PRESS START [English]　(Free) (Patreon)

I’m AK, a former game planner at Capcom.

Through this Patreon account, I’d like to share with you my thoughts and techniques on game development—shaped by my experience in the game industry and blended with my personal philosophy.

I’ll also be presenting a chronological account of how the game I planned, Mega Man, was developed. I intend to detail everything from the system structure to the backgrounds and character settings.

This members-only space allows me to speak more deeply about matters I couldn’t discuss in public forums.

Why talk about Mega Man? At the time, aside from myself and the background artist, no one on the development team had any experience in game production. I was solely responsible for the idea, planning, direction, whole world and character settings, and promotional work. As a result, no one else truly knows what went on during the game’s creation.

Typically, a game is developed through collaboration among multiple planners, designers, and staff, all of whom align their ideas. But I worked entirely alone, with no one to share the development process with. Today, Mega Man is a globally recognized name. I’m even surprised by how far it’s come and how long it’s remained relevant. It remains a hot topic online, with strong support spanning from the original retro game to the latest installments and spin-offs.

And yet, no one knows its origin.

This has led to speculation and misinformation online, which I admit is sometimes disappointing to see. In truth, Mega Man was built almost miraculously due to a series of coincidences. It was not born from a personal hobby. Now that so much time has passed, I want to share with fans the unique journey of how this special action-game system came to be—and pass that story down. I also hope readers will come to understand what I was thinking when I made Mega Man—for the children who would play it, and for the future of Capcom’s consumer products at the time.

I still take great pride in having worked at Capcom and am deeply grateful for that experience. The things I went through as a young creator remain deeply etched in my heart and continue to guide me today. Nothing I write here is intended to harm or discredit the company. I also won’t be disclosing any confidential company information. I ask for the understanding of all parties concerned.

This story represents my personal approach to work, grounded in real-life experiences. I hope it resonates with fans and game creators alike.

This newsletter will be delivered twice a month and cover the following sections:

• Creating Megaman

• Video Game Production Theory

• Chitchat

“Creating Megaman” is a fact-based narrative. Planned topics include the following (subject to change without notice):

1. Introduction

2. From Ad Design to Game Design

3. The Job Called Game Development

4. Moving from Graphics to Planner

5. The Start of In-House Consumer Game Development

6. Limits of Porting Arcade Games

7. Developing an Original Game for Disk System

8. A Consideration of NES Action Games

9. Sales Division and Ghosts ’n Goblins

--. Revisions in Ghosts ’n Goblins

--. Game Type / Core Settings

--. Game Objectives

--. Programmer’s First Game Project

--. Preparing for a Rookie Graphic Artist

--. Future of Console Gaming and Pixel Art

--. Rockman 1 Game Design (R1GD)

--. (R1GD) Side-Scrolling Shooter Based on Ghosts ’n Goblins

--. (R1GD) New Stage Selection System

--. (R1GD) Rock-Paper-Scissors Structure Among Enemies, Player, and Weapons

--. (R1GD) Worldbuilding and Story Structure

--. (R1GD) Origin of the Name “Rockman”

--. (R1GD) Player Character (Rockman)

--. (R1GD) Background Graphics and Advertising Strategy

--. (R1GD) Level Design

--. (R1GD) Enemy Settings (Within Stages)

--. (R1GD) Transition from Disk to ROM (Hallway Before Boss Fight as a Remnant)

--. (R1GD) Soundtrack (Early Stage / Late Stage 1 / Late Stage 2)

--. (R1GD) Instruction Manual Design

--. (R1GD) Creating Promo Materials (Animation Cels)

--. Development Process and Work Conditions

--. Internal Evaluation of Mega Man

--. Mega Man Launch (Small Initial Batch)

--. Disappearing from the Market, Then Reproduction and Shipment

--. Development of Legendary Wings

--. Development of WILLOW

--. Why Mega Man 2 Was Made (Understanding the First Game)

--. Negotiating with Supervisors (Production Timeline of Mega Man 2)

--. Team Structure and Development Method for Mega Man 2

--. Boss Character Submissions and PR Effects

--. Mega Man 2 Game Design (R2GD)

... continue

“Video Game Production Theory” will present my philosophy on game development from my own perspective.

“Chitchat” will be a variety of casual essays about video games.

Updates are scheduled for the first and third Friday of every month at around 10:00 p.m. Japan time.

That’s the kind of content I’m planning to deliver with this Patreon. I look forward to your support.

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest thanks to Mr. Mohammed Taher, Founder & Creative Director of Brave Wave Productions, who has worked tirelessly to bring this newsletter to life.

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Real name: Akira Kitamura. Currently active under the pen name “AK.”

Please understand that I do not publicly disclose my portrait, the kanji for my name, or other personal information.