Former NetEase director self-funds new studio to ensure “management protects creators”

Months after leaving NetEase-owned Ouka Studios – which closed down last year shortly after Visions of Mana was published by Square Enix – co-director Kenji Ozawa has established Studio Sasanqua.

Talking to Automaton, Ozawa stressed the new studio will ensure “management […] protect[s] creators,” motivating both developers and development in ways to make staff feel safe and valued.

Furthermore, by self-funding his venture, Ozawa reportedly said he was prepared to assume any project failure rather than pass the blame onto the development team itself, as prior experience had shown that some studios placed too much responsibility and blame on the shoulders of individual developers rather than mismanagement.

Initially, the team will focus on small-scale projects developed in Unreal Engine, with the goal of transitioning to original IP for PC and consoles.

Visions of Mana’s other co-director, Ryosuke Yoshida, joined Square Enix in December.