Hidetaka “SWERY” Suehiro is an interesting man. He holds a world record for the “Most Critically Polarizing Survival Horror Game” with Deadly Premonition. He’s also an auteur, not letting anyone or anything get in his way when creating games. For these reasons alone, SWERY quickly became one of my favorite developers of all time and someone I grew to be incredibly inspired by.
I had the privilege and pleasure of chatting with SWERY about his start in the industry, where he wants to go, and what he’s already accomplished. From his work on the cult classic Deadly Premonition to his upcoming title Hotel Barcelona, it seems that SWERY isn’t backing out of the field any time soon.
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With your professional game development career beginning in 1996 with ‘Kizuna Encounter’, what generation of games has been the most difficult to develop?
Game development is in constant evolution. When I started my career, 16-bit titles dominated the market, and 3D visuals were something only a handful of high-end projects could achieve. Today, practically anyone can create them with ease. That is a wonderful thing for the medium’s diversity.
On the other hand, games have grown ever more complex, and development has become significantly harder. Thirty years ago, online multiplayer, something everyone takes for granted now, still belonged to the realm of science fiction.
So, if you ask which generation has been the toughest to develop for, my answer is always the same: the present is invariably the most challenging era. And at the same time, the present is always the most exciting era as well.
What inspired you to return to the world of ‘Deadly Premonition’ for ‘Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise’? It’s a sequel that nobody ever saw coming, and one that I’m very thankful exists.
When I left my previous company to establish a new studio, I carefully explored various directions: launching an entirely original IP, crowdfunding, and so on.
Around that time, I happened to meet the producer of Deadly Premonition for the first time in a while. As we talked, the idea of sending Francis York Morgan on a new journey struck me. I wanted to capture the hot, humid atmosphere of the Southern United States, something very different from the first game, and, if possible, craft a prequel-like story that would show York as physically strong, yet still mentally immature.
As our discussions continued, I thought about overlaying Zach, the protagonist, with myself; after all, I, too, have aged since DP1. Perhaps my own battle with illness in 2015 influenced that perspective.
In the end, we decided to create a work that would depict both a prequel and a sequel to the original game simultaneously.
In ‘Promise Mascot Agency’, you voiced Kannushi-kun. He was, by far, one of my favorite characters in the game. Where did you draw inspiration for his mannerisms?
Kannushi-kun, the character I voiced in Promise Mascot Agency, was created by the development team. They’re not only highly talented but also fans of my work, so they prepared a role that fit me perfectly.
All I did was follow their direction and perform; in that project, my job was literally to be a performer, not a decision-maker.
If Kannushi-kun ended up being a good character, I’m truly happy to hear that.
‘Death Game Hotel’, the most morbid casino game I’ve ever played in my life, recently went free-to-play. How was developing a game for VR different than your typical “flat” video game?
Developing a VR title was a first for both our company and my own career, so we gained a tremendous amount of knowledge through Death Game Hotel.
There are some unique challenges with developing for VR titles vs “flat” video games.
Firstly, motion sickness is a factor to consider. In VR, simply putting on a headset and playing a game could cause motion sickness. So, developers need to design mechanics and utilise subtle techniques to avoid that for the player.
Secondly, the player has more agency than ever. The in-game player directly mirrors the real-world player’s movements. Because their motions are replicated one-to-one, players often try actions the developers have never anticipated. Or think, “Maybe I can do this, too,” and put it to the test. When it works, their affection for the game skyrockets; when it fails, they cool off instantly and feel, “Right—this is just an artificial world.” Even background set-dressing objects should react to player actions. For instance, if you include a pond, objects thrown into it should create ripples.
The same principle applies to every single item. Whenever we added something, we had to decide where to draw the line between real-world simulation and pure game entertainment. I remember countless retakes arising from that question.
What inspired you to get into the world of video game design in the first place? And seeing as you’ve been in the field as long as you’ve been, what is the best part of the process?
In university during the 1990s, I majored in film. Toward the end of my sophomore year, however, I encountered computer graphics (back when rendering a single realistic image of Earth took 24 hours), and it blew my mind. I switched my track to visual-advertising production.
While studying both film screenwriting and CG for commercials, I discovered a platform that combined those skills: video games. On a friend’s suggestion, I applied to SNK, a game company in Osaka, and that’s how I entered the industry. It was something I had never envisioned for myself.
My favorite phases of development are the initial conception and bug checking. Some people dislike QA, but I love watching a game gradually come together and spotting tiny glitches. In fact, I was bug testing Hotel Barcelona just the other day.
‘Hotel Barcelona’ is one of those games that is unabashedly unafraid to be weird, wild, and wacky. A SWERY/Suda51 game sounds like a dream come true. How does this differ from a standard roguelike, outside of the concept?
The most distinctive system in Hotel Barcelona is the Slasher Phantom.
In a typical roguelike, every time you die, you bring back items, materials, or XP, power yourself up, and head out on a new run – sometimes even retreating mid-mission as part of the strategy.
Hotel Barcelona keeps that core loop, but layers on the concept of time: not game time, but your real-world time spent playing. As in any roguelike, you’ll die a lot, yet here, the actual time you “wasted” on a failed run carries over to the next one.
When you restart a mission after dying, your previous run reappears as a Slasher Phantom that fights alongside you. The mechanic feels genuinely fresh and will almost certainly hook you.
Remember, though, the Phantom is merely a recording of your past actions. If you play carelessly or make a lot of repeated mistakes, you’ll summon a useless “Lazy Phantom,” so be careful!
One thing I respect about SWERY games is that they’re not afraid to be polarizing or weird. I can’t say I’ve seen someone commit to their ideas as hard as you have, which I love. While I know it may be impossible, is there one project you’ve worked on that you love more than your other games?
Naturally, Deadly Premonition, the turning point of my career, holds a special place in my heart. Putting that aside, the other title I’m especially fond of is The MISSING: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories.
I love all my games, but The MISSING was the first project from my new studio. The hardships we faced during development, and everything about the finished game, make it unforgettable for me.
I hope to keep creating works like that, always keeping my antenna up and continually honing my craft.
My first experience with a SWERY game was ‘D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die’. Seeing as ‘Deadly Premonition’ got a sequel, is there a chance that we may see David Young back in the saddle again?
Unfortunately, I don’t own the rights to D4, so it’s not really something I can decide on. There’s always a chance the current rights holder might create a new installment or sequel and bring it to everyone.
That said, I sometimes daydream about doing something one day… but hey, that’s mostly a joke.
You’ve been kicking butt and taking names in the Gaming Industry for roughly 30 years. Do you ever plan on dropping out of the field, or are you going to keep working like David Lynch?
To be honest, I’m not sure I fully understand what “retirement” even means. Is it when you declare to yourself, “That’s it! I’m done!”?
If that’s the case, then I intend to keep creating as long as I still have the means to develop games.
Outside of games that you’re working on, what are some of your most anticipated games for 2025 and beyond? And what is your all-time favorite video game?
Among the games slated for release from 2025 onward, the one I’m most eager for is Fumito Ueda’s next title. Only a teaser has been shown so far, so the details are a mystery, but the glimpse of his signature world has my hopes sky-high. I’m also excited for the new Virtua Fighter and GTA VI.
And my all-time favorite? Minecraft.
Until it came along, my top pick was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but so far I haven’t encountered anything that surpasses Minecraft.
I would like to thank Hidetaka “SWERY” Suehiro for taking the time out of his incredibly busy schedule to chat with me about his life, career, and what’s next. SWERY was also a guest at MOMOCON 2025.
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