![[EXCLUSIVE] Katsuhiro Harada Opens Up About VS Studio, SNK, and What Comes Next](https://cdn.gamerbraves.com/2026/05/Harada-VS-Studio_Interview_FI-1-360x180.jpg)
At this year’s Tokyo Game Show 2025, we had the chance to sit down with Suzuki Hirohito, producer of the highly anticipated Octopath Traveler 0. As fans crowded around Square Enix’s booth to get their first hands-on experience with the game, Hirohito shared insights into how the development team is approaching this unique entry in the beloved JRPG series. Unlike its predecessors, this latest installment lets players create their own protagonist and build their own town, marking a significant departure from the traditional eight-character formula.
Balancing 30+ Characters Without Breaking the Game
One of the biggest challenges facing the development team was managing the power balance across more than 30 playable characters. In previous Octopath games, developers only had to worry about eight main characters, but Octopath Traveler 0 completely changes that formula.
“When it comes to this latest installment of the game, we have implemented new features such as the selectability or in English, the action skills,” Hirohito explained.
“Through that, essentially, we tried to make sure that each of the characters really have their own unique characteristics and personalities shine. And also enables players to be able to complete the game using any character as well.”
The team focused on level design that would accommodate this massive roster while ensuring every character feels useful and distinct. Rather than creating a hierarchy where some characters are clearly stronger than others, the developers wanted players to feel confident they could finish the game with any combination of party members.
Moving Away from Mobile Game Elements
For players familiar with Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, the mobile entry in the series, Octopath Traveler 0 represents a return to console gaming traditions. The most obvious change is the complete removal of gacha mechanics, which were central to the mobile game’s monetization.
“This game is really primarily geared towards matching the expectation or the standard of the console games that was seen in Octopath Traveler 1 and 2,” Hirohito noted. He emphasized that creating this different experience required significant development time, even for players already familiar with Champions of the Continent.
The producer believes that fans of the mobile game will still find plenty to enjoy, especially since Champions of the Continent was well-received for its storytelling. However, instead of collecting predetermined characters, players now get to “customize the main protagonist and they themselves can kind of sort of become the center of the story.”
“It might actually be very surprising to hear how much time was really spent on ensuring that the experience feels that different,” Hirohito added, emphasizing the team’s commitment to distinguishing this entry from its mobile predecessor.
Creating an Emotional Connection with a Custom Hero
One challenge with custom protagonists is making players care about them as much as they would pre-written characters with established backgrounds and motivations. The development team solved this by giving the player character a clear, personal reason to embark on their journey.
The story begins when “the town that the protagonist or the player find yourself in that’s very peaceful and happy actually becomes destroyed and put in ruins,” Hirohito revealed. This destruction serves as the emotional foundation for the entire adventure, giving players both revenge and restoration as driving motivations.
While the protagonist doesn’t speak much, their connection to the destroyed town creates natural emotional investment. “The sort of core emotion that would drive the player in that plotline would be wanting to save those people and bringing them back to your own town,” the producer explained. This dual nature gives the story both light and dark elements, balancing hope with the desire for justice.
“What we’re offering really is the story that has components of almost light and dark. That’s contrasting. Light being a little bit more of the happier experience, whereas dark is more about wanting to defeat your enemies.”
Enhanced Path Actions and Town Building
The signature Path Action system returns in Octopath Traveler 0, but with an important addition. Players can still interact with NPCs based on whether they value fame, power, or wealth, but now there’s a new option: inviting certain NPCs to join your town.
“You’re able to actually take characters or NPCs that you do encounter and then have them join you into the town that you are creating yourself,” Hirohito said. Not every NPC can be recruited, which makes sense given that players will encounter over 100 different NPCs throughout their journey.
The town building system serves multiple purposes beyond just customization. It provides practical benefits that make the adventure easier and more convenient. For example, building a tavern allows players to cook food, which is a new party buff system. “If you eat before the battle, you get 15 turns of HP recovery,” the producer explained.
Other useful structures include farms and ranches for gathering cooking materials, and training facilities that help level up party members even when they’re not actively being used.
“Even if you’re not at the battle party, you can raise more characters.”
“You don’t have to do it, you don’t have to do anything other than the main story, but if you do it, there are a lot of good things, so it makes you want to play it,” Hirohito emphasized about the optional nature of town building while highlighting its benefits.
Addressing Character Connection Issues
Previous Octopath games received criticism for characters feeling disconnected from each other until late in the story. With over 30 recruitable characters, this could have been an even bigger problem, but the team implemented several solutions.
“The main character is like a big trunk of a tree, and by making the character relate to it, the connection with the other characters becomes natural,” Hirohito explained. Since there’s one central protagonist instead of eight equal main characters, all relationships flow through this single point, creating more natural connections.
“Each character is not as deep as the 8 main characters in the Octopath Traveler series. On the other hand, the main character is on his own, so he meets different types of characters along the way.”
The town system also helps build relationships. When players invite characters to live in their town, those characters gain new dialogue and interactions. “When you put the character in your town, like, hey, the town has grown up. You can have a conversation with the character, and you can have a party chat with the character,” the producer detailed.
“It’s not just about feeling like you’re on an unusual journey, but by making it feel like you’re living in your own town, the relationship becomes deeper,” Hirohito explained about how the town system enhances character bonds.
Additionally, a Party Chat feature allows players to deepen bonds with characters they’re actively traveling with, providing more opportunities for character development throughout the journey.
Making JRPGs More Accessible
Recognizing that not every player comes to Octopath Traveler 0 with extensive JRPG experience, the development team designed the early game to be straightforward and welcoming to newcomers.
“When it comes to the early game content specifically, it is designed to feel as a very straightforward and simple JRPG experience that isn’t too complicated or complex, and it’s one that’s really designed so that anyone can enjoy and play it,” Hirohito said.
The idea is that players will gradually become comfortable with JRPG mechanics as they progress, eventually mastering the knowledge needed to tackle more challenging bosses. While the Tokyo Game Show demo was intentionally difficult to provide a proper challenge for experienced players, the full game aims to be accessible to everyone.
“The actual game itself is built to be able to be one where, again, anyone can enjoy it. And so I hope people feel reassured from that,” Hirohito added.
Special Bonuses for Series Veterans
Long-time fans won’t be left out, as Octopath Traveler 0 includes a save data linking system. Players who have save files from either Octopath Traveler I or II can unlock special bonus items.
“If you have Octopath Traveler 1 or 2 save data, you can get Catlin, a blue elephant, and Octolin, an octopus,” Hirohito announced. These items provide experience and job point bonuses, giving returning players a small advantage as they start their new adventure.
“We still have some time, so I’d be happy if you could check out other titles and look forward to Zero,” the producer encouraged.
Looking Forward
As our conversation wrapped up, Hirohito expressed excitement about seeing how players will customize their towns and share their creations on social media. Set on the same continent as the first Octopath Traveler, this new entry promises to offer something for everyone, whether they’re series veterans or complete newcomers to JRPGs.
“I’m very happy to be able to announce the Octopath Traveler Zero title,” Hirohito reflected on the game’s reveal.
“As many of you have asked, we’ve made the game so that everyone can enjoy the game from scratch, whether they’re fans of the Octopath Traveler series or not.”
The producer’s enthusiasm for player creativity was evident as he shared his hopes for the community: “I’m looking forward to seeing my own town after it’s released on social media. I want to see a lot of different towns, so I’m looking forward to that.”
“This new installment takes place in Ostera, the same continent as the first game, and is designed so that everyone—whether long-time fans, JRPG enthusiasts, or newcomers—can enjoy and create their own story,” Hirohito concluded, summarizing the game’s ambitious scope and inclusive design philosophy.
With its blend of familiar mechanics and fresh ideas, Octopath Traveler 0 represents an interesting evolution for the series, one that puts player choice and customization at the center of the experience while maintaining the beautiful art style and deep gameplay that fans have come to expect.
![[TGS2025] Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Yakuza Kiwami 3 Gaiden: Dark Ties – A Conversation with Ryosuke Horii](https://cdn.gamerbraves.com/2025/09/YakuzaKiwami3Interview_Interview_FI2-1-75x75.jpg)
