We've covered Aksys Games launches for about a years by now here consisting of the publisher's old iOS releases like 999 (now delisted) to its output on Nintendo Switch and more-recently Steam Deck. Aksys Games was most understood for No Escape and BlazBlue on consoles before the initial Japanese publishers of those video games established their own branches. Aksys has actually because been doing otome visual books, scary video games, dungeon spiders, and a lot more throughout console and PC platforms. It simply introduced Tengoku Struggle -Strayside- on Nintendo Switch today, and I had an opportunity to talk with Aksys Games COO Frank “Bo” deWindt II about the publisher's output, otome video games, moving from PS Vita to Switch, the upcoming Switch release of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ that I'm delighted to play, prospective ports, and a lot more.
TouchArcade (TA): Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at Aksys Games.
Frank “Bo” deWindt II (Bo): I'm the COO at Aksys Games and manage a little bit of whatever in all of our departments, however I'm likewise the head of Production.
TA: Aksys has actually been around for a while now, and there was a point some years ago where it seemed like the franchises that struck the West through Aksys were now relocating to the initial publishers who established their own Western branches or localization homes for brand-new video games. How has it been for the group throughout this and how do you pick what video games to localize today?
Bo: Yeah, it's easy to understand to see different Japanese developers/publishers begin to broaden to the West.
While that does remove a few of the prospective titles to localize it likewise enables us to be more selective on what we choose to release. We have our eyes and ears to all the upcoming titles in addition to what our fans are requesting for too, so we take whatever into factor to consider when attempting to pursue video games.
TA: One constant has actually been otome video games. Back on PS Vita, we saw numerous localized, and the category has actually now transferred to growing on Switch. How has it been for Aksys dealing with the shift throughout platforms, and did you ever think about getting the video games ported in other places then and now?
Bo: The PlayStation Vita was certainly a great start for the Otome brand name, however we have actually discovered the Nintendo Switch to be even much better for our fans to play the video games on nowadays. When it comes to porting, that is typically as much as the developer/IP holder, however we ‘d enjoy to see Otome titles on other platforms too.
TA: Aksys launches several otome video games a year now, with some even getting minimal edition releases or shop unique rewards. Did you ever think of how several releases each year might fill the marketplace?
Bo: Now that Aksys in addition to other Western publishers are launching Otome titles,
