Interview
Hidetaka Suehiro
White Owls Inc, Japan
Hidetaka Suehiro is a Japanese game director and writer known for his bold, unconventional approach to storytelling. His latest project, HOTEL BARCELONA, is a love letter to horror expressed through gameplay. Set in a remote hotel on the border between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the game’s luxurious setting hides a terrifying secret — it’s a trap built for America’s most dangerous serial killers.
1 Congratulations on your proud achievements in the NYX Game Awards! Can you share more about your game, your studio, or yourself?
Our winning title, HOTEL BARCELONA, received 3 Grand and 6 Gold awards at the NYX Game Awards. Co-created with Goichi Suda (SUDA51), it’s a love letter to horror expressed through gameplay. My studio is White Owls Inc., and our motto is “From Osaka to the World!”
2 What was the moment you realized you wanted to create games, and how has that passion evolved over time?
I fell in love the moment the story and control shared the same temperature. Today, I deepen that feeling through loop design that makes you say “one more run,” and with ma (negative space) in pacing.
3 Tell us about your studio-what's the mission that drives your team's creative process?
We focus on small details to reach deeper meaning, subtracting the unnecessary to reveal true identity — from Osaka to the world.
4 What's the story or concept behind your award-winning game, and what inspired its creation?
The concept is an homage to horror itself. Each stage is built around the question, “What if this were a film?”, and introduced with a movie-style poster. We translate cinema’s memory—and its real-world weight—into the feel of action.
5 What do you think is the most innovative or unique feature of your game, and how does it enhance the player experience?
Slasher Phantom — where your dead self fights for you — and co-op/invasion PvP (Doppelgänger) introduce a new layer of tension. Dropping other players’ presence into solitary fear deepens both the tension and the release.
6 What's the most unexpected challenge you faced during development, and how did your team tackle it?
Assists: we reworked Easy Mode, healing and relief items, and tuned weapon identities, skill order, and prices down to the millimeter — widening the door without dulling the core.
7 How do you approach balancing technical limitations with creative ambition in your games?
Feel first. Prototype → verify → remove. We keep only what the hands truly need.
8 What's a current trend in gaming that you think holds immense potential to become a major element in the coming future?
Everyday VR/MR combines short sessions with subtle social presence, a space with plenty of room to grow.
9 How do you see AI, AR, or VR technologies being implemented increasingly, and do you plan to explore further into this area?
We will continue working in VR, where technology that brings presence and intimacy into games connects naturally with narrative.
10 What kind of emotional or intellectual impact do you hope your game has on players?
Fear and humor, combined with the joy of mastery — that fingertip thrill with a small dose of euphoria.
11 If players could take away one message or feeling from your game, what would it be?
Horror is love!
12 What's a dream project or concept you've always wanted to explore, but haven't had the chance to yet?
We aim to further dissolve the border between reality and fiction, touching the player’s now.
13 What's next for your studio? Can you tease any upcoming ideas or projects that can be shared?
Post-launch support for HOTEL BARCELONA, in parallel with VR-area projects. We’ll speak when ready.
14 What's the biggest change you've seen in the gaming industry since you started, and how have you adapted to it?
Discoverability and community: we emphasize events and conversation, improving in small and fast iterations.
15 What's your secret to designing a game world that feels alive and immersive to players?
Atmosphere - the rhythm of sound, color, and placement until the place speaks.
16 If you could collaborate with any game developer or studio in the world, who would it be and why?
I was fortunate to collaborate with SUDA51 on this project. I’m drawn to creators who let humanity and strangeness coexist — across disciplines, too.
17 What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone dreaming of starting their journey in game development?
Start small, ship it. Have the courage to subtract — your flavor emerges by taking away.
