genDESIGN
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2014
- Employees
- 1-10
- Offices
- 1
About genDESIGN
genDESIGN is an independent Japanese video game development studio based in Tokyo. Founded in the summer of 2014 by Fumito Ueda and veteran collaborators from Team Ico, it develops console and PC games with an emphasis on character companionship, environmental storytelling and atmospheric exploration. Its founding team's earlier experience includes work on ICO and Shadow of the Colossus at Sony; those games are part of the developers' heritage rather than genDESIGN's own production credits.
The studio brings together game design, creative direction, animation, narrative and visual development. Its capabilities encompass character animation and companion AI, storyboarding, 3D art, level design, mechanics prototyping and research for console and PC development. This combination places character behaviour, world-building and player interaction at the centre of its work.
Creative development
genDESIGN was initially formed to oversee creative direction and design execution for The Last Guardian, released for PlayStation 4 in 2016. Working with SIE Japan Studio, the team contributed core mechanics, animation, character interactions, narrative and the game's artistic presentation. The project established the studio's continuing focus on relationships between players and expressive companions within large, mysterious environments.
Following that release, genDESIGN began prototyping a new original game. Its upcoming title, gen ATLAS, is an open-world single-player adventure featuring a human explorer and a massive robotic companion travelling through a quiet alien landscape. The project first appeared in a teaser at The Game Awards 2024 under the working name Project: Robot, before its title and fuller presentation were unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2026.
Epic Games Publishing is the publisher for the new project. The studio remains independently owned, with publishing partnerships supporting its development work rather than establishing a parent-company relationship. Across its projects, genDESIGN combines an established creative team with original game development and research into character-driven interactive experiences.
More about genDESIGN
Leadership and founding collaborators
Fumito Ueda is identified as representative director and CEO. Founding collaborators included lead animator Masanobu Tanaka and narrative designer Masami Tanji; the report does not establish their current executive roles.
Design and working practices
Ueda's “design by subtraction” approach removes unnecessary mechanics, interface clutter and intrusive HUD elements to concentrate attention on emotional interaction, companionship and exploration. The reported working model combines collaborative research and development in the studio with selective remote work.
Development financing
Kowloon Nights initially supported the new original game's prototyping in 2018. The March 2020 multi-project publishing agreement provides full development financing from Epic Games while genDESIGN retains 100% intellectual property ownership and creative autonomy.
Recognition associated with The Last Guardian
The game's recognition includes Audio Achievement at the 13th British Academy Games Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Character at the 20th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, an Award for Excellence at the Japan Game Awards 2017, and the Entertainment Division Grand Prize at the 21st Japan Media Arts Festival. These are recognitions of the collaborative game, rather than separate corporate awards for genDESIGN.
Notable credits
2 creditsOffices
Where genDESIGN is based
- theSOHO Building, 2-7-4 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, JapanTokyo, Japan
Tokyo office
HeadquartersCompany headquarters and active physical development studio in Aomi, Koto-ku.
Open roles
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