Why Katamari Damacy’s Creator Left Bandai Namco for Global Game Development

For numerous years, Keita Takahashi was a member of Namco’s art department, where he played a pivotal role in creating the initial version of “Katamari Damacy,” launched in 2004 for PlayStation 2. This game revolves around a young prince who is assigned by his cosmic father to reconstruct celestial bodies by moving around a mystical ball called a “katamari.” This ball has the peculiarity of adhering to objects, buildings, landmasses, and even people. Once the katamari reaches an appropriate size, it transforms into a star, completing the level. The original “Katamari Damacy” received accolades for its ingenuity, promptly followed by the release of its sequel, “We Love Katamari,” also on PlayStation 2. In 2006, Namco and Bandai combined forces to establish Bandai Namco, and Takahashi departed from the company. Notably, “Katamari Damacy” and “We Love Katamari” were the only games in the series where Takahashi had a direct hand in their development.







