The technique or tactical RPG is a style of video video games performed from a top-down view during which gamers transfer characters throughout a board to defeat enemies. Whereas characters are handled type of like board recreation items, the style additionally incorporates RPG-typical parts like character development. However though it boasts many fashionable titles like Fireplace Emblem and Ultimate Fantasy Techniques, the style itself sees comparatively few new releases.
Why are SRPGs so troublesome to supply? To seek out out, we talked to Too Kyo Video games developer Akihiro Togawa, who labored on the SRPG sections of The Hundred Line: Final Protection Academy, and is a giant fan of the style himself.
—Might you please introduce your self?
Akihiro Togawa (hereafter Togawa):
My title is Akihiro Togawa, and I work at Too Kyo Video games. Within the recreation trade, I’ve primarily been working as a planner (recreation designer). Again after I was working for Atlus, as a part of the Persona crew, I used to be the lead occasion planner on Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth and the lead palace planner for Persona 5 Royal. Then, I served because the state of affairs director for the subsequent collection title, Persona 5 Tactica, so I’ve really been doing a variety of completely different stuff.
Most not too long ago, at Too Kyo Video games, I served because the co-director and fight director for The Hundred Line: Final Protection Academy (hereinafter known as The Hundred Line), which launched on April 24, 2025. My job was to work along with the event firm Media.Imaginative and prescient on the SRPG portion of the sport.
— your profession historical past, I get the impression that SRPGs are your forte, contemplating that you’ve got titles like Persona 5 Tactica and The Hundred Line in your portfolio.
Togawa:
Persona 5 Tactica was the primary time I labored on an SRPG. I’ve been enjoying SRPGs for fairly a very long time now, however when it got here to really having to make one, I did a variety of analysis by enjoying a substantial variety of SPRGs and tactical simulation video games. In fact, I performed Fireplace Emblem and Techniques Ogre, however I additionally obtained my fingers on many indie titles comparable to XCOM, Into the Breach and Troubleshooter: Deserted Youngsters. I additionally labored on the SRPG segments on The Hundred Line.
—Do you want SRPGs?
Togawa:
I do, and I’d wish to see extra of them launched.
—I like them too. However regardless of their reputation, the variety of SRPGs being launched is kind of small. Many argue that it is because SRPGs are difficult to make from a business standpoint.
Togawa:
My opinion is that, in the long run, SRPGs are sometimes perceived as a distinct segment style. Truly, I’ve heard that devs who don’t normally play SRPGs are inclined to react like “Are we actually making this?” each time a SRPG undertaking is greenlit. I believe that opinions like these from individuals who had by no means performed SRPGs, don’t assume they’re entertaining, or discover them too difficult come up very often within the trade.
Nevertheless, in accordance with information from abroad websites like World Market Statistics, as of 2024, the SRPG market is projected to be value roughly $1.2 billion USD. This consists of each console and live-service video games. What’s extra, the estimated market measurement in 2026 is predicted to achieve about $1.3 billion. So, though it’s usually perceived as small, the SRPG market is surprisingly giant and continues to develop in sure areas.
Particularly, that is additionally mirrored in gross sales figures. For instance, Fireplace Emblem: Three Homes bought 3.4 million copies, and Ultimate Fantasy Techniques: The Ivalice Chronicles bought over one million models. Nevertheless, I don’t assume there are numerous folks or corporations who would instantly agree if requested, “Need to make an SRPG?”
—What do you assume is the explanation corporations are so hesitant in terms of greenlighting SRPGs?
Togawa:
What bothers me essentially the most is the truth that SRPGs aren’t reaching a broader viewers. Even the best-selling video games I’ve talked about appear to be focusing on people who find themselves already long-time followers of the collection. And whereas it’s a provided that fashionable titles do make an effort to achieve a wider viewers, I nonetheless really feel just like the style’s attain is proscribed. Once I thought of why that is the case – and I feel many others really feel this manner too – I noticed there’s a widespread notion that SRPGs have a steep studying curve.
—Might you elaborate?
Togawa:
If you say “SRPG”, the very first thing that involves thoughts is the grid, and earlier than getting began with something, you’ll first must study the foundations. There are a number of models, and every of them is positioned on a terrain that has numerous results. All of them have their very own fight expertise, vary of assault, and HP. In different phrases, earlier than you even get to the fascinating bits of an SRPG, it’s a must to study a variety of guidelines. That’s what I meant by saying that the educational curve of SRPGs is steep.
One other factor is the pacing. In SRPGs, it’s fairly widespread for one battle to final over half-hour. In an period the place everyone seems to be competing for the very restricted disposable time folks have, making battles take so lengthy looks like a slightly heavy funding.
So, along with the educational curve and pacing points, I additionally usually hear folks say that “It seems to be troublesome within the first place.” Maybe they’re thought of troublesome due to the truth that many video games within the style to date have been made for fairly a distinct segment viewers. They’re the so-called “conventional” SRPGs. Because of this, they in all probability are enjoyable when you really give them a strive, however due to the established preconception that they’re “too troublesome,” no person ever takes that first step.
When you attempt to make conventional SRPGs extra accessible by including a simple mode that’s “too simple,” gamers would have the ability to clear the sport simply by inserting a unit near an enemy and hitting the A button to assault. Whereas I do assume that may be superb in a recreation the place the main target is on having enjoyable with the characters, it doesn’t actually convey the core thrill of SRPGs, so hanging that steadiness is a bit difficult.
The foundation explanation for why SRPGs aren’t reaching a wider viewers is that there are usually not sufficient informal, accessible titles you could soar straight into and revel in as they’re.
—Even throughout inside planning conferences, I assume there’s a obscure notion that “SRPGs are a distinct segment style with no broad enchantment.”
Togawa:
I feel that’s additionally true. As a matter of truth, reactions from these round us and higher administration are inevitably completely different after we suggest making an motion recreation versus after we suggest making an SRPG. With an SRPG, we regularly get reactions like “Are you actually going for that area of interest?” I actually wish to overturn that mindset, and I feel it’s doable.
—Is it as a result of there isn’t a recreation that would function a transparent, easy-to-follow benchmark that the style is considered as “area of interest”?
Togawa:
It’s somewhat troublesome to offer an instance that’s simple to grasp. I used to be in center college when the Fireplace Emblem trilogy for the Sport Boy Advance launched. It left such a huge effect on me, and it helped erase my prejudices concerning the style. If I hadn’t performed these video games, I feel may need not even thought of moving into SRPGs within the first place.
In that sense, the explanation why such a large person base has fewer alternatives to expertise SRPGs is probably the truth that there at the moment are fewer “monumental titles” that gamers instantly consider when the style is talked about. Because of this, I really feel we’ve entered a vicious cycle. The SRPG style has misplaced reputation amongst players, making it more durable for brand new video games to get greenlit, which then results in fewer SRPG releases.
Any trade will die out with out having the ability to preserve a youthful buyer base. On the subject of the online game trade, I feel the shooter style was a bit extra of a style catered to hardcore players till video games like Splatoon, Fortnite, and Apex Legends got here out. Particularly, I don’t assume shooters had been fashionable amongst kids. However as quickly as a single recreation for teenagers got here out, the style instantly exploded in reputation. Then, these in higher administration began pondering “Possibly this might really work?” So, now it’s a lot simpler to persuade them to greenlight the undertaking by exhibiting them Splatoon for example.
Nevertheless, I really feel just like the SRPG style doesn’t have many titles like that. Even our era’s Sport Boy Advance Fireplace Emblem Trilogy felt just like the type of recreation performed by hardcore players. So, in terms of passing the SRPG style on to the subsequent era of kids, if someone asks me, “Has there ever been an SRPG that exploded in reputation among the many basic public,” I can’t actually consider a solution, which can be part of the issue in my view.
—Now that you just point out it, the variety of shogi gamers in Japan has additionally considerably dropped in comparison with the previous, so I see a parallel there.
Togawa:
I feel there’s an excessive amount of content material on the market that triggers a dopamine rush extra simply than simply shifting items on a board. For instance, when you evaluate an SRPG to a shooter, and ask which takes much less time till it will get entertaining, the shooter at all times wins irrespective of the way you have a look at it. In any case, urgent a button to immediately take out a personality in entrance of you immediately satisfies that sense of “enjoyable.” What makes Splatoon wonderful is the truth that even when you don’t take down your opponents, you’ll be able to affect the sport’s consequence just by portray the sector, and it feels enjoyable. I actually assume that’s spectacular. Nevertheless, when you consider what it takes to make shogi attain a degree of enjoyable that’s just like Splatoon’s, that’s the place it will get troublesome.
—If you consider it from the angle of the steep studying curve you talked about earlier, it does take a very long time earlier than the sport begins to really feel enjoyable.
Togawa:
That’s proper. You’re solely capable of respect the enjoyable of shifting the items once you notice stuff like “With the Bishop threatening this space, as quickly as I place the Rook right here, the opponent’s King could have nowhere to go.” That’s when it begins feeling rewarding. However through the time it takes to achieve that time, it’s fully completely different.
—Do you assume it’s doable to create a recreation that retains the SRPG-like recreation design and can be capable of set off a dopamine rush over a short while?
Togawa:
Whereas it could in all probability be fairly difficult, I do assume it’s doable.
If I had been to offer it a shot, I feel I’d in all probability make it one thing like a free-to-play motion recreation…I feel a very powerful factor can be to make it into one thing simple to grasp however flashy. And when you’re simply enjoying casually, the gameplay ought to really feel satisfying even when you’re simply urgent random buttons. Motion video games have that nice tactile suggestions, and there are such a lot of enjoyable titles within the style the place simply urgent the buttons feels satisfying.
Video games like Zenless Zone Zero really feel actually good to play, and even the newer ones like NTE made me go “It feels so satisfying to only press a button and unleash a particular assault.” Nevertheless, when you take that strategy too far in SRPGs, the expertise can find yourself feeling fully hole. When you can win just by spamming the A button, the place is the satisfaction of correctly timing it? I feel hanging that steadiness is actually difficult.
—One fascinating factor about SRPGs is how meticulously they’re balanced, and also you solely get a really feel for that towards the top of the sport.
Togawa:
You’re proper. And it’s undoubtedly enjoyable when you really strive it. However the troublesome factor concerning the SRPG style is the truth that folks usually don’t even get round to attempting it.
—Are there “core rules” you at all times observe once you’re making an SRPG?
Togawa:
For a recreation to be thought of an SRPG, the characters can’t simply be items on a board, they should be precise characters. SRPGs are an amazing format for establishing characters and tales. For instance, Fireplace Emblem, Ultimate Fantasy Techniques, and even Techniques Ogre function a large forged of characters.
—That’s proper.
Togawa:
Nevertheless, when you tried doing the identical factor in a typical RPG, the entire characters would begin feeling a bit shallow and forgettable. The extra characters there are, the extra you’d simply assume, “Oh yeah, I suppose there was a personality like that.” However unusually, in terms of SRPGs, even when there’s a huge forged of characters, you’ll keep in mind each individually, and it’s a lot simpler for them to go away an enduring impression on you. I feel that’s since you’re shifting your characters every flip, so that you spend fairly a very long time interacting with them.
When a personality defeats an enemy commander, you would possibly end up pondering, “That’s an amazing character” or “The vary on that ability is wonderful.” In comparison with an ordinary RPG, I feel it’s a lot simpler to empathize with the characters, which is why it could be such a waste to deal with them as merely recreation items. For instance, if the “items” had been simply regular battle tanks or missile launchers, it could really feel far more “tactical,” very very similar to the items in shogi.
So, the inherent energy of SRPGs lies in the truth that the sport system itself turns into the story. You’re feeling pleasure and pleasure the second your character strikes down an enemy solider. And since the characters are combating facet by facet in shut proximity, they find yourself changing into associates. You naturally join that with a dramatic narrative, imagining how they’re perhaps serving to one another out as they combat collectively. I feel that’s one factor that makes SRPGs so fascinating.
—As you’ve talked about, there’s nonetheless loads of room to discover the SPRG style. What points do you assume should be addressed, and in what sort of format, for the style to turn out to be extra fashionable?
Togawa:
It’s all about getting that dopamine hit. I feel that’s the proper strategy in terms of recreation design, and I consider it’s a legitimate technique to strive shortening the time it takes for the sport to begin feeling enjoyable.
That’s one doable strategy. Then again, let’s have a look at the instance of Fireplace Emblem: Three Homes. When it comes to techniques, the sport is kind of conventional, but it surely incorporates parts comparable to nice characters, a faculty setting, in addition to story- and romance-driven techniques. Due to the addition of those trendy parts, I feel it managed to draw a lot of informal gamers and new followers. So, I feel what players who haven’t performed many SRPGs take pleasure in essentially the most are literally the characters and the story. So, taking these parts and mixing them right into a single bundle looks as if a slightly efficient technique in my view.
Togawa:
Not too long ago, the trade has been dealing with the intense challenge of skyrocketing improvement prices. This doesn’t have an effect on simply AAA titles; even initiatives on a comparatively modest scale are dealing with budget-related points. Nevertheless, I feel SRPGs are a style the place you’ll be able to compete even on a smaller price range.
—SRPGs don’t price that a lot to develop?
Togawa:
In fact, all the things is determined by the content material and scale of the undertaking, however in comparison with typical large-scale RPGS, they’re less expensive.
If you consider an RPG, what involves thoughts is quite a few NPCs, many cities, after which dungeons, transportation means, and maps that join all the things collectively, and so forth. In different phrases, there’s a mountain of property which are obligatory for the sport. Then again, SPRGs can help you minimize down on these property if you wish to. Moreover, since most SRPGs are stage-based, in addition they pair rather well with visible novel-styled video games.
When you have a look at titles like Techniques Ogre and Ultimate Fantasy Techniques, you’ll notice that they progress via dialogue containers on the battle map and easy cutscenes set on top-down backgrounds. So, if you consider it like that, all you want for an SRPG to be an SRPG is to have a battle map and a visual-novel fashion part.
—Because you’ve put it like that, I’m additionally beginning to assume that SRPGs are actually far more budget-friendly in comparison with different genres.
Togawa:
So, if it’s too troublesome to make plot developments solely utilizing battle maps as a result of surroundings at all times staying the identical, combining it with a visible novel format is perhaps a good suggestion. There’s a background, an illustration, character sprites and a textual content field. Merely inserting the visible novel format between the battles is sufficient to make it really feel like a whole recreation.
With improvement prices hovering, I feel the energy of SRPGs lies in the truth that they are often made on a restricted price range. They aren’t AAA titles, however they can help you inform a narrative, develop your characters’ personalities via fight, and create dramatic narratives. A beauty of SRPGs is how suitable they’re with these sorts of tales.
—Whereas it’s an adult-only collection, Rance additionally involves thoughts.
Togawa:
Rance IX is an ideal instance of that. It has battle maps and 3D graphics, however the remainder of the sport progresses via 2D cutscenes. However when you requested me if I had any complaints about it, I’d say – under no circumstances. It was actually enjoyable.
— How would you advise somebody to pitch their SRPG proposal so it will get accepted?
Togawa:
Simply write “low-budget” on the primary web page.
Everybody:
(Laughs)
Togawa:
It’s low cost to make, and there are not any dungeons, no free-roaming fields, it may be completed simply with battles and cutscenes. However since you’ll be able to nonetheless write a stable story, it additionally permits you to showcase the characters.
— I see, it looks as if it may work even with a small market share. It additionally has potential to turn out to be an IP.
Togawa:
You can begin on a small scale, achieve expertise alongside the way in which, and ultimately flip it into one thing huge.
— How do you assume SRPGs ought to evolve going ahead? Possibly including parts of RTS video games may very well be fascinating?
Togawa:
Including real-time occasions makes the sport far more troublesome. I’d say SRPGs have a singular type of depth exactly as a result of they’re strategic video games not performed in real-time. Although I do consider that there must be room to tackle new sorts of challenges throughout the elementary frameworks of SRPGs.
I feel that has been totally explored with genres like motion and (turn-based) RPGs. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, for instance, a turn-based RPG that introduced one thing recent to the style by including parrying into its battle system. Persona has the 1 Extra system, Shin Megami Tensei has Press Flip Battles, and Ultimate Fantasy has Energetic Time Battles, to call a number of different examples. It feels just like the motion and turn-based RPG genres have already struck gold in that sense, whereas SRPGs, surprisingly, haven’t been explored that a lot.
— There aren’t many video games in that format in any case.
Togawa:
That’s proper. In reality, it may very well be fairly fascinating so as to add a parry mechanic to an SRPG. Talking of motion parts in SRPGS, the Utawarerumono collection encompasses a system which lets you chain collectively many assaults in a combo when you press the button at simply the correct second. I feel SRPGs are an untapped gold mine in that sense, and exploring them deeper is one risk for the style.
Additionally, as I discussed earlier, there are instances the place you wish to concentrate on the narrative. If a narrative-centered undertaking doesn’t get greenlit, it’s at all times doable so as to add SRPG parts to the combination; I feel there are nonetheless many alternative methods you might go about this.
— So, you’re saying that, simply because the current development has been to mix roguelike parts with different genres, one may additionally mix SRPG parts with completely different genres?
Togawa:
Precisely. Similar to how soulslike and Slay the Spire-like video games emerged. So, for instance, Fireplace Emblem-like titles would begin popping out, exploring all of the completely different prospects, and turning extra to the informal gamer viewers slightly than staying within the hardcore gamer area of interest…I feel that type of future can be wonderful.
I actually hope that the trade explores the various untapped prospects of the style. As for myself, I wish to transcend The Hundred Line and create one thing that would deliver that type of strategy to informal gamers as effectively.
The Hundred Line: Final Protection Academy is on the market for PC (Steam) and Nintendo Swap.
[Interviewer: Jun Inaniwa]
[Writer, editor: Koutaro Sato]
[Interviewer, editor: Ayuo Kawase]
ⒸAniplex, TooKyo Video games