When you hear “game development,” you might imagine large-scale studios and ample budgets. However, the start of CyberConnect2 (commonly known as CC2) was realistic, much like a youth film. The company, launched in 1996 by Mr. Hiroshi Matsuyama and his friends from Kyushu Sangyo University, initially set sail with only a single PC. Six development members took turns using that one machine, creating games through trial and error. The debut work born from that situation was “Tail Concerto.” After that, works like “Silent Bomber,” born from the dedication of a small team, gradually began to attract core fans.

There is an interesting “rule” in CC2’s original works: “the main character’s age is basically 14.” At first glance, this might seem like just a setting rule, but it is packed with the philosophy of the development team. The age of 14, right in the middle of adolescence, is a special period swirling with conflict, dreams, and anxiety. CC2 believes that this unstable and complicated period is the source of drama. Emphasizing the feeling that players walk a journey of the heart alongside the protagonist and giving realism and depth to the story can be said to be the unique sensibility of this studio.

In 2002, CC2 challenged itself with the innovative concept of “a story within an online game.” That was the “ .hack” series, which became a turning point for the company. The method of simultaneous deployment across multiple media—TV anime, novels, and games—was extremely advanced at the time and is still recounted as a successful example of what is now called “media mix.” The structure of playing a game inside a game, the thrilling development where virtual and real worlds intersect—all of it stimulated players’ imaginations, and through this series, the company popularized the idea that “games are not just for playing, but a means to ‘experience’ a story.”

What must not be forgotten when talking about CC2 is their commitment to the “NARUTO” game series. Since the release of “Naruto: Ultimate Ninja” in 2003, the company has become synonymous with Naruto games. Their development attitude is equally moving; staff members constantly keep the comic books and anime DVDs readily available in the company, thoroughly reading every corner of the original work. They are absolutely dedicated to not betraying the fans’ feelings, down to the characters’ expressions, the tone of the dialogue, and every single special move animation. It is not merely a “game based on an original work,” but a feeling of realism as if you are “moving the continuation of the original work with your own hands.” This was made possible precisely because of the creators filled with love for the original work.

The current CyberConnect2 has evolved into a development studio that has set up bases in Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Montreal, and is attracting a lot of attention both domestically and internationally. Still, the reason one feels a certain artisan-like temperament is probably because their stance of “creating the best work with our own hands” has not changed since the company’s founding. It is not about flashiness, but about a memorable story and carefully crafted visual expression. The greatest appeal of the company CyberConnect2 is the consistent “passion” felt in all of it.