Keita Takahashi is no stranger to making weird and wonderful games. As the mind behind Katamari Damacy and Noby Noby Boy, his approach to game design has always leaned toward the unconventional. His latest project, to a T, is no different. The game places players in the shoes of a teenager stuck in the default T-pose—a stance normally associated with unfinished character models in development. But for Takahashi, this isn’t just a quirky gimmick; it’s an exploration of playfulness, limitation, and the evolving meaning of video games.
In our interview, Takahashi reflected on the origins of to a T with his trademark mix of humor and existential musings. When asked why he made the game, his response was simple: “Because I wanted to.” But behind that straightforward answer lies a deeper contemplation of why we create, why we play, and why games should challenge expectations rather than conform to them.
“Games Can Be Anything”
Takahashi has always resisted the notion that games need to fit within a rigid framework. With to a T, he continues that philosophy by designing a game around a character whose movement is entirely constrained—something typically seen as a bug or mistake. “I think the T-pose is a basic feature in game development,” he said, adding that it intrigued him as a concept that players could actually engage with rather than dismiss as an error.
He also expressed his distaste for how many modern games prioritize competition, violence, and monetization. “I don’t play video games much, but a lot of them are about violence, fighting, and killing monsters. Maybe that’s because the real world is chaotic.” Instead, he wants to offer players something more playful and thought-provoking. “Video games can be anything. There’s no definition of a video game besides being interactive.”
A Response to the World’s Chaos
For Takahashi, to a T is both an experiment with mechanics and a reaction to the state of the world. He described the game as something he felt he needed to create right now, in response to what he sees as a messy, conflicted reality. “There’s a huge gap between people, whether you live in the United States, Japan, China, or anywhere else. I felt like I needed something delightful at this moment.”
Despite the playful and absurd nature of his work, Takahashi isn’t interested in providing a simple escape. “I don’t want to make something that helps people escape or teaches them something. I just want to remind people to wake up.”
Encouraging the Next Generation of Developers
Takahashi’s work has always pushed boundaries, and he hopes that new developers will follow suit rather than simply repeat what has already been done. “You don’t need to follow the existing formula. Of course, competitive games are fun, but video games can be anything.”
to a T is a simple game about a kid stuck in a T-pose that embodies Takahashi’s long-standing approach to game design—prioritizing creativity, joy, and questioning the status quo. As he put it, “They can do whatever they want. They don’t have to follow the current way of making games.”
With to a T, Keita Takahashi continues his quest to redefine what games can be, reminding players and developers alike that fun doesn’t have to come from the expected. Sometimes, it’s the strangest ideas that leave the most lasting impression.
