>>65594992 #This stretch of the interview was the most interesting for me.
Mr. Ooka(head director of holoearth):
"Holo Earth" is a place for our talents to work, and at the same time, we want it to be a place for a variety of creators and artists to be active in this way. We would like not only fans of our talents, but also fans of creators and artists to play the game, as we believe this will give them an opportunity to get to know our talents.
4Gamer:
Is there anything you can talk about at this point regarding future updates?
Ooka:
As I mentioned earlier, we plan to implement battle elements within the sandbox and the ability to readjust the costumes, hair, makeup, etc. of already created avatars by the end of 2024. We will also gradually expand the Alternative City area, so please look forward to it.
4Gamer:
I'm also curious about the new development of "Hololive Alternative" itself, what do you think of this?
Mr. Ooka:
We understand that you have been kept waiting, but please rest assured that progress is underway. It is planned to be linked with "Holo Earth", and I think there will be some things that will be implemented as permanent content in the future.
4Gamer:
We've asked you about the update in general, so I'd like to ask you again about the Metaverse that Holo-Earth is aiming for. There are various titles that advocate the Metaverse, such as "Roblox" , "VRChat", and " Fortnite" , but how is "Holo Earth" different from them?
Mr. Ooka:
I think one answer is to expand the range of places, stages, and experiences themselves - in other words, what can be done virtually. Examples of what can be done include virtual live performances, sandboxes, and UGC.
4Gamer:
So you're aiming for a platform, not a game?
Ooka:
It depends on the definition of the platform, but I think it will have both game-like and SNS-like aspects.
4Gamer:
...This may be a bit of a naive point of view, but do you mean that you want to move away from YouTube?
Mr. Fukuda(CTO of cover):
(laughs).
Mr. Ooka:
It's not so much that we want to "break away" but rather that we want to increase our options. For example, you can attend a festival before the concert, prepare your penlight, spend some time before the performance, and then the curtain goes up. Such rich experiences cannot be created on YouTube. On the other hand, there are definitely fans who prefer watching live shows on video. For those people, we will also be distributing it on YouTube in parallel. ``Yamato Fantasia'' actually does this.
4Gamer:
In other words, Holo-Earth has a "strong" worldview as a Metaverse. For example, compared to ``Roblox'' and ``VRChat,'' I feel like it's high-context and restrictive.
Mr. Ooka:
``Holo Earth'' shares a worldview with ``Hololive Alternative,'' but it's just a stage setting, and I don't think it's a good idea to be too tied down to it. We don't want the world to close, so we allow projects that deviate from that.
4Gamer:
So isn't this a metaverse for "Hololive" fans to interact with?
Mr. Ooka:
I want to grow it into a metaverse where not only "Hololive" fans but also people who like games and anime-related content gather. From there, people will become fans of the talent.
4Gamer:
I think gamers understand that online games can be a so-called third place, a comfortable place. But why do people who are not fans of Hololive choose Hololive?
Mr. Ooka:
I think the most important factor is that it has a “Japanese anime look” world. In fact, ``Hololive Alternative'' was necessary to build that. Of course, we also intend to ensure that the game is still fun.
4Gamer:
I see...
Mr. Ooka:
For example, I think it was important for VTubers to be 3D characters with an anime look. We believe that ``Hololive'' adds new experiences to that, such as streamer activities and 3D live performances typical of idols. What ``Holo Earth'' is trying to do is similar to that, and it is to add new value to anime-style 3D games.
4Gamer:
Metaverse as a buzzword seems to be losing momentum for a while, what do you think about it?
Mr. Ooka:
``Holo Earth'' refers to the Metaverse, but I think you can call it whatever you want. When the project first started, we didn't use the word Metaverse. Judging from the enthusiasm of fans for "Yamato Fantasia," there is no doubt that there is a need for "virtual experiences," so if that is clear, I don't think there will be any changes.
4Gamer:
That's certainly one of Holo Earth's strengths.
Mr. Ooka:
Yes. Until now, the only interaction between virtual talents and fans was through a screen. But if fans have a virtual body called an avatar, they can cross that line. In the virtual world, you can expand the opportunities for people to meet.
