'At some point we did have a small rhythm game, but it didn't exactly match the feeling that you're promoting a show' Stranger Than Heaven director says the showbiz system was 'a real challenge' and inspired by musicians with an 'antenna' for music

Date:
Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe has revealed how RGG Studio designed the game's Showbiz narrative system and how difficult it was to get right.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe says the game's Showbiz system was "a real challenge" for RGG Studio Abe says lots of research was put into finding out what a show
promoter does and how to depict that in-game Abe adds that "At some point we did have a small rhythm game," but the idea didn't match the team's vision Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe has revealed how RGG Studio designed the game's Showbiz narrative system and how difficult it was to get right.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, Abe said the Showbiz, an entertainment management system requiring the main character, Makoto Daito, to build a business, find sources of inspiration for music, and plan productions as a promoter, "was a real challenge for us." The director explained that RGG started by asking: what does a promoter actually do? Because "you know what a singer does, and you know what a band does, but you don't exactly know what a promoter does in the music industry," so research began from there. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Abe revealed that "At some point we did have a small rhythm game, but it didn't exactly match the feeling that you're promoting a show," so the team went back to the whiteboard phase to try different things.

"One thing that we noticed is that a promoter is the person who brings in not just the money, but also the inspiration and the whole vision of the show," Abe said. "We thought that's an interesting aspect that we can put into this game." You may like Stranger Than Heaven director says Makoto Daito's life story is 'not just entertainment' and hopes it will break the barriers of racism 'I hope that Makotos life journey really speaks to people around the globe who have had similar experiences' Stranger Than Heaven director says
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its era-spanning game was 'really difficult,' the cities will still have 'a lot of fiction' STRANGER THAN HEAVEN | Showbiz In-Depth Look - YouTube Watch On In Stranger Than Heaven , players can walk around cities and interact with things in the environment, like a grandfather clock or a bonfire, and collect sounds as inspiration for music. Daito can then take these samples and collaborate with a composer to create new music and plan a production for the singer and band.

"The inspiration sources are basically like when you have a certain job, you always have these antennas looking for something," Abe said. "So, if you're a musician, you always have this antenna for the music you're hearing, and that can inspire people to create new stuff, and that was no different for Makoto as well. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Abe added, "That's why this game system of finding and then using that inspiration to create music came to life in the game."

Stranger Than Heaven releases on January 15, 2027, for PS5 , Xbox Series X and Series S , and PC. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! The best gaming consoles All the best consoles of this generation

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/at-some-point-we-did-have-a-small-rhythm-game -but-it-didnt-exactly-match-the-feeling-that-youre-promoting-a-show-stranger-t han-heaven-director-says-the-showbiz-system-was-a-real-challenge-and-inspired- by-musicians-with-an-antenna-for-music


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