Yoko Taro fears dementia and must keep making games
The Existential Game: Yoko Taro Reveals His Shocking Motivations for Staying in the Industry
Legendary franchise creator Yoko Taro, known for his wildly influential and often eccentric games, has recently dropped a candid revelation about his motivations for continuing his career and his musings on the future of the Japanese game industry. When asked about current projects or plans for new games, Taro admitted a surprising sentiment: “I’m done with working. I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Yet, despite this declaration of burnout, his commitment to the craft remains palpable. Taro shared that achieving his lifelong dream of creating something impactful—even before masterpieces like NieR Automata—was a monumental achievement. His journey began with his first directorial effort, the 2003 PS2 title Drakengard, which he felt allowed him to express his potential at that time.
Taro frames his continued work not as passion, but as necessity. He explained that having realized his creative dream, the subsequent work is simply the remainder of his life. More personally, his decision to keep working is heavily influenced by a deep-seated fear: the fear of developing dementia in old age. He views staying active in the industry as a vital strategy to stave off this fear, telling himself that work is necessary to prevent future trouble.
This blend of personal anxiety and industry observation provides a unique lens through which Taro views the rapidly evolving gaming landscape. He pointed out that while he doesn’t concern himself with the fate of the industry as much as his own lifespan, he recognizes profound shifts driven by technology. He notes that AI and new technologies have created a fertile ground where creators in their teens and twenties can now freely generate content.
He reflects on the changing landscape of game development, noting that the options available to game creators have dramatically broadened over the years. When he was younger, developers were mostly limited to joining a game company or pursuing niche PC games. Today, the proliferation of options has led to significantly tougher competition.
Taro predicts this competition will spread like wildfire across generations, with younger developers challenging the older guard. He expresses trepidation about this shift, hoping these competitive flames do not reach him before he passes away.
When considering what drives his creation of games, Taro dismisses jealousy. Instead, he sees himself as a curator who seeks to “fill in the gaps.” He argues that the pioneers in the genre, like ICO and Ikaruga, have already captured the beautiful aspects of game design. Therefore, he felt compelled to create games that are deliberately rough and full of strange elements, aiming to fill the creative voids left by those who came before.
Despite his current reluctance to launch new major titles, Taro remains actively involved. Since 2021, he has contributed to the Voice of Cards RPG series and the mobile title 404 GAME RE:SET. He is currently writing the next installment for the untitled Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series, with the familiar musical talents of NieR and Drakengard composer Keiichi Okabe providing the score.
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