Meet CTW’s Game Planner Leader, Murakami Takuto
CTW's game platform "G123" has surpassed 50 million users in just over two years since its launch and has been actively expanding globally since the end of last year. All games distributed on "G123" are planned and operated by our in-house game planners.
This time, we had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Murakami, the leader of our game planner team, which can be considered the foundation of our company.
Murakami-san, thank you for joining us today! I was surprised when I looked at your profile again, but your previous job was a writer, right?
Thank you! Yes, I used to write articles for a game strategy media. Many employees at CTW are game enthusiasts, and I am also a game lover, of course.
We have game consoles and large monitors in the free space at CTW, so we often make use of them. I'm the type who wants to take a break properly during lunchtime.
So, the reason for joining CTW was also because of games, right?
Yes, that's right! When I joined the company in 2017, I was attracted by the opportunity to challenge game operations from scratch, and also because CTW was handling HTML5 games, which were relatively rare at that time.
Now, you and the members who started G123 have made remarkable achievements, becoming a standout in the world of HTML5 games!
I would like to ask you about your work as well. What are the main responsibilities of a "game planner"?
Broadly speaking, there are three main responsibilities in this role, which includes:
Generally, we work on multiple titles simultaneously so time management is really important.
What do you find fulfilling as a game planner?
Currently, I mainly work on games based on anime and other intellectual properties (IP). One of the fulfilling aspects is being involved in anime and manga works and working together to enhance the experience for fans. It's rewarding to see fans enjoying the games.
To ensure that fans of various IPs enjoy our games, I enjoy thinking about unique ways to develop the games as a fan of the works. It's a lot of fun to come up with small hidden details that only those who know the IP will notice!
It seems like a position with great responsibility and fulfillment. What is important to you in your work at CTW?
It's important for me to separate "liking something" from "doing it as a job." I am involved in the work as a "job," so if I only prioritize my personal preferences, it may compromise the "fun as a game" or cause a misalignment with the company's policies. Because I want to create good games that I love, I always make sure to separate these aspects and think about them.
That might be a work philosophy shared by everyone who turns their "passion" into their job. Can you tell us about your personal goal?
My personal goal is to establish connections with IP holders throughout Japan, so that when I want to turn an IP into a game, I would be the first person they think of approaching!
That's a unique goal, especially considering CTW's direct relationships with many IP holders!
Also, the Game Planner team has grown recently! What is the current mission of the team?
The mission of the team aligns closely with the rewarding aspects mentioned earlier. It is to spread wonderful works worldwide through games and to increase the number of players, as well as to ensure smooth project progress.
It's a mission that befits the central role in game development and operations! Currently, the team consists of about 10 members.?
What is the atmosphere like within the team?
In terms of atmosphere, since we have members of similar age, it tends to be relatively calm. However, since everyone loves games and anime, we get really excited when a new title is released!
As for the type of individuals, we actually prefer people who have a "non-corporate" vibe. This is because we want to bring in individuals who can add variety to the games we handle and who can communicate with people from different companies. We aim to assign responsibilities based on the characteristics of the counterpart's contact person and the title. This allows us to provide service developments that keep users engaged and ensure smooth project progress.
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This aligns with the earlier discussion about our mission! What kind of people would you like to work with specifically?
First and foremost, someone with "flexible thinking." Since CTW is constantly changing, and new projects are being launched one after another, we often receive consultations that require thinking from various angles. Therefore, it would be great to have individuals who can promptly respond and consider different perspectives.
Next, someone who can say "I want to do what I want to do." As an organizational policy, we believe that it's not necessary to do things you don't want to do. However, when there is something you want to do, we encourage people to actively raise their hands and engage in it wholeheartedly. This opens up more opportunities and chances for growth!
Lastly, someone who is a "vocabulary-rich otaku"! It doesn't matter what genre they are interested in, but it's important to have a passion for something and be able to spread it to others in their own words.
CTW's employees seem to be enthusiasts in their respective fields, and this applies especially to Game Planners. "The ability to communicate" is an essential skill, right?
Absolutely. When presenting proposals to the IP holders, involving internal colleagues, or devising approaches to engage users, the ability to convey ideas in one's own words becomes crucial.
Please share your vision for the team's future!
Currently, when people think of games, they often mention the App Store, Google Play Store, and platforms like Steam for PC. We want to create an environment where G123 becomes a prominent choice among them.
To achieve this, we plan to release various games and expand our platform to include all kinds of IP games. We aim to reach a point where we can extend our presence to the world, including anime and manga fans!
"Change the World" indeed! It's very exciting.
Lastly, please share a message to those considering joining CTW!
As a Game Planner, your mission is to use the tool of games to spread what makes a particular work interesting and how it can be known to others worldwide.
If you are someone who wants to take on this mission, involve various people, and strive to achieve success, we look forward to your application!
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For more information about our available positions, have a look below.?
We’re actively looking for talent in the following roles.
募集職種についての詳細はこちら。CTWでは下記の職種を積極的に募集中です。
ゲームプランナー/Game Planner (JPN)
ゲームプロデューサー/ Game producer (JPN)
Bridge (CHN-JPN/Mid-Career)