Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion interview – producer on moving away from mechs, change in art style, Nintendo Switch 2, more

After Daemon X Machina came to Nintendo Switch in 2019, the game is getting a sequel with the upcoming release of Titanic Scion. Even better, it’ll be able to take advantage of Nintendo Switch 2 this time around.

The upgrade in hardware isn’t the only change this time around. Marvelous is focusing less on mechs, mixed up the visual style, and more.

Series producer Kenichiro Tsukuda recently spoke about these changes, Nintendo Switch 2, and other topics in a wide-ranging interview with Nintendo Everything. You can find our full discussion below.

What can you tell us about the origins of the game? Did you always intend to create a sequel after the original Daemon X Machina?

We didn’t plan on a sequel from the start, but after we released Daemon X Machina, we received a lot of support from those who played it. Even though we are a small studio that isn’t well known, a significant number of people purchased the game, which made it possible for us to start planning a sequel.

What sort of feedback did the team incorporate from the last entry in working on the new title?

Although Daemon X Machina is a mech game, a significant number of people who had never experienced the mech genre purchased it. This helped me feel that our efforts to expand the genre were worthwhile after all. I want to continue to expand the genre moving forward, so we will continue to incorporate player feedback into various aspects of the game, including characters, story, and gameplay.

Mechs were a big focus of the previous game, but now the action has shifted to exosuits. What led to that decision?

Ultimately, our goal was to create a game that all players who love mech and science fiction genres will want. Moving to smaller armored suits is one way we hope to achieve this. At its core, as technology advanced, our mechs scaled down in size. If we have future sequels, we may be able to show further advances in technology like this. Since Titanic Scion is a sci-fi and mech game, incorporating real-world elements adds depth to the fictional game world. Other goals we had were to make the player feel like they are directly making a difference as the protagonist and to break new ground in areas that other titles or studios in the sci-fi and mech genres have not yet explored.

Can you talk about the updated art style? Compared to the last entry in the series, it looks like Marvelous pulled back on the cel-shaded look.

We considered the visuals deeply. While the previous game had an anime-style aesthetic, for Titanic Scion we chose to lean into Japanese manga, specifically Gekiga, with a splash of photorealism. The characters are more manga-inspired, while the mech designs lean toward photorealism. Since we’re releasing our game across multiple platforms, we aimed to appeal to a wide audience, including anime and manga fans, as well as those who played the previous title.

Daemon X Machina was on Nintendo Switch, but moving to Nintendo Switch 2, is there anything specific the team has been able to do now that you’re not as limited by weaker hardware?

In the first Daemon X Machina, a maximum of four players could be displayed on-screen, including the player’s avatar copy. However, in this game, the number has been increased to include copies and heavy armor. Additionally, since PC development is the norm now, we believe that more of the features we’ve implemented can be enjoyed as-is as we developed them, compared to when we had to make features compatible with the Nintendo Switch.

If Titanic Scion had a message – one that cuts through the gunfire, the mechs, the explosions – what would it be?

There is no comparison to the level of freedom players can experience when moving on land and through the air in Titanic Scion’s open world. I also believe we are unparalleled in the mech genre as a game that consistently introduces new mech features. Gunfire, explosions, and mechs can be found in other games, but what sets this game apart is how we achieve what can only be done through gaming and through this genre. This is always the answer I find deep within my heart.

Was there a particular moment where you had to take a creative risk or go against initial expectations during development? How did that turn out?

It was quite challenging to implement online co-op throughout the entire story mode. This would have been relatively easy if the game had a map-based structure like the previous title, but Titanic Scion has an open world, so we had to account for the players’ locations, things like battle results, and various other factors. I believe the team rose to the challenge.

The original Daemon X Machina explored themes of identity, autonomy, and the cost of power. What core emotional or philosophical themes does Titanic Scion aim to deepen or introduce?

The sorrow of those who are not human and the constant hope for a better future – these are two of the themes present throughout Titanic Scion that lean into the game’s sci-fi roots. When thinking of the future, I think about generations of gamers. New generations are being introduced to gaming all the time, and some people who played the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) are now in their 60s. Children are the ones who shape the future as they grow older. Titanic Scion’s story is about all of us who were once children, all the children who will shape the future, the entire collection of humanity that has shaped history, and all our descendants who will someday lead the future after we are gone. Titanic Scion’s story is meant for gamers of all generations. One generation leads to the next. This may seem obvious, but I value this profound truth.

Was there a specific breakthrough moment in development – whether technical, artistic, or collaborative – that made the team feel, “Yes, this is what Titanic Scion is meant to be”?

It’s difficult to put into words, but during testing, everyone felt, “Ah, even though many things have changed, this is still Daemon X Machina!” This may not exactly answer your question, but the moment I saw our core ideas and mech philosophies brought to fruition, I knew that was the essence of Titanic Scion.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on September 5, 2025. Read more about the game here.