Danganronpa 2×2 Famitsu interview with Spike Chunsoft producer Sakakibara Shouhei
Considering this announcement at Danganronpa's 15 anniversary, what was the intention behind making this new title + remake on the foundations of DR2 instead of the first one?
Sakakibara: The first idea we considered was a remake and reboot for DR1. The starting concept for this project was changing the plot without changing the lore and cast, but we eventually realized DR1's narrative is too central to Danganronpa, and making changes to it would have too many consequences for the rest of the series.
For that reason, after going over all possibilities, we came to the conclusion that DR2 is a game we can use to offer the playerbase a new Danganronpa without breaking the pre-established Danganronpa lore. This is the belief that defined the current shape of this project.
Is the new scenario going to be the original DR2 plot with a few different twists, or is it going to actually change everything from the moment they set foot in Jabberwock Island?
Sakakibara: The latter. You nailed the description. It starts with the exact same lead-in, then a special event happens during the intro, and the narrative begins to greatly deviate due to it. I must add that this is not a route split. The new scenario and the remake are laid out as two completely independent games.
Does that mean that all relevant plot points from stories set before Danganronpa 2 (Danganronpa, Danganronpa/Zero, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls) are still canonical to 2×2?
Wait, so it's going to be a new version that doesn't continue into Danganronpa 3 - Side:Future?
Sakakibara: You will have to play the game for yourself to find out how 2×2 ends.
DR2 introduced new Class Trial minigames in the form of Rebuttal Showdown, Logic Dive, and others. Is the gameplay side also going to change?
Sakakibara: This will be announced at a later date.
We already know that the setting (Jabberwock Island) and the core cast of characters is still the same, but what about the cast of voice actors?
Sakakibara: Thankfully, we managed to re-hire the same voices for every character, without replacements.
Have you hired new voices for Monokuma (Oyama Nobuyo originally, TARAKO since DR3) and Monomi (Sasuga Takako), as their three previous actresses tragically passed away?
Sakakibara: Yes, we managed to hire new voices. We'll announce them at an appropriate occasion. Look forward to it!
I'd also like to ask a few questions about DR2's remake. What's new about the remake?
Sakakibara: The script is largely untouched. We rewrote it to fit within the new gameplay mechanics. All characters were redrawn and the Jabberwock Island backgrounds were redesigned. The hotel in particular had its design altered completely, with heavy emphasis on the feeling of a tropical resort.
Will the game still contain the bonus mode Dangan Island and the minigame Magical Girl Miracle☆Monomi?
Sakakibara: This will be announced at a later date.
Will the remake use the same voice lines as the original or will it include re-recordings and performances by the new actors?
Sakakibara: All voice lines were re-recorded for the remake. As I already mentioned, we managed to hire all all voice actors from the original, except for Monokuma and Monomi.
What's the expected length of the new scenario?
Sakakibara: The same as the original or longer.
Are Kodaka Kazutaka and Komatsuzaki Rui from Too Kyo Games involved in the production?
Sakakibara: Yes, Kodaka has the roles of story supervisor, original idealizer, and murder mystery creator in this game. Too Kyo Games is as involved in the production as we are.
Will the 15th anniversary event on November 2025 have test play booths and announcements for 2×2?
Sakakibara: Yes, that will be earliest test play opportunity worldwide. More details will be announced at a later date.
By the way, what's the official pronunciation for 2×2?
Sakakibara: "Two by two".
Any final message to the reader excited for the new game?
Sakakibara: Thank you for your patience, fans. We can finally deliver you a new Danganronpa. The game is a remake/reboot, but with a brand new story. I hope you look forward to the release. You'll soon find out what the future has in store for Hinata, for Komaeda, and for the Danganronpa series!
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