Capcom project manager Takashi Matsunaka shared his project management experience for "Qualia Existence" at "Game Makers Scramble 2026." Development of this new IP took approximately six years, with about three years each for prototyping and full-scale production; the team coordinated development by setting clear goals, standardizing communication, and conducting continuous testing.
When Matsunaka joined the team, members had differing understandings of the project's focus: some emphasized the sci-fi setting, others prioritized gameplay, and others focused on character development. This lack of alignment led to rework. Subsequently, the team documented foundational information such as the game concept, genre, gameplay, and worldbuilding, repeatedly confirming these details in meetings while clearly defining what tasks were to be done immediately and what could be deferred.
Communication methods were also adjusted. Previously, unclear meeting objectives and decision-makers, along with vague verbal instructions, had caused members to wait or repeat work. Matsunaka stated that the team therefore streamlined meeting purposes, instruction processes, and specification documents to make production requirements clearer.
Regarding scheduling, the team established phase-based milestones and broke work into shorter cycles, focusing on specific issues in each round and regularly evaluating outcomes. Even near the end, when a complete playthrough could take two days, members would still play the current build together to understand how all parts functioned in combination.