Interview with Mike Henry, Creative Director of 2XKO: "I want to live in Japan someday" and "I was moved by the bond of duo play."

Mike Henry: My name is Mike Henry. I've been working on this project for almost 6 years, originally as an art director and now as a creative director. I am in charge of art, audio, and the story of the game. My favorite champions are Akali andAhri.

Mike Henry: Twice.

Mike Henry: My father used to show me Japanese period dramas when I was a kid, and that's how I got into Japanese culture. I love anime, tea ceremony, and Zen, and I think it's great that I can absorb all of these things in Japan.

Mike Henry: Basically, I definitely come to EVO Japan. I like Japan a lot to begin with, so doing this job allows me to come to Japan for any reason I can think of (laughs).

Mike Henry: There are many differences, but the big one is the culture. I think the focus that players have when they face the game is the same all over the world. Normally we are all friends and get along well, but when we play against each other, we become rivals, which is what I really like about the fighting game community.

Mike Henry: It was very exciting and fun! It was the first time for me to actually see players' reactions at a tournament, and it was great to see how bleed (@bleedBTW ) played and how the fans reacted. At the same time, by receiving feedback, I think we were able to reevaluate our game.

Mike Henry: The biggest feedback we got was from people who said, "We don't want to adjust the game because we like it so much the way it is now. After receiving that feedback, I looked at it again and decided that if everyone liked it so much, I wouldn 't adjust it.

Mike Henry: I was excited to see how 2WINz (@2WINz25 ) would play with twins and what synergies they would create. I'm especially happy that they are one step deeper into 2XKO and thinking about strategy. There is also the anticipation of what kind of bond will be created when two mere friends team up. It's so heartwarming to see two people playing together in breathtaking harmony. We also have great players like SonicFox (@SonicFox ) and Inzem (@INZEM2 ) who spend a lot of time with us. Each of them is strong enough individually, but it's amazing in a way to see talented players team up with each other and show even more amazing team play.

Mike Henry: When tournaments take place in different regions, it is very exciting to see how players in each region utilize the characters and game mechanics. It is strange and unique to see the different styles of play in each region. I really like going to each region and witnessing how each plays. Also, this time we have a lot of players from all over the world, so it's fun to see the East and West playstyles clash so intensely. It's really special and gives us a lot of insight.

Mike Henry: We love Mixed Mode. Single and duo play and strategizing are different, and it's really great when two players in a duo can synchronize and come up with some crazy combos. It's really interesting to see one brain and two brains competing against each other to produce really interesting results. This was part of what we envisioned during the development phase, but to see it happen in a real environment is very good and rewarding for us.

Mike Henry: 2XKO is a very complex game, even when you are fighting singles against each other, you have to process a lot of information and do a lot of complex things at the same time. There are so many systems and characters, and the ability to process so much information so quickly is a truly amazing ability that all players have. In addition, duos require two people to share roles on the exact same information, which is a completely different challenge and truly amazing. You have to respond immediately to your partner's actions, and you can see how the battle changes quickly on the screen. If you pay attention to the differences between single-player and duo play, I think you will gain a deeper understanding of how the game unfolds. We hope you enjoy the game!