"Deceive management": the creator of Danganronpa gave advice on how to get funding today for truly original games

"Deceive management": the creator of Danganronpa gave advice on how to get funding today for truly original games

05 Feb 22:06 Updated: 20 Apr 2026

Large companies do not like taking risks, so they are in no hurry to spend money on developing risky and commercially questionable projects.

Japanese game designer Kazutaka Kodaka, the creator of the Danganronpa series and the project The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, gave advice to developers working in large companies on how to turn the boldest and craziest ideas into real products.

According to the developer, the only way to push through a truly original idea is to "deceive the company." He explained that if you blindly follow all of management's instructions, it is practically impossible to get an auteur project approved. Sometimes you have to merely pretend that you are following the rules while continuing to work on what you really like.

Use the company. And if something goes wrong, the one who hired you is to blame.
Kazutaka Kodaka, game designer.
run.code
05 Feb 22:06
Sources: @kazkodaka