Kotaro Uchikoshi revealed that a game his new studio, Crash Keys, had been developing for about a year and a half was suddenly canceled, leaving him jobless overnight. Following this setback, he introduced the studio ahead of schedule and publicly sought individuals interested in offering employment, collaboration, or investment.
Crash Keys was founded in March 2025, with original plans to officially announce the company and its first game in 2026. Kotaro Uchikoshi wrote and directed the Zero Escape trilogy, co-founded TooKyo Games, and collaborated with Kazutaka Kodaka on The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-. Currently, the name and gameplay of the canceled project have not been disclosed.
The Crash Keys website also lists writer Akira Mine and Muri Sasaki, who worked on Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files. Uchikoshi used exaggerated jokes to express concern over the company's situation; the studio is currently seeking job opportunities, collaborations, and investments.