GAMING INDUSTRY / 2026.07.29
Kotaro Uchikoshi on CRASH KEYS, ARGs, Zero Escape, Too Kyo Games, movies
by Mikhail Madnani on 26 October, 2026 Kotaro Uchikoshi recently established CRASH KEYS, his own company. Following the announcement from earlier this month, there has been a lot of speculation about what CRASH KEYS…
by Mikhail Madnani on 26 October, 2026
Kotaro Uchikoshi: I'm Kotaro Uchikoshi, a Japanese game director and narrative writer. I've been working in the video game industry for nearly 30 years, and I'm perhaps best known for creating the Zero Escape series and the AI: The Somnium Files series. More recently, I worked on The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy.
I'm also a co-founder of Too Kyo Games, and in 2025, I established my own company, CRASH KEYS, where I serve as CEO.
My specialty is creating stories filled with mysteries, unexpected twists, and characters who find themselves in situations they would probably rather avoid. In short, my job is to make fictional people suffer so that real people can have fun.
Could it be that my characters have cursed me in return...? A project we'd been working on for a year and a half was suddenly canceled. Ironically, I'm now the one being tormented by the creator of this world. Maybe someone out there is making me suffer so that people in another universe can have fun.RPG Site: Also what have you been doing this year before your new game project was canceled?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: The project started about a year and a half ago, so naturally, that's what I'd been working on. Writing the script, putting together reference materials, fleshing out various aspects of the game, and so on.
It's really heartbreaking to think that all of that work has now been buried in a graveyard somewhere on a hard drive...
But I have to admit that my own shortcomings in game design and planning may have played a part in this unfortunate turn of events. I'm truly sorry to all the staff members who worked so incredibly hard on it...RPG Site: There has been a lot of speculation about CRASH KEYS itself being an ARG leading into Zero Escape 4 or a new Zero Escape game. I know you won't confirm or deny anything about that, so I want to ask: how do you feel when any announcement you make leads to this kind of speculation from fans?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: ARG...? What's that supposed to mean? I have no idea... With so many servers getting attacked lately, maybe someone hacked our website, too.
Everything written on the official CRASH KEYS website is true. Unfortunately, the project definitely got the axe, our company really is in a critical situation, and yes, we're actually searching for spiritual stones along the riverbank.
Thankfully, we've already received many offers of work and investment proposals, but we're still actively looking for more. We'd really appreciate it if you could continue to help spread the word!RPG Site: I have about a hundred questions I'd like to ask you about CRASH KEYS and your prior work. I'll save most of those for a future interview, but can you discuss how things have been for you working at Too Kyo Games.
Kotaro Uchikoshi: Working at Too Kyo Games was an absolutely wonderful experience. I learned a great deal from everyone there. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better place to work.
My colleagues were extraordinary. They were incredibly talented, and they somehow managed to put up with all my ridiculous whims and demands. It was nothing short of a creative paradise.
But there was one thing.
The stars at Too Kyo Games shone so brilliantly, like the Summer Triangle blazing across the night sky, that sometimes their light was simply too dazzling for me...
You see, I'm more of a mole-like creator, the kind of creature that spends its days burrowing through the darkness. I guess some creatures are just meant to stay underground.RPG Site: On social media, you mentioned you fell in love with Kodaka-san and had pajama parties. Which of your characters do you think have the best pajama parties?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: Mizuki, Iris, Kizuna, Amame, Ota, and that forensic police officer whose name has completely slipped my mind.Advertisement. Keep scrolling for moreRPG Site: A lot of our readers and your fans likely want to know what to expect from you next. Do you have any message for them beyond what you've said about CRASH KEYS and on social media?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: We've been flooded with messages of encouragement and support. Thanks to all your kind words, we've finally found the strength to SEEK A WAY OUT of the dark prison we've been trapped in. Thank you all so much! We truly appreciate it.
A lot of people have suggested that we try crowdfunding. Nothing has been decided yet, but it's definitely something we're considering. If we do go ahead with it, we'd be incredibly grateful for your support. We'd love to create our next game together with all of you!
We're also thinking about welcoming people from overseas to our team. So if you're interested in joining us, please get in touch through the contact form on our official website.
The requirements? You need to speak at least a little Japanese, and have the guts and determination to survive Japan's notoriously low salaries, made even worse by the weak yen. Let's save the future of planet Earth together!RPG Site: Instead of asking you about games, do you have any book recommendations for newcomers to Kurt Vonnegut and Isaac Asimov?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: I'm afraid I don't know enough about Vonnegut or Asimov to confidently suggest any of their books...
But if we're talking sci-fi in general, Project Hail Mary was out of this world! I'd highly recommend reading the novel first, then watching Ryan Gosling's devastatingly handsome face.RPG Site: Also what movies have you been watching recently?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: The Japanese animated film "We Are Aliens" (我々は宇宙人) was absolutely outstanding!
The stunning visuals, ingenious shot compositions, and understated yet emotionally powerful psychological portrayals all showcased masterful direction.
The story mercilessly digs deep into our souls, dragging out the dark, ugly things we buried inside ourselves during our childhood and adolescence. I'm certain it's one of those films I'll never forget for the rest of my life.
Another one I watched was "Resident Evil". I went in expecting a jump-scare-filled horror movie, but what I got was a gloriously stupid comedy that I could just sit back and enjoy without having to think too hard. And believe me, that's about the highest praise I can give anything!
When a film goes that far over the top, who cares about the little details? It's just pure entertainment, made by a director and crew whose top priority was clearly making sure the audience had a damn good time. It was also packed with unique ideas. I can only imagine how much fun those brainstorming sessions must have been. It genuinely made me want to create something like that myself someday.RPG Site: Back when Hundred Line was released, I had a chance to ask you about how you like your coffee. Now that you had your funding cut off, are you still able to enjoy coffee the same way?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: I can't afford to savor the bitterness of coffee anymore. My life is already bitter enough... What I need right now is a sinfully sweet sugar daddy.RPG Site: Also how do you think Junpei, Phi, Kaname Date, and Tama like their coffee?
Kotaro Uchikoshi:
Junpei (after 999): Black coffee.
Phi: Irish coffee.
Date: An espresso with a shot of Viagra.
Tama: She doesn't drink coffee, but she likes pouring freshly brewed coffee down Ryuki's smooth back.
Kotaro Uchikoshi recently established CRASH KEYS, his own company. Following the announcement from earlier this month, there has been a lot of speculation about what CRASH KEYS exactly is and how it is related to Too Kyo Games if at all. When I interviewed Kazutaka Kodaka on The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- and more, I knew I would interview Kotaro Uchikoshi at some point this year when I reach 100% completion, but I didn't expect it to happen around a new company. I reached out to Uchikoshi-san and CRASH KEYS to see what I could find out across his thoughts on ARGs, Zero Escape, coffee, movies, and much more.
Advertisement. Keep scrolling for moreRPG Site: For those unaware, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?Kotaro Uchikoshi: I'm Kotaro Uchikoshi, a Japanese game director and narrative writer. I've been working in the video game industry for nearly 30 years, and I'm perhaps best known for creating the Zero Escape series and the AI: The Somnium Files series. More recently, I worked on The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy.
I'm also a co-founder of Too Kyo Games, and in 2025, I established my own company, CRASH KEYS, where I serve as CEO.
My specialty is creating stories filled with mysteries, unexpected twists, and characters who find themselves in situations they would probably rather avoid. In short, my job is to make fictional people suffer so that real people can have fun.
Could it be that my characters have cursed me in return...? A project we'd been working on for a year and a half was suddenly canceled. Ironically, I'm now the one being tormented by the creator of this world. Maybe someone out there is making me suffer so that people in another universe can have fun.RPG Site: Also what have you been doing this year before your new game project was canceled?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: The project started about a year and a half ago, so naturally, that's what I'd been working on. Writing the script, putting together reference materials, fleshing out various aspects of the game, and so on.
It's really heartbreaking to think that all of that work has now been buried in a graveyard somewhere on a hard drive...
But I have to admit that my own shortcomings in game design and planning may have played a part in this unfortunate turn of events. I'm truly sorry to all the staff members who worked so incredibly hard on it...RPG Site: There has been a lot of speculation about CRASH KEYS itself being an ARG leading into Zero Escape 4 or a new Zero Escape game. I know you won't confirm or deny anything about that, so I want to ask: how do you feel when any announcement you make leads to this kind of speculation from fans?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: ARG...? What's that supposed to mean? I have no idea... With so many servers getting attacked lately, maybe someone hacked our website, too.
Everything written on the official CRASH KEYS website is true. Unfortunately, the project definitely got the axe, our company really is in a critical situation, and yes, we're actually searching for spiritual stones along the riverbank.
Thankfully, we've already received many offers of work and investment proposals, but we're still actively looking for more. We'd really appreciate it if you could continue to help spread the word!RPG Site: I have about a hundred questions I'd like to ask you about CRASH KEYS and your prior work. I'll save most of those for a future interview, but can you discuss how things have been for you working at Too Kyo Games.
Kotaro Uchikoshi: Working at Too Kyo Games was an absolutely wonderful experience. I learned a great deal from everyone there. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better place to work.
My colleagues were extraordinary. They were incredibly talented, and they somehow managed to put up with all my ridiculous whims and demands. It was nothing short of a creative paradise.
But there was one thing.
The stars at Too Kyo Games shone so brilliantly, like the Summer Triangle blazing across the night sky, that sometimes their light was simply too dazzling for me...
You see, I'm more of a mole-like creator, the kind of creature that spends its days burrowing through the darkness. I guess some creatures are just meant to stay underground.RPG Site: On social media, you mentioned you fell in love with Kodaka-san and had pajama parties. Which of your characters do you think have the best pajama parties?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: Mizuki, Iris, Kizuna, Amame, Ota, and that forensic police officer whose name has completely slipped my mind.Advertisement. Keep scrolling for moreRPG Site: A lot of our readers and your fans likely want to know what to expect from you next. Do you have any message for them beyond what you've said about CRASH KEYS and on social media?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: We've been flooded with messages of encouragement and support. Thanks to all your kind words, we've finally found the strength to SEEK A WAY OUT of the dark prison we've been trapped in. Thank you all so much! We truly appreciate it.
A lot of people have suggested that we try crowdfunding. Nothing has been decided yet, but it's definitely something we're considering. If we do go ahead with it, we'd be incredibly grateful for your support. We'd love to create our next game together with all of you!
We're also thinking about welcoming people from overseas to our team. So if you're interested in joining us, please get in touch through the contact form on our official website.
The requirements? You need to speak at least a little Japanese, and have the guts and determination to survive Japan's notoriously low salaries, made even worse by the weak yen. Let's save the future of planet Earth together!RPG Site: Instead of asking you about games, do you have any book recommendations for newcomers to Kurt Vonnegut and Isaac Asimov?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: I'm afraid I don't know enough about Vonnegut or Asimov to confidently suggest any of their books...
But if we're talking sci-fi in general, Project Hail Mary was out of this world! I'd highly recommend reading the novel first, then watching Ryan Gosling's devastatingly handsome face.RPG Site: Also what movies have you been watching recently?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: The Japanese animated film "We Are Aliens" (我々は宇宙人) was absolutely outstanding!
The stunning visuals, ingenious shot compositions, and understated yet emotionally powerful psychological portrayals all showcased masterful direction.
The story mercilessly digs deep into our souls, dragging out the dark, ugly things we buried inside ourselves during our childhood and adolescence. I'm certain it's one of those films I'll never forget for the rest of my life.
Another one I watched was "Resident Evil". I went in expecting a jump-scare-filled horror movie, but what I got was a gloriously stupid comedy that I could just sit back and enjoy without having to think too hard. And believe me, that's about the highest praise I can give anything!
When a film goes that far over the top, who cares about the little details? It's just pure entertainment, made by a director and crew whose top priority was clearly making sure the audience had a damn good time. It was also packed with unique ideas. I can only imagine how much fun those brainstorming sessions must have been. It genuinely made me want to create something like that myself someday.RPG Site: Back when Hundred Line was released, I had a chance to ask you about how you like your coffee. Now that you had your funding cut off, are you still able to enjoy coffee the same way?
Kotaro Uchikoshi: I can't afford to savor the bitterness of coffee anymore. My life is already bitter enough... What I need right now is a sinfully sweet sugar daddy.RPG Site: Also how do you think Junpei, Phi, Kaname Date, and Tama like their coffee?
Kotaro Uchikoshi:
Junpei (after 999): Black coffee.
Phi: Irish coffee.
Date: An espresso with a shot of Viagra.
Tama: She doesn't drink coffee, but she likes pouring freshly brewed coffee down Ryuki's smooth back.