Hokkaido Information University exhibited at the "Tokyo Game Show 2025 (TGS2025, hereinafter)," a game festival held at Makuhari Messe from Thursday, September 25 to Sunday, September 28, 2025, marking their 14th consecutive year since 2011!
This time, we interviewed Ms. Yamaguchi, a second-year student, and Associate Professor Morikawa, both belonging to the Department of Information Media in the Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.
Hokkaido Information University Exhibits 14 Years in a Row Since 2011!
Hokkaido Information University, which is participating for the 14th consecutive year since 2011, had its students handle not only the game exhibits but also the booth setup and decoration.
First, we interviewed Ms. Yamaguchi, a second-year student belonging to the Department of Information Media in the Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.
Interview with Ms. Yamaguchi, a Second-Year Student at Hokkaido Information University!
(the folloeing blockquotes are translated from Japanese.)
― First, please introduce yourself.
Ms. Yamaguchi: Yes, I am Yamaguchi, a second-year student belonging to the Department of Information Media in the Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.
I go by mnts (@Dysphoria96) on X.
― Now, please tell us about the game you created.
Ms. Yamaguchi: The game I created is "Replica Club √D," an adventure model visual novel game.
I produced everything—design, programming, and planning—all by myself. Since my desired profession is a designer, this is a work where I paid particular attention to the visuals.
I have opened a Steam store page, so I would be grateful if you could take a look at the promotional video if you'd like.
― Producing everything by yourself is incredible!
Ms. Yamaguchi: Yes, "Replica Club √D" is also the work I presented at the semi-final of the indie game contest "IND-1 2025," held at the Osaka-Kansai Expo on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Currently, I am working as a fellow member of the Kodansha Game Creators' Lab, with a dedicated person in charge.
Saiga NAK
― Please tell us about the game content of "Replica Club √D" and the parts you paid special attention to during production.
Ms. Yamaguchi: The protagonist of "Replica Club √D" is a male painter, and while it's mainly a novel game, it has various adventure parts.
There is an escape game section where you investigate various objects to achieve goals, or you get involved in incidents during the story, and the information you have gathered so far in the story appears as fragments.
The reasoning part, where you push the collected information fragments onto the correct choices to complete a single painting, is something I focused on with the user interface (UI).
There is also a battle part, which I worked hard on to ensure the enemies properly move.
― Is the Hokkaido Information University campus located in Hokkaido?
Ms. Yamaguchi: The campus is in Ebetsu City, which is next to Sapporo City.
― Is Hokkaido your hometown too, Ms. Yamaguchi?
Ms. Yamaguchi: No, I'm not from Hokkaido.
To be honest, I I worked for two years immediately after graduating high school; I didn't enter university at that time.
― So you found employment after high school graduation.
Ms. Yamaguchi: Yes, I did.
But I kept thinking, "I want to make games," and "Since I like art, I want to draw art for games." The place I looked for was Hokkaido Information University, and I studied while working and came to the university with a special scholarship.
― Please tell us about Hokkaido Information University.
Ms. Yamaguchi: Hokkaido Information University is divided into three faculties: the Faculty of Information Media, the Faculty of Medical Informatics, and the Faculty of Business Administration and Information Science, plus the Department of Systems and Informatics, making it four divisions.
So, half are systems-related people, and the other half are designers.
Among the designers, if we say that 50% are in advertising, film, and video, then only about 10–20% are in games.
However, the enthusiasm of the people who create games is incredible, so I think the image of games is strong!
Also, the one who is spearheading Hokkaido Information University's booth at TGS2025 is Associate Professor Morikawa, who mainly leads the game field at Hokkaido Information University.
I think the reason why Hokkaido Information University has a strong image for games is due to Associate Professor Morikawa's skill.
― Was the existence of Associate Professor Morikawa's lab a strong factor in your decision to choose Hokkaido Information University?
Ms. Yamaguchi: No, at the time, I didn't know about Associate Professor Morikawa.
I was looking for a university where I could pay for tuition myself without parental support and create games, and that's when I found Hokkaido Information University.
I just happened to get a special scholarship at Hokkaido Information University, so I came.
― What kind of person is Associate Professor Morikawa?
Ms. Yamaguchi: Associate Professor Morikawa is a teacher who is always available and actively involved in supporting students.
It's not the whole school, but since the professor is actively involved and consults with us on various matters, I truly feel deep down that I'm glad I came to Hokkaido Information University.
― Please tell us about the appeal and characteristics of Hokkaido Information University.
Ms. Yamaguchi: Vocational schools spend two or three years training in one field, whereas universities must also teach general education.
Hokkaido Information University aims for students to acquire a university graduate title and a certain level of general education, and to get a job in the game industry, they participate in major events like the Game Show and actively go out to market themselves to various companies directly with their booklets.
As a result of their marketing efforts to companies, there are quite a few graduates who have found employment at major companies like SEGA and TMM.
This style of marketing themselves to companies is a strength that other universities do not have.
― It seems difficult to study general education and specialized knowledge like game production in parallel at a university.
Ms. Yamaguchi: It's quite challenging; most of the people are working on production while sacrificing time for sleep and meals.
But because they have the strong desire to advance into the game industry, they study hard and create games.
― Were you creating games since you were in high school?
Ms. Yamaguchi: I started creating after I came to the university.
I originally wanted to be an illustrator, but I wanted to be a game illustrator, not for posters or movies.
Last year, Associate Professor Morikawa invited me to the Game Show, and while talking to various company representatives, I started thinking, "Ah, I have to make a game myself," so I started making a game last December, and I'm exhibiting it this time.
I've entered various contests between last December and TGS2025, so I've been living a really tough life.
― Do you have a message for high school students who wish to enroll at Hokkaido Information University?
Ms. Yamaguchi: We are the faculty that works overtime, but we won't let you regret it!
お久しぶりです。
暫く作り直しや制作に集中していて進捗報告が出来ていませんでした……がhttps://t.co/ECxKj4k2Xtこの度Steamのストアページを開設することが出来ました！
まだまだ開発は続きますが、是非皆さんにこのゲームを知ってもらいたいと思います！— mnts (@Dysphoria96) September 16, 2025
Interview with Associate Professor Morikawa of Hokkaido Information University!
Saiga NAKFurthermore, we were able to interview Associate Professor Morikawa, who teaches game programming in the Department of Information Media, Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.
― Please tell us about the appeal of the Hokkaido Information University booth.
Associate Professor Morikawa: When it comes to making a game, normally it's just the game production, right?
But since we are a university, we make the students create things from a step-removed perspective, considering what the visitors will think when they look at the whole thing.
We tell them, "Of course, don't just focus on the game; think about the booth signage, the walls, and what would make people come to the booth," and "Think about what is more than just a fun game," and we promote that Entertainment is our selling point.
Since this is a service meant to entertain, I believe there's something more enjoyable than just what's on the screen.
― I thought the students of Hokkaido Information University were the most active everywhere; was there some intention behind that?
Associate Professor Morikawa: I think if you just place your game in a space someone else created, you won't feel a sense of ownership.
We do this because we believe that if they feel like they participated in creating it, they can experience a different kind of awareness.
I wonder about a creator who has everything prepared for them...
I think other places focus on university public relations and recruiting students, but we consider this a place of education.
― Many industry professionals visit the Game Show.
Associate Professor Morikawa: Yes, since they are also here for job-hunting purposes, we encourage students to actively approach people.
Regarding Ms. Yamaguchi, we had her go to the Indies Corner and market herself, saying, "Please give me a job."
We do have a few students who actually secure work, too.
― Finally, could you share Associate Professor Morikawa's motto?
Associate Professor Morikawa: Our motto is that usually the faculty members are the ones working hard, but at events like the Game Show, the students are the ones who need to work hard, right?
There's me and another professor, Professor Kawahara, and our unwritten rule is to "try not to be in the booth as much as possible."
Leaving things up to the students' initiative is our motto.
That concludes the interview with Ms. Yamaguchi, a second-year student, and Associate Professor Morikawa, both belonging to the Department of Information Media in the Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.
