Interviews
KAYAC Inc. on Ketsu Battler – Interview Series
Japanese developer KAYAC Inc. has just lifted the veil on an unusual concept that is bound to make you furrow your brows, wiggle your hips, and, believe it or not, shake your butt. Aptly titled Ketsu Battler, the upcoming Switch exclusive will reportedly feature an interactive brawling experience in which players will use their hips, thighs, and rubbery backsides to wage battles against their opponents. Curious to know more? Us too.
In a bid to learn more about the upcoming brawling chapter, I caught up with Tomozo, who kindly filled me in on all of the latest updates. The question I wanted an answer to was all rather simple: what is Ketsu Battler?
We appreciate the opportunity to sit down and speak with you about Ketsu Battler and all things KAYAC Inc. Before we delve into the art of butt boxing, though, let’s talk about the studio. When was it founded, and how would you best describe its core attributes?
Tomozo: Kayac Inc., also known as “The Fun-Loving Corporation,” was founded in 1998. With strengths in creative thinking and planning that break away from conventional concepts, along with technological capabilities to bring these ideas to life, we offer a variety of innovative experiences to users. These include games, advertising, web development, community currencies, and projects that promote migration and regional engagement by combining cutting-edge technologies with unique ideas. Approximately 90% of our employees are creators, such as designers and programmers, and our management philosophy is focused on “increasing the number of creators.” We implement unique human resource systems and management practices that embrace diversity.
Ketsu Battler has officially caught our attention, and we’re curious to hear more about it. For starters, there’s the concept of butt brawling that we simply need to talk about. So, please, enlighten us. What inspired this idea?
Tomozo: The idea for Ketsu Battler came from a game jam two years ago. The theme at the time was “one button,” so we decided to create a game that uses physics-based mechanics with simple one-button controls. And this is what we ended up with. It was a spontaneous idea, so there isn’t much of a deep reason behind it.
https://unityroom.com/games/tomozo202309
So, how does it work? Presumably, we won’t be using our hands to control the flow of our attacks and combos?
Tomozo: Yes, during battles, players insert the Joy-Con into their pants, and all actions are controlled by physically shaking their hips. When you shake your hips left and right, the in-game character moves accordingly.
Let’s talk tips, tricks, and butt-wiggling techniques. Tell us, is there a winning strategy for conquering the arena? Do you have any words of advice for those who are looking to pick up a copy of the game?
Tomozo: Just to avoid any misunderstanding, this game is only for local multiplayer; there are no online features or ranked matches! It’s simply a fun game where you and your friends can enjoy shaking your hips together. That said, the bigger, stronger, and faster you shake your hips, the better you’ll perform.
We understand that Ketsu Battler will be launching as an exclusive title in Japan. However, we would love to know if you have any plans to bring it to the Western market in the future.
Tomozo: We are currently planning to release the game exclusively in Japan, with only local multiplayer available. If sales go well in Japan, we might be able to expand into international markets.
We would love to stay on top of all the latest updates. Please could you let us know where we might be able to source some more information? Are there any social channels, newsletters, or events that we can share with our audience?
Tomozo: For more updates on Ketsu Battler, please visit our official social media account:
For news and information about Kayac Inc., you can visit our official website:
(While we do have an English page, it is not always updated promptly, so we recommend referring to the Japanese site.)
Is there anything you would like to add for our readers?
Tomozo: With enough enthusiastic support, the chances of an international release for Ketsu Battler will increase, so we would greatly appreciate your support!
Thank you for your time! We look forward to seeing more of Ketsu Battler over the coming weeks, months, and years!
You can stay up to date with all the latest KAYAC Inc. updates by visiting the official website here.
