Feature: "It Was Hell" - Spike Chunsoft Devs Discuss 'No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES'

At the time of writing, we're now just a few short weeks away from the launch of No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES for the Switch and Switch 2 on 25th July 2025.

It's the third entry in the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series following the launch of the original game in 2019 and its direct sequel, nirvanA Initiative, in 2022. The series so far has been met with widespread acclaim, and the developers over at Spike Chunsoft seemingly have no desire to stop anytime soon – happy days for us, then!

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This year's new entry puts a lot of the focus back on investigator Kaname Date following fan feedback from nirvanA initiative. It also sees developer Kazuya Yamada take the reigns as director and scenario writer, with veteran Kotaro Uchikoshi serving as series director and scenario supervisor. We recently caught up with both to find out more about the game, their roles in its development, and what kind of wacky dreams they've been having recently...

Nintendo Life: How would you define No Sleep For Kaname Date? How does it fit in with the overall story of the series?

Kazuya Yamada: Our mission was to "listen to as many opinions as possible from our fans," and the development team, myself included, has become part of the fan base. In that sense, I think the theme of this project is something like, "Let’s all have a fan appreciation event together." That said, I believe we've created a number of settings that could be used as the series continues. If Uchikoshi-san can make good use of them, I'll feel satisfied.

Kotaro Uchikoshi: When I first heard from the producer, I remember him saying, "It's going to be something like a companion piece." But in reality, it turned out to be more of a true sequel, so much so that it could have been officially the "3" in the series. That applies not just to the overall game, but also to the storyline as well. I'm sure fans will be satisfied with the game, so please look forward to it!

No Sleep For Kaname Date puts a lot of the focus back on the titular protagonist as a playable character - can you tell us more about the story and how you came up with it?

Yamada: The story begins when Date, who is once again the protagonist, receives a call from Iris who has been abducted by a UFO. As Date searches for Iris's whereabouts, he comes across a mysterious device with a sign attached to it that reads "Psync me." While investigating, he finds a connection to the place where Iris is being held captive.

The story follows his journey to unravel these mysteries, rescue Iris, and solve the case. The story this time was built around the requirement of "making Date the protagonist." We explored a variety of ideas and, taking Uchikoshi’s feedback into account, made adjustments little by little—like carving a sculpture.

Yamada-san, you have moved into the role of Director for this game. How has this experience been for you, and what support have you received from Uchikoshi-san?

Yamada: I served as both director and scenario writer, and in a word, it was hell. I was honestly impressed that Uchikoshi-san was able to take on such an outrageous workload. I'm even thinking of putting up a sign in the office that says, "Don't be both director and scenario writer, or it may prove fatal."

Despite his busy schedule, Uchikoshi-san not only pointed out things about the scenario but also gave me suggestions like, "If you do it this way, it'll be more interesting." I'm eternally grateful to him. Of course, I appreciated all of his feedback, but more than that, he also knew exactly how much to praise and flatter me, just the right amount. It really helped me stay sane.

Uchikoshi: I supervised the plot that Yamada-san wrote. For example, I gave him advice on the AI series setting, such as, "The introduction needs to have more impact, so how about this?", "This part is too similar to the last game. Why not try changing it like this?", "As a mystery, it might be better to make this character less suspicious", "It would be better to deliberately hide this fact", "The story would probably develop better if this character didn't know this", "How about making this character the one who orchestrated a certain event?", "As part of the AI series, there’s a certain essence missing, so it would be best to add this", and so on.

There are three distinct gameplay elements in No Sleep For Kaname Date - Investigate, Somnium, and Escape. How do you find the balance between these to ensure the player is entertained and not overwhelmed?

Yamada: One of the series's trademarks is that we aim to have just the right amount of confusion, but we were also careful to structure the game so that players can focus on the task at hand, whether it's an Escape or Somnium section, while keeping the information organised and easy to follow. The difficulty has been fine-tuned as well, so whether you're confident or not, you should be able to progress at a level that suits you. (If you set the difficulty to the lowest setting, you should be able to complete it even while drunk.)

You've developed the game for the Switch 2 alongside the Switch - what have you been able to achieve with Nintendo’s new console that wasn't possible on the original Switch?

Yamada: On the original Nintendo Switch, it was extremely difficult to maintain processing speed, and there were parts we had to give up on. However, with Nintendo Switch 2, the hardware capabilities have simply improved, allowing for smooth performance.

Are there any games outside of the AI SOMNIUM series that you've looked to for inspiration for this latest release?

Yamada: I don't think there's much of a direct influence, but I do think that the Metal Gear Solid series, the SaGa series, and the Yakuza series have influenced my approach to game development and scenario writing. What I think they have in common is their willingness to go beyond expectations and include twists and elements that make you think, "Wait, are they really allowed to do that?"

What kind of feedback have you received from fans of AI SOMNIUM and how has this influenced your approach with this new game?

Yamada: We received a range of feedback, from how the characters are handled to the quality of life of the gameplay system. Among these, the most impactful piece was, "I wanted to see more of Date’s exploits." Based on this, Date returned as the protagonist.

Uchikoshi-san, I recall you saying that you came up with the story for The nirvanA Initiative from a dream. Have either of you had any further dreams that might have influenced this new game?

Yamada: I had a dream where I was kidnapped by members of the mafia who make movies as a hobby. I was forced to write a script under 24-hour surveillance and couldn't leave the room until their boss was satisfied. Meanwhile, I watched my wife being seduced right in front of me, and I cried uncontrollably. It was too sad, so I didn't use it as any kind of reference.

The part about being confined and forced to write a script kind of came true later on, so I strongly hope and pray that the latter part never comes true. Every day, I try to do good deeds and build up my karma.

Uchikoshi: Yamada-san wrote the scenario, so it doesn't include any elements from my dreams. However, I once had a dream in which a man with his lower body exposed was lying on his back on a conveyor belt, and the part of him that was erect--let’s call it “D”--was wearing medieval armour. As the conveyor belt moved forward, D swung and mowed down these approaching monsters. If there’s an opportunity, I might use that somewhere.

How many more stories could potentially be told in the AI SOMNIUM series? Do you have an ending in mind at all?

Yamada: From my perspective, with a work like this one, I can expand the scenario and develop it endlessly if there’s even the slightest chance. So if given the opportunity, I believe it could continue for a long time, just like The Simpsons.

Uchikoshi: There are about as many stories to tell as there are in One Piece. I'll probably still be writing them by the time the Anunnaki aliens return, so I'd like to think about the ending after that.

Uchikoshi-san, you worked closely with Kazutaka Kodaka on The Hundred Line, and he also has Shuten Order launching later this year too. Do you discuss your individual projects with each other and provide feedback?

Uchikoshi: We hardly ever talk about individual projects, but every now and then, Kodaka will casually mention an interesting idea for something I'm working on, and I kind of keep those ideas in the back of my mind.

Thank you to Yamada-san and Uchikoshi-san for taking the time to speak with us. No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES launches on Switch and Switch 2 on 25th July 2025.