Here's a Famitsu interview with the man, the legend himself: Koji "Cozy" Okada!
I ran it through machine translation. Apologies in advance if there are any errors:
https://archive.ph/BK7Cp
『Vilion:Code』 Interview with Mr. Koji Okada. An RPG set on a sealed-off island where players confront human karma. The story carries an ultimate message for the youth who will lead the next generation.
>A brand-new title titled ‘Villion:Code’ (ヴィリオン:コード), planned and produced by Mr. Koji Okada, has been announced. It is scheduled for release on June 25, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 (PS5), and PlayStation 4 (PS4) by Compile Heart.
>Led by Okada, the creator of the 1987 Famicom version of Megami Tensei and the Persona series, the production staff includes his “comrades-in-arms” such as Tadashi Satomi, who worked with Okada on Persona, and Tsukasa Masuko of Shin Megami Tensei fame. Furthermore, Russian illustrator Ilya Kuvshinov has been enlisted for character design.
>This RPG meticulously portrays the human condition through a unique worldview that weaves social and environmental issues with elements of the human body's mysteries, such as “genome editing.”
>This article features an interview with Mr. Okada. Why did Mr. Okada, who also scored a hit with the smartphone game Sword & Poker, return to developing home console games? He shared his passion for this project alongside specific details about the game itself.
>※The interview was conducted in late December 2025.
Weekly Famitsu features a special report on the new title
>This article is an expanded version of the interview featured in the special report on the new title ‘Villion:Code’ published in Weekly Famitsu Issue No.1933 (February 12, 2026 issue / released January 29, 2026).
>The 10-page article details the story synopsis and world setting, along with features like the “tube-shaped dungeon” where every 360 degrees becomes the floor and real-time action battles. Don't miss it!
Cozy Okada
>Served as planning producer. In 1986, he co-founded Atlus with seven colleagues from Tecmo's predecessor company, Teckan, and worked on series such as Shin Megami Tensei and Persona. After leaving the company, he established Gaia and has since produced titles for handheld consoles and smartphone games like Sword & Poker.
A brand-new RPG that resonates with fans, imbued with an ultimate message woven into its story
<Please tell us about the background behind the planning of Villion:Code, the first completely new title for home consoles in a long time for Mr. Okada.
>Okada: After leaving Atlus in 2003, I've consistently focused on creating accessible, enjoyable games. At Gaia, I primarily worked on titles for handheld consoles, and after smartphones emerged, I was also asked to produce and supervise mobile games.
>I proposed projects designed for deep, immersive play on those handheld consoles, but sometimes they didn't align with the needs of the times.
>So, I thought, if that's the case, I want to develop games for home consoles that players can sit down and enjoy thoroughly. I was brainstorming ideas. Through repeated consultations with acquaintances, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Yasui (※). That became the catalyst for this project.
>※Yasui-san... Producer Hikaru Yasui of Idea Factory/Compile Heart
<So the project you've been nurturing for so long has finally gotten underway.
>Okada: Actually, Compile Heart had initially been considering a different project and had started moving forward with that. However, as we continued discussions and I conveyed my vision and plot, they said, “Well then, let's go with that!”... That's when we decided to restart the project.
<When did the project get started?
>Okada: The project was launched three years ago. We spent about a year solidifying the content, and the team officially began working together around the start of 2024.
>I've long been fascinated by the mysteries of humanity and have researched human karma, genetics, DNA, and related topics. These elements are incorporated into the project's core concept.
<And so the title ‘Villion:Code’ was created. Could you tell us the meaning behind this title?
>Okada: First, the word “Villion” is a neologism combining “virion”—meaning “infectious viral particle” in English—and “billion.” ‘Code’ retains its standard meaning of “information or cipher,” but here it represents elements central to the game's systems, such as genome editing and viral vectors (※). We combined these two words for the title based on their connotations and sound.
>I'd love to explain more, but I'll stop here to avoid spoilers.
>※Viral vector: A type of vector—a carrier commonly used to deliver genetic material into cells—based on viruses.
<The setting is a near-future sci-fi × academy story. What kind of audience are you targeting?
>Okada: I'm not targeting a specific age group; I want people of all ages to play it. I hope not only those who've enjoyed my games before, but also those playing my games for the first time will pick it up.
>As a work, it offers a deeply satisfying gaming experience, and I think it will particularly resonate with RPG fans. Also, the story contains an ultimate message for the future, something like “To the young people who will lead the next generation,” so I want players to see that through.
<This time, we have Mr. Tadashi Satomi handling the scenario and Mr. Tsukasa Masuko handling the sound—both individuals who previously worked alongside Mr. Okada on the Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei series, and the Persona series. How did you two come to be involved?
>Okada: Regarding the scenario, I initially thought it might be better to have a younger writer since the target audience was young people. However, the theme proved difficult, and I couldn't find anyone who could effectively break down my thoughts and translate them into a scenario, so it became quite challenging. That's why I decided to hire Satomi-kun, who knows me well. The same applies to Masuko-kun.
<How did Mr. Satomi and Mr. Masuko react when you approached them?
>Okada: Regarding Masuko-kun, he had helped with game development at Gaia before, but even so, both of us had been out of the loop for about ten years. So when we finally met on set after all that time, we were both really surprised. They both handled even the smallest requests reliably, and it was reassuring.
<Character design is handled by Ilya Kuvshinov, who worked on the anime Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045. What led to Ilya's involvement?
>Okada: I've always collected information on various artists through social media as a hobby, completely separate from my work. I've been following Ilya on Instagram for years, and even before this project, I'd been thinking about collaborating with them somehow.
>After trying various approaches, I finally managed to get in touch. Since Ilya was also interested in games, things progressed smoothly. Initially, I only planned to ask them to handle character design, but when I presented the project concept, they got on board and agreed to create the monster designs as well.
<Monster designs too!? He must have drawn a considerable amount, right?
>Okada: Well, as it turned out, the workload became overwhelmingly large, so we settled on just the monster concept art. However, for the characters, I commissioned all of them, including the supporting cast. He's incredibly fast at his work, and every time I requested something, he just kept drawing more and more.
>I'm sure you all felt it at first glance—his designs feature a unique touch unlike anything before, and they contributed greatly to building the world I envisioned.
<When the actual illustrations came in, was it exactly as you had imagined?
>Okada: At first, I think Ilya was being considerate, because the designs that came back had a very “school setting” feel to them. But I wanted illustrations that felt more authentic to the character, so I told him, “Feel free to draw more freely.”
>Ilya might have been feeling his way at that point. After that, he started sending back illustrations that were perfectly wild and unrestrained.
<Which character was approved first?
>Okada: I believe it was the protagonist. On the other hand, Anastasia, who also appeared on this panel (back right in the photo), went through quite a few rounds of revisions before completion. She might have had the most retakes. We adjusted the balance in detail, including making her hairstyle asymmetrical.
The script is 1.5 to 2 times longer than planned! This story confronting the “human condition” is a must-see.
<Now, let me ask you about the game content. First, could you tell me about the overall structure of this title?
>Okada: While incorporating action elements into battles, the game remains a classic RPG overall.
>We placed significant emphasis on pacing. Depending on your playstyle, each dungeon can be cleared in about 2 to 3 hours. However, we varied the pacing by stage—for instance, the early game features a richer story to help players understand their characters better.
>We also included a genome editing system where you create items to enhance each character and swap them out. Details will be shared in future updates, but we hope players will utilize this feature according to their playstyle.
<Next, please tell us the general flow of the story.
>Okada: The setting is a near-future, tightly controlled managed society within the Advanced Resilience Research Institute City.
>One day, an “anomaly” occurs, transforming part of Advanced Resilience Academy into a dungeon where monsters appear. The protagonist students, utilizing special abilities unique to them, fight to defeat these monsters... This is the basic flow. The protagonists are implicated in triggering the anomaly, leading them to be branded with disgrace. They fight to clear their names.
>Their adversaries are monsters transformed from students and teachers they once knew. As the story progresses, it also depicts their inner conflict between their sense of mission to resolve the incident and their feelings for their acquaintances.
<Academy settings usually have a refreshing image, but this story seems dark.
>Okada: The story itself isn't particularly heavy, but the protagonists caught up in the strange events will confront the sins of humanity.
>As the reasons behind their monster transformations are revealed, how will they face and bear the weight of humanity's sins? Please play and find out for yourself.
<When it comes to Mr. Okada's work, many people probably imagine the presence of “demons.” In this work, mutated monsters appear, but where did the designs for them come from?
>Okada: In line with the main theme of karma, we've incorporated Buddhist elements like the “Ten Evil Deeds” into the game system. However, these are merely one framework—the story, characters, and monsters do not draw from myths or legends from around the world. Think of them as reflections of imagery related to human karma.
<Let me get back to the topic at hand... The Advanced Resilience Research Institute City is a circular floating city in Tokyo Bay, making it a somewhat closed-off location. Is there any significance to this setting?
>Okada: You're absolutely right—it's deliberately a closed environment. Since the anomaly occurred under the unique conditions of viral infection and genome editing, you might think the story would unfold solely on the artificial island...
>I can't go into details yet to avoid spoilers, but by the game's end, the scale of the story expands explosively.
<I'm really curious about the ending! The six main characters, including the protagonist and Anastasia, have been revealed, and with their age differences, they feel like a very distinctive group.
>Okada: Advanced Resilience Academy is an institution that gathers talented young people from around the world to resist impending doom and build a brighter future.
>Students advance to grades based on their abilities regardless of age, so there are age differences within the same grade. Also, since students come from all over the world, the student body is quite international.
<Indeed, the name itself suggests a rich international flavor. While promising young people are gathered at the academy, it's not simply a matter of gathering the brightest young minds, is it?
>Okada: Yes. It's not simply about high intelligence; they are gathered based on various abilities, including talent and a certain charisma.
<I see. Everyone belongs to the Faculty of Science and Engineering, but do you ever have conversations that feel distinctly science-oriented?
>Okada: While the academy has various faculties and departments beyond just the School of Science and Engineering, all the main characters are science majors. That said, rest assured the content isn't limited to topics only science majors would understand.
>For the five characters besides the protagonist, we've prepared separate stories that delve deeper into their inner lives, where various facets of their personalities will be depicted.
<Is the protagonist's gender fixed?
>Okada: The protagonist is always a male student. However, as a key feature of my work, the protagonist is set as the player. Therefore, the protagonist himself basically doesn't speak, except for battle shouts or a single line when selecting an option.
>This was quite challenging, but Satomi-kun managed to structure it well.
<Will any other characters besides the main six appear?
>Okada: There are 6 main characters, but there are about 20 characters in total with unique illustrations.
<Tell us about the game system too! The dungeons seem to have an unusual tube-shaped design, huh?
>Okada: This element was actually suggested by Compile Heart. During planning, we were only considering a random dungeon feature where the structure changes each time you enter, but when they asked, “Why not try a tube-shaped one?”, we thought, “Why not give it a shot?” and implemented it.
>Initially, we were worried that the screen spinning around might cause motion sickness. But when we actually played it, it was surprisingly smooth and enjoyable. Of course, for those prone to 3D motion sickness, we've also made display changes available to help prevent it.
<Given that it's set in the near future, I expected a mechanical, inorganic landscape, but the visual variety is actually quite rich.
>Okada: The dungeon's appearance reflects the master's state of mind. Therefore, they vary greatly in appearance, and you'll likely be surprised when you actually venture inside. Additionally, each dungeon features unique gimmicks tailored to its world, so be sure to give them a try.
>Enemies roam the dungeon, but battles are triggered by symbol encounters when you come into contact with enemy symbols, rather than while moving. Therefore, it is possible to progress while intentionally avoiding battles.
<The battle system features two key elements: fast-paced action and diverse tactics, incorporating various systems. Could you tell us what points you'd particularly like us to focus on?
>Okada: While this differs from the key points, the game offers both action elements and combo mechanics, with numerous options available. We hope you'll find your own unique playstyle among them.
>In this title, you can customize each character's abilities and skills using genome editing. Players who aren't confident in action gameplay can leverage this to strategize their way through challenges. Those who excel at action can enjoy the game even more by utilizing team coordination and terrain-based tactics like “Wall Slides.”
>However, regarding game balance, we're all currently working on it while deliberating.
>(Screenshot note: Approaching a wall in the battlefield triggers a “Wall Slide,” allowing you to dash across to the opposite side at high speed. This enables faster movement than usual. )
>(Screenshot note: You can follow up with a “Raid Attack” to ambush enemies from a wall slide. Since it easily knocks enemies back, you can also aim for out-of-bounds knockouts.)
<I see. Could you tell us about the current development status?
>Okada: While developing it, we kept wanting to add more and more, so the scenario ended up expanding to about 1.5 to 2 times the original plan. However, we've managed to complete the story portion. Voice recording is also finished, and we're currently making final adjustments to balance elements like battles and genome editing.
>We are confident we can deliver it by the scheduled release date of June 25th.
<1.5 times or more!? I can't wait to actually play it! By the way, is the story fully voiced?
>Okada: The main story features full voice acting. While character-specific stories were initially planned to be partially voiced, as we delved into depicting each character's personality and past, we realized, “Voice acting is crucial too!” and decided to fully voice those as well.
<What kind of information will be released going forward?
>Okada: We plan to steadily reveal more about the other characters who enrich the story, and we hope to continue sharing impactful information unique to this title, such as genome editing. Please look forward to it.