Interviews

Interview: Sword Art Online Variant Showdown Producer Takeuchi discusses the upcoming entry in the popular series

Interview: Sword Art Online Variant Showdown Producer Takeuchi discusses the upcoming entry in the popular series

Sword Art Online Variant Showdown was announced earlier this year for iOS and Android. It will celebrate the anime's 10th anniversary and offer several game modes to keep players entertained. We recently had a chance to chat with Producer Takeuchi about Variant Showdown. Together we discussed the game modes on offer, how SAOVS differs from previous entries in the series and a lot more.

Can you please introduce yourself and your role on Sword Art Online Variant Showdown for our readers?

Hello, I’m Takeuchi from Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. I’ve previously worked on numerous mobile games such as SAO Integral Factor. Currently, I’m working as the producer of Variant Showdown. As the producer, I’m involved in the decision-making behind the development process, scenario, designs, promotional materials, and more.

First up, there are quite a few SAO games out there. How is Sword Art Online Variant Showdown different from the rest?

In an effort to make this an easy-to-enjoy action game, I’ve tried to make distinctions between existing games and this one.

In particular, I wanted to create a game system that emphasizes the aspects of SAO battles that leave a strong impression on the viewer—namely, Sword Skills and the Switch action. Just as Kirito and Asuna fought the floor boss in episode 2 of the anime series, you can use Switch to change the character you’re controlling, and use Sword Skills repeatedly to deal large amounts of damage. Of course, there are plenty of other features added to the game to give it that unique SAO-like essence, but these actions are what make up the essentials.

We’ve also paid special attention to the facial expressions this time, comparing them to what was the norm in previous games to date. As an example, Variant Showdown will newly feature animations with special interactions between the characters, as well as playable characters in a variety of outfits.

The game is being released to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the anime. But besides that, what were your goals with this project?

Not only does 2022 mark the 10th anniversary of the SAO anime, but it’s also the year in which the game of Sword Art Online was announced in the original work. Just as Kirito set off on his first adventure into the world of Sword Art Online in the year 2022, we’re hoping all of you players in the real world will be able to experience a new iteration of the world of SAO this year.

What game modes can players expect to find in Sword Art Online Variant Showdown?

We plan to have 2 main gameplay modes during the initial release. First, there’s an "Event PvE," where you can take on limited-time bosses solo. Second, there are "Quests" where you read through a story to proceed and unlock further story chapters. In the Event PvE, you will challenge a boss with the goal of obtaining event rewards that change with each event. The boss will also change with each new event, so you’ll have to change your battle strategy each time, including your party set-up. With it being the 10th anniversary, we’d like to make the experience enjoyable for as many people as possible, so there will be several modes of difficulty to choose from. Whether you’re new to action games or a veteran, you’ll be able to choose a mode that suits your needs.

Soon after release (once everyone’s had a chance to get used to the game), we plan to add 2 more gameplay modes. The first of these is a "PvP" mode, where 4 players face off in a battle royal. The second is "Limited Battles," a solo mode where you can set your own battle conditions, no matter how strict, for facing off against bosses. Anyone will be able to participate in these battles, but the mode has been designed to give the game more depth to players looking for a challenge. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what techniques you come up with to overcome these challenges.

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Does the game have any connection to SAO's original story or any other entries in the series?

SAOVS will be featuring an original story so that those who have only seen bits and pieces of the anime will still be able to enjoy it. The story is set to take place sometime after the events of the Alicization arc. Not only will characters from the anime series be appearing, but original characters unique to SAOVS will also be joining the story, so keep an eye out for them.

There are several playable characters in Sword Art Online Variant Showdown. Which characters can players expect to see and launch? And do you plan to add more at a later date?

Kirito, Asuna, Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth, who were featured in the closed beta test, are guaranteed to be in the final game. We’re considering adding memorable characters from the GGO and Alicization arcs as well.
Also, while we’ve currently only announced character outfits featured in the anime series, we plan to add new outfits only found in SAOVS, as well as variations of outfits that affect battle style.

Besides playable character features, there will also be "Ability Cards." These are cards that you equip to a playable character, essential to powering up their abilities. Illustrations on the cards will feature a large variety of characters, not only those that are currently playable.

What would your message be to any players who are worried about Sword Art Online Variant Showdown being a mobile game?

As previously mentioned, for the anime’s 10 anniversary, we’ve made it a goal to make this game accessible to a wider audience. Rather than creating a PC or console game, a mobile game was the natural choice so that players could instantly start playing.

Whether you play the game casually during your downtime, or get together with your friends for an intense PvP session, it’s a game that will always be easy to reach for.

If I'm correct, you ran a closed beta test in June. What did you learn from that and has it led to many changes?

The closed beta test focused on allowing players to experience the basics of the game, that being boss battles taken on solo. I was relieved to see that we mostly received positive feedback on the battles. Players also had good things to say about the character expressions, so I think we’ll be proceeding with the same approach for both battles and expressions from here on out.

That being said, the game does have some issues, and our development team is working on improving the experience. Controls and ease of use are some examples of things I’d like to see more refined. To go into more detail, button response issues, loading times, and several hard to use features are currently being tackled.

However, I realize that the game experience is a bit subjective, and what one player feels will differ from another. With the loading times especially, a player’s gameplay environment is a large factor, so it isn’t easy to make the experience perfect for all users right off the bat. Despite all of this, I’m hoping to keep working on optimizing players’ experiences.

Can you tell us anything about Sword Art Online Variant Showdown's monetisation model?

Along with the Scout system, we’re planning to introduce a Battle Pass to be available for purchase.
By purchasing a Battle Pass, you can get even more rewards when playing the game. You can also get playable characters and customize their appearance with a variety of accessories. More intense players might especially find this feature appealing. As for the Scouts, you’ll be able to pull from them with exclusive tickets. Tickets will be obtainable as event rewards and more.

If you're interested in Sword Art Online Variant Showdown, you can pre-register for the game on its official website. Additionally, follow the game's Twitter and Facebook accounts to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. 

Stephen Gregson-Wood
Stephen Gregson-Wood
Stephen brings both a love of games and a very formal-sounding journalism qualification to the Pocket Gamer team.