sales position at Famitsu, within ASCII. Interviewer: Even Famitsu!? Sugiura: At the time, there were many tie-in ads, and through that, I learned the process of how companies put out information, and how it's put out in media. After that, I worked at KONAMI and took on a publicity role,*2 worked as a project manager at Warp, and experienced game development at Square (now known as Square Enix). *2Translator: I assume this means publicist. Interviewer: And what was your role at Square? Sugiura: At the time, at Square, the advertising producer also doubled as the development manager. Producers are granted the same level of decision-making as the president when it comes to projects, but it's such an incredible amount of responsibility... How do you balance trying to realize the creator's dream with the schedule and budget, along with the market, meanwhile not forcing it from above, and make it all come together at the end in a way that makes sense? I believe this conundrum is an eternal struggle in the world of game development management and something that continues to this day. Having had the fortune of gaining producer experience there, I had experienced everything relevant to the industry, from sales, advertising, development, general affairs, and media, and decided to move on starting a business. Monolith Soft’s Vision of Aiming To Be a Company That Lasts Interviewer: After that, Monolith Soft was founded in 1999, but what was your biggest reason for starting the company? Sugiura: It all started when I played Xenogears. I was working on another title, but I was immediately enthralled by Xenogears, as it was quite a unique work. A concept for Xenogears 2 was started after that,*3 but Square was making large investments in the film business at the time, and it was very difficult to produce internally. We chose the path of starting a business so that we could make this concept a reality, one way or another. *3Translator: Who started it isn't exactly 100% specified in the Japanese, so I've kept it vague Interviewer: So you were that enamored by Xenogears. Sugiura: Yasuyuki Honne and 27 others, along with Tetsuya Takahashi, the proposer of the concept, supported that.*4 So, we were able to start Monolith Soft with the gracious help of Masaya Nakamura (founder of Namco). When starting the company, we were in negotiations with other game companies besides Namco, but I was in fact a huge fan of Namco, so much so that I had submitted a new-graduate application to Namco, and I had also gotten to know Masaya Nakamura and was exposed to his respectable sensibilities, and those things were the deciding factors*5. *4Translator: This sentence can also be read as "Yasuyuku Honne and 27 others sympathized/agreed with Tetsuya Takahashi, the proposer of the concept", I frankly think this was the intended meaning but I will leave it up to the reader. *5Translator: Just to be clear here, since I'm deviating from the Nintendo Everything translation slightly, he lists liking Namco, meeting Nakamura, and being exposed to his respectable sensibilities all as deciding factors. Interviewer: And so that's how Monolith Soft started. Sugiura: The biggest reason is that I love the world that Tetsuya Takahashi creates. That hasn't changed at all, even now. Interviewer: Please tell us about the kind of person Takahashi-san and Honne-san are, and their personalities, from your point-of-view. Sugiura: Takahashi, he's genuine towards me, and someone I can truly trust. Towards those he's acquainted with, he's very kind and considerate. And he's also incredibly knowledgeable, and knows about many different genres. If you ask him something, he'll always have an answer. He gives appropriate life advice as well. Honne, he's very dedicated, and values relationships. He takes good care of his subordinates. He puts up with my rants as well, so he's helped me mentally, too (laughs). I've shared a long 20 years with both of them, and in a certain sense, I've been with them longer than I have with family. Almost like an immediate family member. Interviewer: If you were to examine the strengths of Monolith Soft, what do you think that would be? Sugiura: If I were to say, it would be that [we're] never satisfied with the present, [we] keep searching what [we're] deficient in, and [we] continue to eliminate those gaps. Besides that, we also strive for a labor environment in which employees and family members can feel at ease working for. The Coronavirus is currently wreaking havoc, but we at Monolith Soft are making efforts to maintain employment and continue the business. Interviewer: Please tell us about a project that Monolith Soft worked on that left an impression on you. Sugiura: I would say the first [project] we worked on after we founded Monolith Soft, Xenosaga Episode I. However, the income and expenditure management for this title didn't go very well, and we had to make very difficult decisions for Xenosaga Episode II... Interviewer: A remaster of Xenoblade will be released, but what does Xenoblade represent for your company? Sugiura: A prototype working towards achieving a goal; potential. It's one small slice of the universe, time, and world that Takahashi depicts, and perhaps you could say it's one aspect of his life's work.*6 *6Translator: Bit unclear what is meant here so I just decided to take a very literal approach, I think he just means he thinks it's one part of his output as a creator. Interviewer: Monolith Soft is quite a big development studio in terms of scale, with 3 studios in addition to its Tokyo headquarters. Please tell us about the development structure as well as your vision. Sugiura: We aren't focused on increasing the number of locations or staff. The current scale is simply in response to the scale and required conditions of the projects. We're still looking for talented people to achieve our goals, so I'd like for those interested to try applying. In addition, I believe we will start to experience the effects of the decrease in birthrate in the coming years. Even for those with complicated backgrounds, once there's a proper environment, I believe it will be easier to work in game development. As such, regardless of whether or not the increase in Coronavirus cases subsides, I would like to promote improving and developing a work-from-home environment. Interviewer: In the last 20 years, the gaming industry has drastically changed. Please tell us about Monolith Soft's vision for the gaming industry and its future. Sugiura: Rather than aim for a company that wins forever, I'd like to aim for a company that lasts. I want the future to be one in which, when the employee's careers come to a close, they can say, "I'm glad I worked for this company." For the game industry, I hope the range of play is widened and the barriers to entry are lowered, and not just limited to certain first-world countries and the wealthy. Games are made to put a smile on our faces, after all. Interviewer: Finally, please give us a message in conjunction with the release of Xenoblade Definitive Edition. Sugiura: I hope players who've already played it, as well as players who started with Xenoblade 2 both get to experience it. Please look forward to this Monolith Soft 20th anniversary commemorative title! (See the original Japanese interview here.)