April is here and a new financial year has started in Japan.
Every year around this time, I find myself thinking back to the day I first knocked on the door of a games company.
Back then, "game creator" wasn't really a term people used. When I told people what I wanted to do, you could almost see the question marks floating above their heads. But my desire to make games never faded.
FY26 has kicked off with some new faces at Lasengle. A warm welcome to our twelve new creators and operators. Great to have you all with us!
Going from player to maker means you're a professional now. And with that comes the responsibility to make something good, something that brings people joy.
I hope everyone who has joined us will feel real love for what they do, that it's more than "just a job." You're the ones creating what's next for Lasengle, for the games industry, and for entertainment itself. And I hope that all twelve of you feel that Lasengle is your true home and where you belong.
Last month we held the third edition of "Kanpai & Chat with the CEO."
In these sessions, managers bring topics they want to dig into, then a mix of employees and myself sit down over dinner and just talk. It's deliberately set up so staff can push back on management, not just the other way around.
What I love about it, and this feels very Lasengle to me, is that it never stays purely in business territory.
Someone will bring up what they've been playing lately, or ask the table what the greatest piece of entertainment in their life has been. Those conversations reveal something about a person's personality and instincts that ends up connecting, somehow, to how we think about running the company. So I actively encourage that kind of topic on the agenda.
Three sessions in, I can feel the conversations getting better every time.
In other news, we've put up some new artwork in the Lasengle entrance.
Last year, to celebrate FGO's 10th anniversary, we ran a nationwide advertising campaign called "OVER THE SAME SKY." The concept was simple: what if the Servants visited famous landmarks across all 47 prefectures? We placed two illustrations per prefecture in newspapers around the country, including regional papers.
Now those illustrations feature in the Lasengle office, greeting us every morning when we walk through the door. As someone who was involved in the making, there's something moving about seeing these images there every day, reminding me that we made something good together.
In March, I attended the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and this year, I brought some of our newer staff along.
I don't want Lasengle to be a place where big international conferences are seen as something for the experienced staff only. My own early exposure to overseas events, and working with creators from around the world, became the foundation of my entire career. Feeling that global energy in person, being in the same room as creators from other parts of the world are experiences that always find their way back into your work, years later.
So I want our newer members to have that opportunity early. I want working globally to feel like a given from day one, not something you have to earn.
If you want to get a real feel for what working at Lasengle is like, we're taking part in Discover Sony on Live, an online recruitment event hosted by Sony Group on Saturday, 16th May, 2026.
https://job.mynavi.jp/conts/s/tvs/28/discoversonyonlive/
You'll hear directly from people working in game development about the challenges, the rewards, the career paths, and what it really means to work in this industry.
If you're interested in the games industry, in making things, or in delivering experiences that resonate globally, come along.
We're already into FY26.
Twelve new team members. A third session of "Kanpai & Chat with the CEO." New artwork at the entrance. Newer staff stepping up at GDC.
But this is just the beginning. Can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring!
Speaking of which, from this year on the blog, I'll be featuring contributions from the Lasengle team with their own game recommendations and thoughts. This isn't me slacking off (honest!), I just think the blog is a great place to share perspectives from our team too.
And here is the first installment.
◆ Takes from the Lasengle Team
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
By H, Customer Support (joined as a new graduate, April 2025)
Why Revisit a Remastered Classic?
With Nintendo Switch 2 out and new titles dropping all the time, you might wonder why I'd pick a classic game. The truth is, I was obsessed with this game back in elementary school and when I heard it was coming back as an HD remaster, I knew I had to play it.
About a month and a half in, I've already clocked over 70 hours. The fun I remembered hasn't faded at all. It's been updated for modern play without losing what made it special.
I'll keep this spoiler-free and share what makes it worth picking up. I hope my write-up convinces you to give the game a go.
A Classic RPG with a Modern Twist
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is a turn-based command RPG, similar to the style of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.
You build a party of four, swap their jobs, gear them up, and take on dungeons and bosses.
The story has all the appeal of classic fantasy. It's fully voiced, easy to follow, and draws you in naturally. Familiar territory, but with plenty of moments that stick with you.
What I Love
●The Battle System
●Brave & Default System
The game's defining feature is the Brave & Default system, built around Brave Points (BP). You can spend BP to act multiple times in a single turn, up to four actions in a row.
With all four party members going full Brave, you can pull off up to 16 actions at once. But get too aggressive, and you'll be locked out of acting in subsequent turns. Reading the right moment to strike is everything.
Default works the other way, defending while banking BP for a big move later. It adds a real layer of strategy to every battle.
That push and pull between going all-in and holding back is what makes the battles really interesting. It's simple on the surface, with real depth underneath.
●The Job & Ability System
This system will be familiar to Final Fantasy fans. You unlock new jobs by defeating bosses, with over 20 jobs to choose from.
Better still, you can mix and match abilities across jobs, such as giving a Hunter magic sword skills or giving a Knight some healing support abilities. Meaning you can match your team to your choice of tactics.
When you hit a wall, the answer isn't just to level up. You can try rethinking your job setup and ability combinations to find a different way forward.
Difficulty That's Satisfying to Beat
I'm playing on Hard Mode and it earns that label. You can't just barrel through. You need to rethink your formation and tactics regularly. But that's exactly what makes finally beating a tough enemy so satisfying. The trial and error is part of the fun.
If you like RPGs where you really have to think and strategize, then this is for you.
Truly Impressive Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Revo, the Japanese musician behind Sound Horizon. Whether it's an adventure theme, a battle theme, or a big emotional moment, every track is incredible.
I've caught myself stopping just to listen mid-session. Once I put the controller down, I keep the tracks on as background music. It holds up the whole world of the game and really adds to the experience.
●Content, Graphics, and Character Design
Content
The main story alone will keep you busy for a good while, with plenty of extra content for players who want to go deeper. If you're the kind of RPG fan who likes to really lose yourself in a game, this one's for you.
Graphics
The HD remaster keeps the warmth of the original while bringing it up to modern standards, and the picture book-style backgrounds and cityscapes haven't aged, retaining the original charm.
Character Design
Every character has a distinct personality that sticks with you. Their costumes change with each job too, so you can see and enjoy your progress visually. The care put into these characters really shows.
Verdict: A Classic that Hasn't Aged a Day
The battle system is as polished as ever, and doesn't show its age at all. Clean and accessible on the surface, with genuine strategic depth and real fun in building your party, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is packed with everything that makes a great RPG.
If you love:
●old-school RPGs
●battles that reward thinking
●revisiting a classic
then this is the game for you!
And that's the plan for the blog this year: Lasengle news from me, mixed in with the team's own take on games and the things they love.
See you next time in "From the CEO's Desk"!
Yoshinori X（Twitter）