The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, an upcoming strategic RPG by Too Kyo Games could be a "make or break" title for the studio after going into debt during the game's development.
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Might Mean 'Make or Break' for Too Kyo Games
The Studio Took Out a Loan to Upscale Development on Title
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is an upcoming strategic RPG from the creators of the Danganronpa series and Zero Escape series. The collaboration project was spearheaded by Danganronpa series writer Kazutaka Kodaka, currently Too Kyo Games CEO, and Zero Escape series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi.
Developed by Too Kyo Games and published by Aniplex, the game is slated for a much-anticipated 2025 release. However, the path to its development has been anything but smooth, with Too Kyo Games facing significant challenges and financial strain. In an interview with Famitsu, Kodaka, director and scenario writer for The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, shared the studio's journey of bringing the game to life.
Development began 6-7 years ago, shortly after the establishment of Too Kyo Games. Initially, the project was to be published by another major publisher, but a series of difficulties caused the collaboration to fall through. "At first, we thought it would be okay to go with an indie scale," Kodaka explained, "But as the scenario and character designs were completed and the concept solidified, we realized that it would be impossible to achieve our ideal vision for the game without expanding the scale of development."
Needing to upscale, Too Kyo Games decided to take a financial risk, consequently going into debt by taking out a loan to continue development. The developers attempted to gather the necessary capital through the sale of shares but were unsuccessful, adding to their financial woes. Despite these setbacks, they eventually found a lifeline in Aniplex, a publisher willing to support the project despite the fact the studio had been plunged in debt.
Kodaka recounted, "It was my first experience to stop development in the middle of the game, and I couldn't just continue development in-house or with another publisher." Too Kyoo Games is reportedly still in debt to this day. "If the game doesn't sell, you can't pay off your debt. In that sense, this is a rare opportunity for players," Kodaka said in relation to the ordeal. "You get to witness how the sales of a single title can affect the future of a company and its creators."
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy was unveiled during the recent Nintendo Direct June 2024, and follows Takumi Sumino, a normal high school student, on a mission to protect his school from mysterious enemies known as School Invaders for 100 days.
Source:
Famitsu: 『ダンガンロンパ』小高和剛氏＆『極限脱出』シリーズ打越鋼太郎氏の共同新作『HUNDRED LINE -最終防衛学園-』。“極限×絶望の物語”について小高氏に聞く
