One of gaming’s most creative minds is facing an uncertain future. Keita Takahashi, the designer behind the beloved Katamari Damacy series, has returned to Japan after more than a decade living in San Francisco. The reason? His latest game To a T didn’t sell well enough to sustain his independent studio, and now he’s questioning whether he even belongs in the game industry anymore.
The Game That Changed Everything
To a T released in May 2025 through Takahashi’s studio Uvula and publisher Annapurna Interactive. The game was a slice-of-life puzzle adventure about a young adult trying to live normally while stuck in a permanent T-pose with their arms outstretched. It was developed in collaboration with AbleGamers, focusing on accessibility and inclusivity. The premise was vintage Takahashi – weird, heartwarming, and unlike anything else in gaming.
According to Takahashi in an interview with GamesRadar, the game was meant to counter the “downer” vibes he experienced in America. After years of seeing violence dominate video games, he wanted to create something about life, growth, and everyday positivity. Unfortunately, that vision didn’t translate into sales. The commercial failure hit hard enough that Takahashi and his family decided to leave the United States and return to their native Japan.
From Namco Star to Independent Struggle
Takahashi’s journey to this point has been anything but conventional. He created the original Katamari Damacy in 2004 while working at Bandai Namco, and it became one of the most important Japanese games of the 21st century. The bizarre game about rolling up objects into a giant ball captured imaginations worldwide with its colorful visuals, infectious soundtrack, and pure creativity.
After working on the sequel We Love Katamari, Takahashi left Namco in 2010. He was tired of the relentless work culture that had him grinding even during New Year’s holidays. When he traveled abroad and saw the passion of international developers, he realized he wasn’t feeling that same energy at Namco. So he left Japan entirely, first moving to Vancouver to work on the browser game Glitch, then settling in San Francisco to develop Wattam and eventually To a T.
The Harsh Reality of Independence
Takahashi acknowledges that nobody sets out to make a niche game. The label comes after the fact when mainstream audiences don’t connect with your vision. He knows his games are far from mainstream, but that’s never been his goal. The problem is that creating experimental, artistic games as an independent developer comes with serious financial risks.
When asked about the failure of To a T, Takahashi was remarkably candid. He said it’s not about being niche versus traditional – it’s simply about whether people like it or not. He believes there’s still room for new ideas in gaming, but To a T just wasn’t a good fit for what players wanted. That honest assessment reveals the difficult position many creative developers face when their artistic vision clashes with commercial reality.
What Happens Next
Takahashi’s immediate priority is supporting his children and finding them a school in Japan. After that, his future is genuinely uncertain. He stated that if he feels he doesn’t belong in the games industry anymore, he’ll have to look elsewhere for work. It’s a sobering admission from someone who created one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.
The designer admits it’s getting harder to make the experimental games he’s known for. The industry has changed dramatically since Katamari Damacy launched over 20 years ago. The mid-2000s era of creativity that gave us weird, wonderful games like Katamari has largely disappeared, replaced by safer bets and bigger budgets. For someone like Takahashi who thrives on doing things differently, the current landscape feels increasingly hostile.
The IP He Wishes He Owned
When asked about the legacy of Katamari Damacy, Takahashi revealed something telling. He wishes he owned the Katamari IP. Despite creating the series and its most memorable characters, Bandai Namco holds all the rights. The franchise continues without him, generating revenue and maintaining cultural relevance while its creator struggles to find commercial success with his independent projects.
Takahashi says he has interesting ideas for Katamari that only he could come up with. If given the opportunity to work with Bandai Namco again, he believes it would be a very interesting project. But that’s a big if. Takahashi famously resisted making Katamari sequels, believing the industry’s obsession with franchises stifled creativity. He only directed We Love Katamari because Namco insisted they’d make it with or without him.
A Cautionary Tale for Creative Developers
Takahashi’s situation highlights a painful truth about the modern game industry. Creating something genuinely original and artistic doesn’t guarantee success. The same designer who gave us one of gaming’s most beloved franchises can’t sustain an independent career making the weird, wonderful games that made him famous in the first place.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone. Katamari Damacy was a game about not fitting in, about being different in a world that demands conformity. Now its creator faces that same struggle in real life. After leaving the corporate structure of Bandai Namco to pursue creative freedom, Takahashi discovered that freedom comes with financial precarity that can end careers.
FAQs
Why did Keita Takahashi move back to Japan?
Takahashi moved back to Japan from San Francisco after his latest game To a T didn’t sell well. The commercial failure forced him to relocate with his family after more than a decade living in the United States.
What is To a T about?
To a T is a slice-of-life puzzle adventure game about a young adult trying to live normally while permanently stuck in a T-pose with their arms outstretched. It was developed with accessibility organization AbleGamers and focused on themes of inclusivity and everyday life.
Does Keita Takahashi own the Katamari Damacy IP?
No, Bandai Namco owns the Katamari Damacy intellectual property. Takahashi has expressed that he wishes he owned the IP and has interesting ideas for the series that only he could create.
Will Keita Takahashi continue making games?
It’s uncertain. Takahashi stated that his priority is supporting his children and finding them a school in Japan. After that, if he feels he doesn’t belong in the games industry, he’ll look elsewhere for work.
When did Keita Takahashi leave Bandai Namco?
Takahashi left Bandai Namco in 2010 after 11 years with the company. He wanted to work with developers from different countries and get ideas from different perspectives rather than being limited to working only with Japanese developers.
What other games has Keita Takahashi made besides Katamari?
After leaving Namco, Takahashi created Noby Noby Boy in 2009, worked on the browser game Glitch, and later developed Wattam (2019) and To a T (2025) through his independent studio Uvula with publisher Annapurna Interactive.
Would Takahashi work on Katamari Damacy again?
Possibly. Takahashi said if he has the opportunity to work with Bandai Namco again on Katamari, it would be a very interesting project. However, he famously resisted sequels in the past, believing they stifled creativity.
Why didn’t To a T sell well?
Takahashi believes To a T simply wasn’t a good fit for audiences. He acknowledges his games are far from mainstream and that it’s getting harder to make the experimental, artistic games he’s known for in today’s gaming landscape.
Conclusion
Keita Takahashi’s story is both inspiring and heartbreaking. He’s a designer who chose artistic integrity over corporate security, who left his homeland to pursue creative freedom, and who consistently makes games that dare to be different. But the reality is that being different doesn’t pay the bills. Now he’s back in Japan, questioning whether he even belongs in the industry he helped shape. Whether this is the end of Takahashi’s game development career or just another chapter in his unconventional journey remains to be seen. For gaming’s sake, let’s hope it’s the latter. The industry needs more creators willing to take risks, not fewer.