Author who inspired JRPG hits Shin Megami Tensei and Persona says devs need to draw ideas from media other than games, or "you'll usually just end up making the exact same system"

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Author who inspired JRPG hits Shin Megami Tensei and Persona says devs need to draw ideas from media other than games, or "you'll usually just end up making the exact same system" News By Scott McCrae published 23 January 2026

"If there are only works that are made with a tendency to become hits, the market won’t expand"

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Aya Nishitani, author of the Megami Tensei novels – which inspired the Atlus series of the same game – has said it's crucial that games take inspiration from other media.

While The Witcher is probably the biggest one in terms of popularity, when it comes to video games based on books, Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei has to take the crown. Atlus' flagship series started with a sequel to the first two books in the series, and eventually grew and spawned the likes of Shin Megami Tensei, Devil Summoner, Soul Hackers, and, of course, Persona (and Jack Bros. for the Virtual Boy, most importantly).

In a thread on Twitter (translated by Automaton) Nishitani responds to a user who cites developers basing their games on movies and music back in the day, as opposed to developers being inspired by other games. The author says: "I believe that if you draw inspiration from other forms of media, you'll be able to come up with brand-new game systems, but if you draw inspiration from outstanding games, you'll usually just end up making the exact same system."

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Nishitani continues, sharing that he believes that "making only things that are popular" leads to stagnation. "If there are only works that are made with a tendency to become hits, the market won't expand and will start falling into a diminishing equilibrium."

He adds, "This means that, despite more creators coming on board, market revenue will drop, causing individual income to become even lower. This is something that often happens in other industries too."

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Sega CATEGORIES Nintendo Switch 2 Xbox Series X PS5 PC Gaming PS4 Nintendo Switch Xbox One Platforms Nintendo Xbox PlayStation Scott McCraeSocial Links NavigationContributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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