Koichi Oohori of Matrix, Speaking on Recent Developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 – Preserving Gaming Culture and Revolutionizing the Game Industry!
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999104/20251016051/
Writer: Katsutani Umi | 2025/10/16 09:04 (UTC)
At BCN Game Fest 2025, we report on the keynote interview conducted by Yasuhisa Oohori, President and Representative Director of Matrix, who was invited as a guest of honor from Japan.
The interviewer was David Caballero, Editor-in-Chief of local game media Gamereactor. Throughout the session, Oohori maintained a calm demeanor with a gentle smile Image Gallery No.001 thumbnail / Yasuhisa Oohori of Matrix speaks about recent developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 — Preserving gaming culture and innovating the gaming business! Image Gallery No.005 thumbnail / Yasuhisa Oohori of Matrix speaks about recent developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 — Preserving gaming culture and innovating the gaming business!
Oohori’s story is well known. At just 16 years old, while still a high school student, he achieved a perfect clearance of Namco’s arcade game “Zaxxon,” becoming the first in Japan to score 10 million points with a counter-stop—marking his debut into the gaming industry.
That same year, alongside friend Naokazu Nakagane, he published a self-made magazine titled “The Path to 10 Million Points: Zaxxon.” With reprints included, it sold over 10,000 copies—a rare bestseller for a minicomic at the time. This success led him to write strategy guides for Namco games in the special supplement “Super Software Magazine,” published as an extra issue of Microcomputer BASIC Magazine.
Thus, he stands not only as a legendary figure among game journalists but also someone who developed business acumen from early on.
Oohori established “Hub Game Centers” across all 47 prefectures nationwide and displayed the highest Zaxxon scores recorded in each region. His motivation? He wanted to know if other skilled gamers like himself existed, especially at a time when online information exchange wasn’t possible—clearly driven by a pure desire as a gamer, one that resonates with today’s online gaming communities.
By his second year of high school, Oohori had already produced strategy guides and a fanzine selling 10,000 copies—making him a pioneer among game writers and professional gamers. Image Gallery No.003 thumbnail / Yasuhisa Oohori of Matrix speaks about recent developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 — Preserving gaming culture and innovating the gaming business!
Inspired by Zaxxon, Oohori also developed a connection with creator Masanobu Endo. With his own game development knowledge, he began working part-time at Namco during university. After graduation, he joined Nintendo and showcased his technical expertise. As a result, he was assigned to develop what became his first full project: “Sanrio Carnival,” released in 1990—spanning from concept through master-up under the collaboration of an established IP with Sanrio.
Later, as a freelancer, he contributed to the Sega Genesis RPG “Landstalker: The Treasures of King Naga” (1992). In July 1994 at age 28, he founded Matrix. From this foundation came PlayStation RPGs such as “Alandra” in 1997 and “Alandra 2: The Mystery of the Demon Evolution” in 1999.
“Alandra” appears to be particularly popular in Spain—evidenced by the fact that most questions during the post-interview Q&A session (which seemed dominated by game developers) focused on this title.
Regarding the game’s dark fantasy theme with many character deaths, Oohori stated at the podium that he had targeted a relatively older demographic than typical gamers of the time. Yet several audience members still recalled it as their first-ever video game experience.
Subsequently, Matrix has become widely known for its work on numerous mobile adaptations and content operations in the RPG genre—including “Dragon Quest Characters Torneko’s Great Adventure 2: The Dungeon of Mystery” (1999), the remake of “Final Fantasy III” (2006), “Final Fantasy XI: Adul’s Realm” (2013), the mobile port “Dragon Quest III: And So, to Legend…” (2014), and “Another Eden: The Cat That Crossed Worlds” (2017).
Regarding Matrix’s most recent developments, this publication reported that following collaboration with HINATA, the company has officially launched a new corporate structure under one holding group (related article).
Furthermore, on September 16, it was announced that this business model has been further developed: Matrix—already experienced in home console and smartphone app development—is now part of a strategic partner system called “Byakugun” (White Group)." This consortium includes “Zychoise,” which supports broad platform compatibility; “Prophira,” strong in server technology for online games; “Meteorize,” focused on mobile game development; and “Alpha System,” with multiple original IPs.
The newly formed “Byakugun” began operations about a month ago, representing a new type of gaming industry alliance. Each company leverages its strengths to complement the others’ weaknesses—a novel team structure designed to compete effectively against major publishers.
According to their official website (https://www.byakugun-group.com/), the development team exceeds 200 members. The companies have shared technologies and experiences, building a more robust development environment.
The office located in Kabukicho once went viral among gamers after being portrayed as blown up in a game Image Gallery No.007 thumbnail / Yasuhisa Oohori of Matrix speaks about recent developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 — Preserving gaming culture and innovating the gaming business!
Oohori’s activities since 2016 were also highlighted: the Institute of Game Culture Conservation (IGCC). He emphasized that IGCC isn’t merely about preserving game programs—hardware, cartridges, software data—but aims to document and preserve the philosophy, ideas, technologies, and passion behind Japan’s gaming industry from three distinct perspectives: manufacturers, creators, and gamers.
Thus, the institute’s mission goes beyond archaeological artifacts—it seeks to record oral histories embedded within these materials at an early stage.
One example introduced was the 2023 publication “ALL ABOUT DATA EAST: The Complete Story of Data East.” Through interviews with key figures like Tetsuo Fukuda and related parties, it thoroughly explains unique game worlds known as “Deco Games” (games by DECO/Deta East Co.) and how they led to the creation of standardization guidelines for amusement machines—the JAMMA (Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association) framework.
This initiative aims to record oral histories from three perspectives: game companies, creators, and gamers. Image Gallery No.008 thumbnail / Yasuhisa Oohori of Matrix speaks about recent developments at BCN Game Fest 2025 — Preserving gaming culture and innovating the gaming business!
Oohori’s recent endeavors clearly reflect his lifelong passion for games, beginning in high school and continuing through over four decades of involvement—culminating in his deep commitment to the gaming industry as he approaches 60.
Though widely respected even in distant Spain, Oohori radiated a warm, energetic entrepreneurial spirit throughout. His passionate talk, tinged with genuine gamer enthusiasm, clearly left a strong impression on young game developers present.