Blazing New Paths in Gaming—Shining a Spotlight on the History and Strengths of BlazeGames with the Company’s President

Founded in 2014 as a subsidiary of Cygames, BlazeGames has contributed to the planning, development, and management of various mobile games such as Battle Champs, Dragalia Lost (published by Nintendo), and World Flipper.
In this article, we interview the President of BlazeGames, Yuji Okada, and get his insight on the strengths of the company and what he sees in its future.

BlazeGames, Inc. President Yuji Okada

Soon after graduating from Keio University, Yuji Okada began working in the game industry as a project manager for console and arcade games, later moving on to establish a social games division at his previous company. He has experience in a number of other roles such as director and planning leader, and has utilized his expertise in the hiring process as well as the development and operation of social games. He has been the president of BlazeGames, a subsidiary of Cygames, since founding it in July, 2014.

Blazing New Paths for Games and the People Who Make Them

Can you give us a brief history of how the company was founded?

In my previous position before establishing BlazeGames, I was often a driving force within the company and had been a leader on various projects, at times contributing as a project manager, director, and game planner.
Following my time in that leadership role, the president of Cygames, Mr. Watanabe, approached me and asked if I was interested in establishing a new company, which ultimately led to the founding of BlazeGames in July, 2014.

What is the company’s vision or mission statement?

It all comes back to the “blaze” part of the BlazeGames name, which of course is another way of saying “flame.” We wanted the company’s commitment to fiery, passionate game creation in its very name. “Blaze” can also mean to open up new avenues and foster new challenges. These are the ideas the company’s three mission statements are based on.

At BlazeGames, we strive to bring new and exciting game experiences to players, support our staff’s efforts in tackling the unfamiliar, and create content while engaging in open communication with users. Those are the primary tenets behind our mission statements.

What is the scope of BlazeGames’ expertise in regards to making games?

Our expertise is in game planning, development, and operation. At the moment, most of the games we have worked on have been for smartphones, but we are also currently developing titles for other platforms. In the future, we hope to expand our operations to include the development of PC and console games as well.

What are some of the games BlazeGames has worked on?

Thus far, we’ve worked on three major titles—Battle Champs, Dragalia Lost, and World Flipper.

For the mobile strategy game Battle Champs, we were in charge of planning, development, and operation until service ended in 2019.
Since as far back as 2016-2017, we’ve had a few planners assigned to World Flipper, a game for which we also provide customer support services.
As for the action RPG Dragalia Lost, our staff provided support to Cygames’ operations from around 2018. Presently, BlazeGames engineers, designers, and planners are assigned to and work on various projects at Cygames.

Flexibility and Adapting to the Individual at BlazeGames

How many people work at BlazeGames and how would you describe the general company atmosphere?

We currently have a staff of about fifty people working at BlazeGames. In an effort to build a relationship with our staff that encourages open communication, we hold both extensive and casual meetings on a regular basis. This also helps us keep tabs on staff concerns and the general work climate.
Our staff is comprised of highly independent, committed individuals that work diligently to complete every task for each of the 10+ projects they are currently involved in.

What are BlazeGames’ strengths as a company?

I would say our strength lies in our ability to provide reliable service to a game, as we have shown through our work on various titles in cooperation with Cygames. And, although we’ve only begun to exhibit it, I’d point to our flexibility in being able to create our own original content and take on new challenges as another one of our strengths. We’re still a small company, but I believe we’re well-positioned to take on the challenge of producing new and original gaming experiences.

Moreover, our affiliation with Cygames allows our staff to receive the same training as Cygames employees, and puts us in a place to provide them with the best management systems and environments for game development. Personally speaking, I make it a priority to listen to our staff’s preferences regarding work equipment, such as PCs and monitors, and make an effort to ensure they receive the tools they need as soon as possible to produce quality work. I would say this kind of motivation or adaptability is another one of our greatest strengths. We are flexible in accommodating a variety of requests from our staff regarding equipment and work style. By considering each individual’s background, career goals, personality, and unique circumstances, we’re able to discuss and find the most suitable working style and project for them.

What kind of person do you think would be a good fit for BlazeGames’ company culture?

My answer to this depends on whether the person is a new graduate or mid-career hire. For a new graduate, I would say someone that is forward-thinking, willing to try new things, and open to learning would do well at BlazeGames.
As I mentioned in an answer to a previous question, we’re committed to respecting the work styles of all of our staff members, so I think the kind of mid-career hire that would be most suitable for BlazeGames is a person that is capable of communicating what they want from their place of work.
Even though our staff of fifty people seems large, our company as a whole is still relatively small. So when staff are proactive in making suggestions and expressing their needs, it helps not only themselves, but the company as well. Of course, this isn’t to say new staff must be this way. There is absolutely room at BlazeGames for people who are well-organized and capable of doing good work.

Future Outlook for the Upcoming 10th Anniversary and a Message to Game Industry Hopefuls

You mentioned earlier that BlazeGames is working on new projects. What can you tell us about your work on these projects?

At the moment, we’re working on a certain project that involves animating high-end 3D models. We’re hoping to really wow players with our work on this game, so definitely keep an eye out for this one.

What is your advice to new graduates and other young hopefuls that want to work in game development?

My advice is to play a wide variety of games. It’s the same advice I give to people when they’re training. The experience and knowledge you gain from the games you play have a significant impact on the games you create. That’s why it’s important to play all kinds of games from different genres and to analyze their content. Thankfully, we live in an age where variety in game genres is common. I encourage everyone interested in getting into game development to pick up those games and to learn from them.

Lastly, can you tell us about your outlook for the future of BlazeGames?

In recent years, I’ve noticed that the capabilities and technical skills of our staff has increased significantly through our collaboration on various projects with Cygames. I hope to welcome the 10th anniversary of our company in an even better position by continuing to prioritize talent development and actively pursuing opportunities to create our own original projects. We are and will remain committed to delivering exciting games to our users and fostering the growth of our brand.