Persona 3 Reload only arrived on the Switch 2 in October, but there’s plenty more to come…
Speaking to the Japanese website 4Gamer.net as part of its annual end-of-year developer interview feature recently, Atlus producer and director Kazuhisa Wada (who has worked on Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload) highlighted how the JRPG series will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026.
To thank fans, the team is already preparing a “wide variety of initiatives on a global scale”. There’ll also apparently be some chances to talk about “future developments” for the series.
“The Persona series will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. As a token of our gratitude to everyone, we’re preparing a wide variety of initiatives on a global scale, so please look forward to them…! Additionally, we believe there will be opportunities in 2026 to talk about future developments for the series. Preparations are steadily coming together, and all of us at ATLUS will be giving it our all to build excitement around Persona, so we sincerely ask for your continued support…!”
Fellow producer and director Shinjiro Takata also acknowledged how his team released RAIDOU Remastered in 2025 on the Switch and Switch 2. Apparently, patch support might not be done yet.
And last but not least, Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload producer Atsushi Nomura mentions how Atlus has received “a lot of support” for Persona 4 Revival, and is looking forward to providing an update:
“We’re very much looking forward to the day we can make another announcement, so please continue to give us your support.”
So, that’s what’s on the menu for the Persona series next year. If you haven’t already tried out P3R on the Switch 2, there’s a demo you can download from the eShop. A patch for the game has also rolled out this week, which bumps the frame rate. You can find out more about this in our previous story.
What would you like to see from Atlus and the Persona series next year? Let us know in the comments.
Back in June, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino acknowledged that, like a great many companies working in the games industry, his firm was exploring the use of Generative AI as “a tool for communication and efficiency improvement.”
Fast forward to the end of the year, and Hino’s view of GenAI appears to have become a little more positive. As noted by Kotaku, he posted a lengthy response to the online “commotion surrounding AI,” pointing out that many companies in the gaming sector are now incorporating AI into their development process at some point.
He also addressed the misunderstanding that saw some people claim that Level-5 was using AI to write 80% of the code in its games:
“The truth of the matter is that there’s an unreleased title themed around AI, and for that specific title, a programmer mentioned they’re deliberately having AI handle the programming as well. They used that as an example to suggest that an era like that might be coming, and that’s what got blown out of proportion.”
However, Hino adds that “if they really were creating 80%–90% percent of the code with AI and successfully making games that way, it’d be incredibly impressive, and they’d be in high demand from the AI community,” suggesting that he’s put aside any concerns he might have about the ethical failings of GenAI, which is often trained on images, video and other data without the permission of the original creators.
“We haven’t reached that level yet,” Hino admits. “That said, it’s also true that AI is enabling time savings that can’t be dismissed, and I believe this has the potential to upend common sense in game development. It might shift us from a world where developing the AAA games everyone wants to play takes 5–10 years to one where we get to enjoy them every two years.”
Hino addresses the issue of copyright theft directly in the following passage, pointing out that GenAI is treated “like it’s synonymous with plagiarism.” In fact, it seems that Hino has become something of an AI convert since his comments early in the year, saying:
“A knife can be used for cooking or as a weapon; a computer can create games or enable cybercrime. AI might produce plagiarized content if misused, but if used properly, it has the power to enrich the creative world even further.
I want to see games evolve even more in my lifetime. I want to experience and create dreamlike games that surpass the standards of today’s AAA titles. If we let the impression take hold here that ‘using AI is evil,’ it could seriously hinder the advancement of modern digital technology. I hope creators and audiences alike can recognize AI as a tool that people use to make their works. Here’s to hoping that various technological innovations lead to even greater growth in the game industry!”
We recently asked you, our beloved readers, if Generative AI was a worry for you as a consumer. 52% of you said you’d be concerned if developers used AI during any part of their pipeline, while 63% of you said you’d be “extremely disappointed” if Nintendo ever decided to utilise the controversial tech.
Over the holiday season, we’re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from2025. This article was originally published in April. Enjoy!
In case you somehow missed it, Nintendo has officially lifted the lid on Switch 2, cueing all sorts of excitement and apprehension from those of us who have been loyally playing our Switch 1s for the past eight years.
It’s an exciting time to be a player, but how does it feel from a developer’s standpoint? Is the Switch 2 everything they could have hoped for, or are there any anxieties that come with the uncertainty of a new console launch?
We spoke to a handful of developers and publishers from across the industry to hear their gut reaction to the console and their plans for the future. Here’s who we spoke to:
??? – Another dev wished to remain anonymous “for fear of being on a flagged list” — their responses are marked below as Anon.
Note. Not everyone answered every question, and we’ve edited some responses that cover the same ground.
What did you make of the Switch 2 reveal, and which feature excited you the most?
Harris Foster (Big Fan Games): Nintendo’s hardware reveals are special because you can always count on seeing a stand-out idea that breaks console expectations and gets your imagination flowing. The Switch 2’s mouse capabilities in the new Joy-Con controllers is particularly interesting to me — as someone who plays the occasional mouse-controlled game from the couch, I’m excited to see how Nintendo’s approach can improve this experience.
Matt Bozon (WayForward): I really enjoy playing with my current Switch in handheld mode, so it’s exciting to have a larger screen and more power for gaming on the go. I always look forward to playing Nintendo’s newest generation of games; they never fail to be fun and inspiring!
Sophie Smart (No More Robots): I really enjoyed watching it! It felt the appropriate length for such an anticipated announcement and was jam-packed with explanations of the console itself, how things will work now with games between Switch and Switch 2, and new and existing titles! However, I do feel that Nintendo played it safe and stuck with the winning formula of the Switch, whereas we are used to Nintendo completely reinventing itself between generations.
The main feature which I feel is most ‘Nintendo’ and out there is the Joy-Con turning into mice to control parts of games. Since we have Hypnospace Outlaw, a ’90s internet simulator, in our game catalogue at No More Robots, it makes me excited to see whether we can organise a port to utilise the technology to feel like you are actually browsing the web!
Adam Tierney (WayForward): I’m excited about the multiplayer features to better connect players to one another online. Being able to see each other’s screens in games, chat with each other, and even see video of each other could all be very interesting going forward, from a developer perspective.
Gavin Price (Playtonic): I loved it. I’ve got my pre-order in, let’s put it that way (and I’ve not been a day-one purchaser of any console for a few generations)! I’m interested in the 120Hz refresh rate and how that can enable more options for players to enjoy games their way.
Anon: As a consumer, I’m excited as [it] seems like games that would have skipped the Switch are coming, but I also own a Steam deck and would probably purchase there cheaper. I just want awesome exclusives. As a game designer, the dual mouse control has me most excited. [It] should open up some interesting new ways to play and even a few games we’ve developed that don’t work for controller but would be perfect for mouse.
James Montagna (WayForward): The Switch 2 showcase was fantastic! From both a developer and gamer perspective, seeing the innovations Nintendo brought to the table genuinely fired me up. Knowing some of the talented Nintendo engineers personally and seeing the passion they put into their craft made the reveal feel even more special. It’s always inspiring watching Nintendo shape the future of gaming like only they can. For me, the enhanced HD Rumble 2 stood out the most. I’m already picturing how incredible it’ll feel to dual-wield Joy-Con in mouse mode, experiencing subtle ticking, buzzing, pulsing, and sensations I can’t even fully describe yet. That next-level immersion is exactly the kind of thing that excites me as a game creator.
Andy Pearson (PQube): We’re particularly enthusiastic about the more powerful processing capabilities, which means players can experience titles much closer to (or exactly as) their developers originally intended them to be played.
Tomm Hulett (WayForward): Well, I’m a huge Bloodborne fan, so…. But besides Duskbloods, I was actually really happy to hear about the ‘S2 Enhanced’ edition games and to see how much content was being added to Nintendo’s titles and potentially third parties as well. It’s a really cool way to refresh older games and urge a replay.
Are there any unanswered questions you still have, or specific features you’d like to see added to the console?
Harris Foster: With digital libraries becoming the norm on consoles, we’ve grown accustomed to our collection carrying forward — this will be my first time going through the process on a Nintendo platform, so I’m most curious about how it’ll handle this. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all amassed a large digital library of original Switch titles, so I’m keen to see how easy it will be to carry games and saves from Switch to Switch 2.
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life
I am curious if it’s technically possible to use that functionality for certain games that require two screens
Tomm Hulett: Since you can use the original Switch as a controller/share supported multiplayer games to Switch… I am curious if it’s technically possible to use that functionality for certain games that require two screens. Maybe for consoles that aren’t on NSO yet. Though I might just be craving the gamer cred of completing Contra 4 on such an unusual setup. But hey, maybe you could play Hotel Dusk while lying sideways in bed!
Gavin Price: I think it’s clear to see what Nintendo believes should be standard for enjoying Nintendo Switch 2 experiences. I can only imagine how it might be thinking of how to make a game about chatting with other players! I kind of hoped for an interactive LED/second screen-fronted dock, but I can appreciate this would cause a disparity with how games can be enjoyed in docked mode uniquely vs handheld modes.
Andy Pearson: While the hardware announcements have been impressive, we’re eager to learn more about improvements to the digital storefront and whether Nintendo has plans to enhance discoverability features. As the eShop catalogue continues to grow, better navigation tools and recommendation systems would greatly benefit both players and developers. We’re also curious about potential new social features and online capabilities and how they can be utilised in future games.
Sophie Smart: Not features per se, however, I do feel that we might need to see a Switch 2.5 or a ‘Pro’ version sooner rather than later. I can imagine an OLED version or a version which is slightly more powerful or holds a longer battery life would be something people would want!
James Montagna: Nintendo covered a ton of ground already, so nothing major jumps out. But the game-maker in me is always eager to dive deeper into those smaller technical details and subtle features that don’t always get headline space. Mostly, I’m just excited to keep exploring everything the Switch 2 has to offer. (Although, with all new social features, I admit I can’t help but secretly hope for a fresh take on Swapnote [Nintendo Letter Box] — I miss the connection that comes with exchanging fun art and messages with friends.)
Do you have plans to support Switch 2? Is a Switch 2 release more important than a ‘Switch 1’ release in 2025?
Andy Pearson: We will absolutely be supporting the Switch 2 with our upcoming titles. Rather than viewing it as “more important” than the original Switch, we see it as a positive evolution. The Switch 2’s launch represents an exciting opportunity to reach new audiences while continuing to support the extensive existing player base.
Sophie Smart: I would say a Switch 2 release would be super important to anyone right now! Mainly because there won’t be that many Switch 2 titles around launch, so it’ll allow your game to stand out and take advantage of the power. A lot of games no longer get a Switch port on release because of the low specs of the Switch, so this will open a lot more doors for games currently in development.
Gavin Price: We do have plans, but when and how they manifest is too early to share. I am in no way smart enough to answer the second part of that question. Switch 1 has a huge following, and I’m sure early Switch 2 purchasers will be ravenous for new, unique experiences too.
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Anon: I do think this will be like the PS4>PS5 upgrade where people on day one will have access to new games and a huge back catalogue, so not the “gold rush” that existed when Switch came out, and there was a fresh new store.
Manfred Linzner: Switch 1 was very important for us. On launch day we had Fast RMX available, and later we released (among other games) The Touryst for it, which was one of our finest games so far according to press and players. So Nintendo Switch was super important to us. And the same is true for Nintendo Switch 2. We will support it on launch day with Fast Fusion and already [have] two more projects [planned] for it.
Adam Tierney: There’s no info we can provide right now, but suffice to say, WayForward loves working with Nintendo to develop new and original games for all its systems, and we’re very excited to develop games for the Switch 2!
Do you have Switch 2 dev kits, and if so, how long have you had them?
Manfred Linzner: As we were developing a launch title, we had dev kits, but we can’t reveal any details.
Sophie Smart: We’re currently in discussions with Nintendo about securing a dev kit.
[it’s] hard to feel excited when we don’t have any insight into timing for [dev kits] either. We can’t plan.
Anon: We’re one of the many devs who don’t have access to dev kits. Even though [we’re] working on a large title now which we feel would be worthy of a dev kit, we have zero info. Even post-reveal, we’ve been given zero info, as have many other devs (even larger and more prestigious than us). So, [it’s] hard to feel excited when we don’t have any insight into timing for them either. We can’t plan.
How much impact does Switch 2’s increased power have on your approach to game development?
James Montagna: It’s huge for us. More powerful hardware doesn’t just mean prettier graphics; it dramatically expands the possibilities for innovative and complex gameplay ideas that previously were just out of reach. Having fewer constraints on performance means we can experiment more boldly, push boundaries, and bring ambitious concepts to life. As a creator, that freedom is incredibly exciting… and it really feels like we’re stepping into fresh territory creatively.
Sophie Smart: At the end of the day, the power upgrades are not hugely rivalling other competitors. However, it will help us to make better versions of our existing games on Switch for Switch 2 and have versions of our less intensive games on Switch 2, which may not have been able to run on Switch.
Image: Nintendo
Manfred Linzner: For Fast RMX on Nintendo Switch, there were only a few technical options for us on how to make a detailed yet high-performance game. On Nintendo Switch 2, we now have broader technical possibilities and much more power. We already learned a lot by creating Fast Fusion for Nintendo Switch 2, but we are looking forward to finding new untapped potential that is only possible with the new hardware.
Andy Pearson: The increased power of the Switch 2 has a substantial impact on our development approach. It enables us to more faithfully preserve creators’ original visions for their games, which is tremendously exciting for our team. The original Switch, while revolutionary in many ways, presented certain technical challenges when we aimed for simultaneous multi-platform releases.
Gavin Price: For our last release, Yooka-Laylee & The Impossible Lair, we set targets for Nintendo Switch early and other platforms followed on from it. We’ll probably take the same approach again moving forward for our multiplatform releases.
Harris Foster: Any gain in power is a win for developers — whether it be the opportunity to throttle up visuals or increase performance under the hood. While we don’t have any specific Switch 2 anecdotes to share at this time, we’re feeling very positive about the spec bump the system is promising.
Tomm Hulett: I wouldn’t say it changes my approach to design at all because I tend to follow interesting ideas or compelling gameplay, but it will certainly be more pleasant asking my lead programmer to implement some of my wilder ideas! Anything that keeps the lead programmer happy is a plus in my book.
Do you plan to support physical releases on Switch 2, and has your approach to this changed since the last console generation?
Andy Pearson: Yes, physical releases remain a core speciality for our company, and we intend to continue supporting this format with as many of our Switch 2 titles as possible. We recognise the importance of physical media to collectors and many Nintendo fans, and this commitment hasn’t changed from the previous console generation.
I do feel that we might need to see a Switch 2.5 or a ‘Pro’ version sooner rather than later
Sophie Smart: The physical landscape for games has tumbled over recent years. In our experience, it doesn’t always lead to profit. However, we still like to do it for some games because it’s really cool to have a physical box with art which you can hold in your hands of the thing you’ve worked on! We’ll likely end up taking the same approach with Switch 2.
Image: Gemma Smith / Nintendo Life
Adam Tierney: WayForward loves developing content that users can enjoy both digitally and physically. It’s our intention to continue that tradition with the Switch 2 and all future consoles.
Gavin Price: We love physical, so I’m sure we will consider it when we have the chance. Our approach hasn’t changed, I think the physical market is still how it has been the past five or so years, with strong appetite amongst a very passionate fanbase plus a broader gaming audience who like to purchase and have something tangible for themselves or to gift others with.
Manfred Linzner: We love physical releases. For instance, Nintendo published our FAST Racing NEO on Wii U disc, and we had a couple of special releases with Super Rare Games for Nintendo Switch. However, as an indie developer with low-priced games, it is not easy to support physical releases, but we will keep trying where it makes sense.
These responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk to us.
Over the holiday season, we’re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from2025. This article was originally published in April. Enjoy!
I don’t know about you, but I’m already giving my shelf space a worried look as I consider the number of Switch 2 launch titles I want to pick up.
It’s been just about a week since Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 and its 21 separate launch games (24 if you include those dropping on the NSO GameCube library), which, the more you think about it, is a truly wild number. Just for reference, the only Nintendo consoles that have pulled together a bigger launch line-up are the GBA in Japan (23 releases on day one) and the North American release of the Wii U (29). The big difference is that Switch 2 doesn’t have the crutch of movie tie-ins to pad out its day one roster — no shade to stone-cold classics like the Wii’s Happy Feet there.
The 5th June release schedule is packed with ports and re-releases, it’s true, but the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and Split Fiction are all demonstrations of what the OG Switch couldn’t do, with bigger worlds, better visuals, and snappier controls. Don’t even get me started on the fact that there will be two improved Zelda games to revisit on launch day, too — that doesn’t even count the free patches some Switch games will be getting, either.
It all amounts to a pretty strong launch line-up, and while it might be a little light on first-party newbies, it pretty much bundles in something for everyone.
The question is, where does it rank among Nintendo’s previous day-one attempts? Console launches aren’t all Mario, Zelda and Wii Sports, you know and, looking back at every other Nintendo launch line-up, Switch 2 might be up there with the best of them.
But we want to hear what you lovely lot think. We’re sure that a learned bunch like yourselves will remember every launch title since the mid-80s, but just in case you need a refresher (heck, we did), we have listed ’em all from the NES to the Switch 2. We’ve kept the following limited to the consoles’ North American launch line-ups for tidiness, but we’ll point out any notable additions in Europe and Japan as we go.
So, which of these comes out on top?
Nintendo Entertainment System
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Some very big hitters to start things off there, with Duck Hunt, Super Mario Bros. and Excitebike headlining. Heck, the fact that they all came from Nintendo is quite the feat, too. Sure, the majority of them might not be all that astonishing, but it’s a hell of a way to come out of the gate swinging.
Japan’s Famicom release included none of the above, but it did launch with Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Popeye, so that’s something.
Game Boy
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
A lot smaller and far less influential of a line-up, but it does have Tetris, so move that up or down your scale as you please.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Having Super Mario World, Pilotwings and F-Zero right from the jump is an impressive play, but there’s nothing much else to chew on. The European version also added Super Tennis, but that’s no all-timer.
Virtual Boy
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life
… We won’t dwell on this one. Mario Tennis debuted, at least?
Nintendo 64
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Wow, one of the most influential games of all time and… Super Mario 64. We’re joking, but it was slim pickings for the NA N64 launch line-up. Cruis’n USA was almost part of that launch too, before it failed to meet Nintendo’s standards and was pulled. It arrived later, at least…
The likes of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and Turok would make the European launch roster, but even then, it’s a short list for one of the Big N’s most fondly remembered consoles.
Game Boy Color
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Backwards compatibility obviously helped with the appeal of the GBC’s launch line-up, because without replaying some oldies, the list of new releases is pretty slim.
Game Boy Advance
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Say what you will about the specifics, but the GBA launch line-up is pretty stacked. There are an awful lot of ports, it’s true, but you can’t tell us that seeing the likes of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and Super Mario Advance running on that tiny handheld isn’t impressive.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Japanese and European launches also landed Kuru Kuru Kururin, and if you’ve played that on NSO, you know it’s a gem.
GameCube
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
At the time, Luigi’s Mansion seemed like the strangest title to launch a console with, but it’s grown into one of our favourite series from the Big N. Six separate sports titles is certainly a move (and a sign of a changing demographic), but it’s difficult to be too snarky when our beloved Rogue Squadron II is sitting right there.
On paper, a new Metroid Prime and 3D Mario make for a dynamite launch line-up. In practice, First Hunt and Mario 64 DS really aren’t the cream of the crop.
Ah, the age of the movie tie-in. Despite the cash grabs, the Wii did launch with Twilight Princess and Wii Sports — the latter of which might just be one of the most iconic launch titles of all time.
3DS
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
There’s a decent amount of fun in the above list, but no real killer apps. Thank goodness for DS backwards compatibility, hey? It’s no wonder Nintendo launched the Ambassador Program shortly afterwards…
Wii U
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
New Super Mario Bros. U was a nice addition, ZombiU was a fine display of the GamePad’s features, and Nintendo Land was one of the best games on the console. Sure, everything else is a bit naff, but it’s a shame this cadence died out so quickly.
Switch
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life
One of the greatest games of all time, a couple of little gimmicks, and a beloved indie don’t make for a bad launch line-up, we’ll admit. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey were real killers a few months later, but we’re looking at day one only here, people.
Switch 2
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Ports, first-party newbies and ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’ rereleases. It makes for quite the day-one line-up, no?
So, come on then, it’s time to vote! Which Nintendo console do you think had the best launch line-up? You can make your choice in the following poll, but be sure to head to the comments afterwards to let us know what you picked.
Which Nintendo console has the best launch line-up? (3,062 votes)
Over the holiday season, we’re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors from2025. This article was originally published in March. Enjoy!
Jeff Minter is, perhaps quite rightly, referred to as a legend within the gaming industry. His career following the founding of Llamasoft in 1982 has spawned dozens of the most unique and recognisable titles in existence, including Tempest 4000, Akka Arrh, Polybius, Attack of the Mutant Camels, and Gridrunner.
Those unfamiliar with Minter should check out Digital Eclipse’s Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, a phenomenal interactive documentary looking at the creator’s career with dozens of playable games from the Llamasoft back catalogue.
Now, however, alongside partner and co-developer Ivan ‘Giles’ Zorzin, Minter is about to unleash another stylised remake in the form of I, Robot, based on the original 1984 arcade curio from Atari and creator Dave Theurer (who, by the way, also created the original arcade Tempest, a game which shaped Minter’s career).
Following on from the critical success of both Tempest 4000 and Akka Arrh on Switch, I, Robot revamps the original’s maze-like gameplay in which you avoid the gazing eye of ‘Big Brother’, shoot down ‘Tetras’ in space, and create bizarre painterly masterpieces with the ‘Ungame’ mode – all the while injecting some of that instantly-recognisable Llamasoft iconography.
We recently sat down with Minter (and Giles, albeit briefly) to find out more about the game, Llamasoft’s partnership with Atari, and Jeff’s thoughts on the upcoming Switch 2.
Nintendo Life: Can you talk about how I, Robot came to be?
Jeff Minter, Llamasoft founder: Well, I’d look through Atari’s back catalogue for games to update and I like going for the more obscure things. The big titles are often spoken for anyway, and if you go for something like Asteroids or Centipede, people tend to have pretty big opinions on how it should be, so you have a bit less creative freedom.
The more obscure games tend to have very interesting ideas that perhaps didn’t get the kind of exposure that they deserved back in the day. I quite like the idea of taking these things, blowing the dust off, and perhaps giving them a bit more publicity in modern times. I, Robot is a particular favourite of mine, I played it back in the day a fair bit; a friend of mine actually owned the coin-op machine, so I was able to go to his house and play it extensively.
The technology was groundbreaking at the time, and so it definitely stuck in my mind. One thing I loved about it was that because the graphics technology was so new, they built a special mode into the game where you just played with the 3D graphics. That was at a time when I started doing my own early light synth work, so there was the idea of playing a game that wasn’t quite a game, but still interesting. I’ve actually implemented something similar into my own version; it’s called ‘The Ungame’, so you can go ahead and play around with the parameters of the lights.
So in what ways has Llamasoft’s I, Robot been updated from the original?
There’s a chunk of Llamasoft in there, there’s no doubt about that. But you also have to make the basic translation from an arcade environment to a home environment; arcade games are built to kick you off within three minutes and get more money in. So you have to adjust it to allow players to sit down and enjoy it a bit longer.
I hope I’ve kept enough of the original that fans enjoy it, but also there’s enough Llamasoft in there that people who like Llamasoft will enjoy it too.
The basic idea is the same. There’s this eye looking at you and you can’t jump while it’s open. I’ve extended that from the original a bit, so now the eye can fire at you while it’s open along with some other stuff. I’ve sped things up a little so it’s not quite as slow anymore. Every few levels you get something called the Arena Mode, and this essentially sees you being attacked from all sides, but you have extended firepower with which to shoot back.
Ultimately, I’ve kept the spirit of the original and I hope people like it. I hope I’ve kept enough of the original that fans enjoy it, but also there’s enough Llamasoft in there that people who like Llamasoft will enjoy it too.
Were there any challenges with the development of I, Robot that you perhaps haven’t experienced before?
Well, to me, it’s always a bit of a step into the unknown when I’m doing a new game. So I don’t sit down and design everything first, I kind of just make it up as I go. Sometimes it can take a while for a game to find its groove; you can be fiddling about, you’ve got some structure there, but it’s not quite working.
So it can be a bit of an anxious time because you think, ‘I’m never going to make this fit.’ I’ve been in that situation loads of times over my career and eventually you get to trust your instinct that everything will come together. The same thing happened with Akka Arrh, it actually took quite a while for me to find the correct feeling for that one.
From a technical standpoint, it’s not a particularly demanding game, so there’s little challenge in that sense. It runs very well on the Switch and it runs very well on the Atari VCS. [Note: Not the original VCS, we hasten to clarify; Atari released a Linux-based console in 2021 that unfortunately didn’t quite take off, but still hosts the majority of Atari’s first-party offerings.]
Image: Atari
How have you found development on the Nintendo Switch specifically?
Giles, come here!
[Giles joins the interview.]
Giles: Doing the graphics, doing the sound, everything works absolutely fine, no problem. Nintendo has good documentation, and really the only complaint is that there are so many different portals for different things, it can get a bit fragmented.
The biggest pain in the ass is making all the stuff conform, all the UI, little things have to be right, and it can take a long time to test certain things, sometimes hours at a time. But no, the machine is nice, it works very nice, the game runs at 60fps.
You mentioned that you like going for the more obscure titles; do you get any pushback from the folks at Atari, or do they just let you crack on?
Jeff: By and large, they just let me do my own thing. Early in development, they’ll give me a bit of feedback, and usually I’ll say, “It’s too early for feedback, everything can change!”
But generally, they’re very good about it, and it’s one of the reasons I like working with them. They give me complete creative freedom to do whatever I want, and having now done it a couple of times, they trust me enough to just get on with it and something good will come in the end.
You’ve mentioned in the past that working with Atari affords you that vital creative freedom, but also brings some financial stability. With this in mind, can we expect this partnership to continue going forward?
Jeff: Oh yeah absolutely, I’m extremely happy with it. I can just sit down and concentrate on the things that I do well and not worry about the things I don’t do so well. Stuff like marketing I’m absolutely terrible at. I’m happy to offload that onto them, and they do a nice job of it; they do wonderful trailers which I could never do.
As you say, there’s a bit of financial stability to it, which is always welcome. So yeah, we’re definitely not stopping yet.
I would like to ask if there’s anything else from Atari’s back catalogue that you’ve got your eye on, but I suspect you’re probably not going to tell me!
Jeff: All I’ll say is that we had a meeting to discuss potentially what I might do next. Before the meeting, I went through the IP catalogue and there were two titles which stood out to me. So one of the Atari guys at the meeting said, “We’ve been thinking about what you might be interested in doing and what might suit you,” and it turns out that the two games at the top of their list were the same two titles that I picked.
I’m very lucky to have this opportunity to work on exactly the kind of things I like to work on, because there’s a great deal of stability, and I’m seizing onto that with both hands and going to keep it up as long as possible.
That’s wild! So if I look into the back catalogue, I might be able to guess..?
Jeff: Well if you’re thinking the same way that they’re thinking, then maybe you could guess them!
I’m not going to do that now, I don’t want to embarrass myself [though for the record, we’ve got Black Widow in our minds…!] On the flip side, are there any games that are an absolute no-go for you?
Jeff: Well, there’s always room to do something, I think, but you’ve got to respect the original. Sometimes you can go a bit too far and do something completely different. I wouldn’t put anything off the table, but I’ve got to be into the idea of whatever it is that I’m going to do, y’know? I don’t think I’d be happy if they just handed me something and said, “Do that!”
Doing things your own way has always been a Llamasoft staple, and it seems to be quite a rare thing in the current climate. I wonder if you can comment on the state of the industry at large at the moment?
Jeff: Yeah, it’s obviously a very difficult time for the industry at the moment. I’m very lucky to have this opportunity to work on exactly the kind of things I like to work on, because there’s a great deal of stability, and I’m seizing onto that with both hands and going to keep it up as long as possible.
It’s very hard for indies to get known these days. It seems a lot of the times it’s more about how good you are at publicity than how good you are a making a game, so a lot of creators are having a tough time. I wake up every day and I count my blessings. I’m very lucky to be able to do this.
It seems especially difficult to stand out amongst the crowd at the moment given how many titles release on digital storefronts all the time. We’ve particularly highlighted an issue with so-called ‘scam games’ over the last few years…
Jeff: Oh yeah, someone told me about something called ‘Jumping Hot Dog’ or something where you just press a button and get achievements. I don’t understand how those things are even allowed to go onto the stores, it’s just clogging things up for everybody else.
Image: Atari
How does it feel to see this kind of stuff when you’re trying to put your own game out there?
Jeff: It’s a perversion of the whole thing. To me, making games is about making something which I think is good and that I hope other people enjoy and will think is good value for money. There’s pride in it for me. I don’t think I could be proud of something that may well make more money than I could do normally, but there’s no art, no communication, no substance to it.
Yeah, I’m old school. I was lucky enough to be there at the start of the games business when you really could just do everything out of passion, and everything grew up around that. Now it seems quite a lot of game design and publishing is more about making money than it is about making art. It should be more about art than money, really.
Now it seems quite a lot of game design and publishing is more about making money than it is about making art. It should be more about art than money, really.
Perhaps both you and Giles can chip in with this, but what are your thoughts on the Switch 2 from what we’ve seen so far?
Jeff: I’m very much looking forward to it, it looks like it’ll be a nice thing.
Giles: We’ve been trying and trying to get a dev kit but sadly nothing at the moment.
Jeff: Yeah I think we’re probably fairly low down on the priority list! But we’ll definitely be keen to work on it when we get our hands on it, for sure.
Giles: I will say that it’s always good to work on the lower side of things, because if you can make it good there, then you can always make it even better on more powerful hardware.
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity.
A huge thanks to Jeff and Giles for taking the time to sit down and speak with us.I, Robot launches on the Switch eShop on 17th April 2025. Will you be picking it up? Let us know with a comment down below.
Nintendo may have originated the concept of the cross D-Pad, but the company has practically abandoned this control method on both the Switch and Switch 2 (although thankfully not on the Switch Lite and Pro Controller), leaving some old-school players feeling a little left out.
One of those people is legendary game designer Hideki Kamiya, who has been speaking to 4Gamer about his gaming impressions of 2025 (thanks, Stealth).
Kamiya spoke about picking up a Switch 2 this year before discussing the fact that it lacks a traditional D-Pad:
“For some reason, in this age of diversity, the manufacturer itself has stubbornly refused to offer the option of a “Joy-Con with a D-pad” since the Switch 1. This just didn’t fit into my gaming lifestyle, where I usually play while lying down, so I have no choice but to use the Joy-Con when playing games.”
“Somehow I was able to get by. I was able to continue my daily routine of “one Tetris 99 a day,” but even so, as someone who continues to post shady things on social media every day in the shadows at the very edge of the games industry, I decided that I should gradually make the Switch 2 my regular hardware, and as I was writing this, I purchased a new Cyber Gadget “mini grip with D-pad,” which I use with the Switch 1, and after some sanding and modifying it so that it could be attached to the Switch 2, where the button layout is slightly different, I was able to make my own “D-pad Joy-Con 2,” which finally allowed me to play titles from “Arcade Archives 2.”
Were you hoping to see some more variety in the Joy-Con 2 options by now? Or do you prefer using the analogue stick? Let us know with a comment.
Well folks, that’s another Christmas done for the year – we hope you’ve had a peaceful, relaxing time, whether you celebrate or not.
It’s been a pretty quiet week, understandably, but Nintendo managed to squeeze in a cheeky update for Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2, so make sure to download that. Nintendo also hit us with yet another banging eShop sale in the US, so we collated all of the games that we think you should check out in one handy guide.
And finally, we’d like to once again acknowledge the passing of Vince Zampella at the age of 55. As the co-creator of Call of Duty, he was undeniably a huge talent in the games industry, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Jim Norman, Staff Writer
I’m still nursing a Linda McCartney-induced food coma after a week of glad tidings, so whatever I play this weekend, it’ll have to be something that keeps me very much curled up in my seat. There are another few areas of Metroid Prime 4 to see and Yooka-Replaylee is calling my name. Mmm, cosy.
Have a good one, everybody!
Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor
Pushing into the final chapters of Yakuza Kiwami 2 with the reminder that I will still have to tackle Goro Majima’s saga before I can consider this one cleared. Spending my final days of 2025 with Digital Eclipse’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection for a slice of nostalgia and knowledge and online co-op campaigns with my mates on Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Still tackling ace pilot difficulty campaign on Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (one missile hit and game over), wondering with every mission failure, ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’ Is my ego writing checks my body can’t cash?
2025 was THE year of gaming for yours truly. I am quite looking forward to seeing what 2026 throws my way, but I am dreading the price of a hypothetical gaming PC upgrade… at least Switch 2 seems to continue to climb the industry ladder, can’t wait to see what new surprises Nintendo throws our way. Have a great New Year, everyone!
Kate Gray, Contributor
I don’t think I’ll be getting any games for Christmas, but I have bought my partner the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, in the hopes that he’ll want to watch me play Final Fantasy 6 (which he’s mentioned before!). I’ve never played a Final Fantasy game except half of the remake of Final Fantasy 7, which feels like it doesn’t really count in a lot of ways. I hear FF6 is good! Don’t tell me anything about it, though — I’ve somehow managed to avoid any FF spoilers for my entire life, and I’d like to keep it that way!
I’m also hoping to play through some of my Steam Deck backlog over the break, which includes a copy of Regency Solitaire that my friend got me, and Séance of Blake Manor. I’m looking forward to both.
Aaaand, if there’s any time between all that, I’m going to try to finish Hundred Line, and force my partner to play 1000XResist and 13 Sentinels. I think that’s a reasonable amount of video games to fit into 2 weeks, right? Yeah. Totally reasonable.
Gavin Lane, Editor
I fired up Skate Story a couple of days ago and immediately hit Bandcamp to download the Blood Cultures soundtrack. And then immediately went back to Bandcamp, slightly grumpier, to download another Blood Cultures album that has the first song you hear in the game. I’ve only played 20 minutes but I’m loving it so far. I really need to download T2D over Christmas, too – I am the ultimate target audience for that thing and I want to savour it. And Cast n Chill is an end-of-year arrival (one that Felix put on his top five games of the gear, no less!) that I’m eager to sit down with.
Alex Olney, Video Producer
My wife and I have a bit of a tradition when it comes to the time after Christmas but before New Year: we hibernate. We’ll pick a game, usually something fairly meaty like Stardew Valley or Skyrim, and just go to town on it for a few days straight.
We’ll break for dinner (plenty of leftovers), go for walks in the woods, and other stuff besides, but there could well be a 24-hour period where we do not leave the house or do anything of note beyond playing our chosen game. What’ll it be this year? Let’s just say that we’ve fallen dramatically behind on our time with No Man’s Sky recently.
Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer
I don’t plan on playing much over the last remaining days of 2025, but I have recently started Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble again, so I’d like to dip into that one occasionally if I can find the time. It’s a weirdly relaxing game despite some of the deviously tricky stages, y’know?
Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor
I think we’ll be welcoming the New Year in with a whole bunch of Octopath Traveler 0, which I made the mistake of leaving Zach alone with for one morning and now we have all of the Battle-Tested and Forbidden Weapons, and have had them since level 50. So yeah, any sense of challenge in the main game has evaporated! What can you do about RPG fans, hey?
Otherwise, I’ll be checking out the new Fantasy Life i update and playing a little more Tiny Bookshop. Nothing crazy, it’s the holiday season, and we have a big 2026 ahead of us. See you next year!
Well, that’s what we have planned for this weekend, but what about you? Let us know your picks in the following poll.
Fans of the long-running RPG Final Fantasy have a chance to tell Square Enix their thoughts about the series in a new online survey. It’s available until 9th January 2026 and features over 30 questions.
If you’re a Metroid fan and happen to be located in the United States or Canada, Nintendo is currently running a Metroid Prime ‘Legacy Sweepstakes’ featuring a “bounty” of prizes.
We’re now in the final days of 2025 and many development teams are signing off for the year. This includes the talented Japanese developer Monolith Soft, best-known during the Switch generation for its work on the Xenoblade Chronicles series.
Now that another year has passed, the company has taken a brief moment on social media to acknowledge the release of the two titles it worked on this year. This obviously includes Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition and Mario Kart World. Here’s the translated message:
